Judas Priest - British Steel

Everything that ultimately became characteristic of heavy metal is here on Judas Priest's British Steel, from the lightning-fast riffs on "Rapid Fire," the anthemic "Metal Gods," and "United" to the obligatory party song "Living After Midnight" to the equally obligatory youth-rebellion song, "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise".

Predating Metallica's self-titled blockbuster by 11 years, Judas Priest's British Steel was a similarly pitched landmark boasting many of the same accomplishments. It streamlined and simplified the progressive intricacies of a band fresh off of revolutionizing the entire heavy metal genre; it brought an aggressive, underground metal subgenre crashing into the mainstream and it greatly expanded the possibilities for heavy metal's commercial viability as a whole.

Heavyweight vinyl produced by We Are Vinyl for Columbia Records. Includes download card.