Sorry Judas Priest nerds, but as someone who is one and thinks Rob Halford is an incredibly gifted and versatile vocalist, Jugulator is a good album. It’s heavy as fuck and darker than anything the band has done until now. The riffs here pummel instead of tear, but they do a great job at it. The attitude is legitimately dirty and sinister too, unlike when the band was with Halford and didn’t take themselves that seriously. Jugulator is honestly one of the band’s better albums.

That said, this isn’t a masterpiece or anything; some amazing songs, some good songs, some okay ones. You know: respectable, but not a classic. I still prefer it to a lot of Halford albums: Rocka Rolla, Killing Machine, Point of Entry, Turbo, or Ram It Down. Give this album a shot and be a fair judge because it honestly deserves it. Certain songs, like “Abductors,” sound like Mercyful Fate… But Mercyful Fate are awesome, so that’s fine.