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Killing Machine
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For other uses, see Killing machine (disambiguation).
Killing Machine
Studio album by Judas Priest
Released
9 October 1978
Recorded
August–September 1978
Studio
Utopia and CBS Studios, London
Genre
Heavy metal
Length
35:06 (Killing Machine)
38:30 (Hell Bent For Leather)
Label
Columbia
Producer
Judas Priest, James Guthrie
Judas Priest chronology
Stained Class
(1978) Killing Machine
(1978) Unleashed in the East
(1979)
Singles from Killing Machine
"Before The Dawn"
Released: 27 October 1978
"Take On the World"
Released: 20 January 1979
"Evening Star"
Released: 12 May 1979
"Rock Forever"
Released: 1979
Killing Machine (known as Hell Bent for Leather in the US due to controversy over the Cleveland Elementary School shooting) is the fifth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. With its release in October 1978, the album pushed the band towards a more commercial style; however, it still contained the dark lyrical themes of their previous albums. At about the same time, the band members adopted their now-famous "leather-and-studs" fashion image, inspired by Rob Halford's interest in gay leather culture. It is the band's last studio album to feature drummer Les Binks.
Contents
1 International and American versions
2 Overview
3 Reissues
4 Recording and production
5 Critical reception
6 In popular culture
7 Track listing
8 Personnel
9 Charts
10 Sales and certifications
11 References
International and American versions[edit]
The album was retitled Hell Bent for Leather for its U.S. release in early 1979, because the U.S. branch of Columbia/CBS did not like the "murderous implications" of the title. Both titles are drawn from songs on the album with "The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)", an early Fleetwood Mac cover, being added to the U.S. release.
The album was also pressed in red vinyl in the UK.
Overview[edit]
With Killing Machine, Judas Priest began moving to a more accessible, commercial format that abandoned the complex, fantasy-themed songs of their previous three albums. While this album still had dark undertones, it was more grounded in realism. This was reflected in their change of stage costumes from flowing Gothic robes to leather, but was also a reaction to the rising punk and New Wave movements. K.K. Downing had expressed doubts about the New Wave of British Heavy Metal stating "everybody was totally dedicated to having their own show, their own images". Priest were part of the influence on the NWOBHM, but not part of it. The band's new, simpler sound was the result of several factors, including a desire to compete with punk rock, produce songs that were easier to perform live, and also appeal more to American audiences.[1] Tracks such as "Burnin' Up" and "Evil Fantasies" are replete with S&M themes while "Running Wild" is about late-night partying and "Before the Dawn" a depressing ballad. "Hell Bent for Leather" reflected their newly adopted leather costumes as well as Rob Halford's soon-to-be-trademark entrances on stage in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The single "Take on the World" was an attempt at producing a stadium shoutalong tune in the mould of Queen's "We Will Rock You", and was also covered by New Wave band The Human League on their 1980 tour.[2] If the lyrics were simplified a bit from the band's previous albums and adapted more into mainstream arena rock, the instruments retained their characteristic aggressiveness with heavier guitar riffing and elements of blues influence returned on some songs. The album is certified gold by the RIAA. Finally, the production of Killing Machine was markedly improved from Judas Priest's earlier albums, which were criticized for having excessively flat sound, and would be further refined for their next and breakthrough album, British Steel.
"Delivering The Goods", "Hell Bent For Leather", and "The Green Manalishi" were the three songs from Killing Machine which became standard parts of the band's live setlist, with the other songs being performed rarely or not at all.
Reissues[edit]
The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added (three in the UK). The bonus track "Fight for Your Life" was the "original" version of Judas Priest's "Rock Hard Ride Free" from their Defenders of the Faith album. "The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)" is considered a bonus track on the UK remaster, but a regular track on the U.S. version.
In 2010, audiophile label Audio Fidelity released a limited-edition 24-karat gold CD of Hell Bent for Leather. Mastering was done by Steve Hoffman. This does not contain the bonus tracks from the 2001 edition.
Recording and production[edit]
This is the first Judas Priest album where Glenn Tipton incorporated the guitar technique of tapping into his soloing style, perhaps[according to whom?] inspired by Eddie Van Halen's popularization of the technique, with his band Van Halen's popular debut album having come out earlier that year. This is also the final studio album for drummer Les Binks who had joined the band in early 1977 in time for the Sin After Sin tour; he is credited with helping develop the traditional Priest percussive sound. Binks was dropped and replaced by drummer Dave Holland after the 1979 tour because of a financial disagreement where the band's manager Mike Dolan wanted Binks to "waive his fees" for performing on the platinum selling 1979 Unleashed in the East live album.
Critical reception[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source
Rating
AllMusic [3]
In 2005, Killing Machine was ranked number 321 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[4] This album, as well as subsequent albums by the band, have somewhat divided fans, with some preferring the complexity and darkness of the early albums, while others prefer the more mainstream and polished later albums.
In popular culture[edit]
The song "Hell Bent for Leather" is featured in Ari Gold's 2008 film Adventures of Power, the 2004 episode of the sitcom That '70s Show entitled "Surprise, Surprise" and also featured in 2009 game Guitar Hero: Metallica.
Track listing[edit]
Side one
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1. "Delivering the Goods" Rob Halford, K. K. Downing, Glenn Tipton 4:16
2. "Rock Forever" Halford, Downing, Tipton 3:19
3. "Evening Star" Halford, Tipton 4:06
4. "Hell Bent for Leather" Tipton 2:41
5. "Take On the World" Halford, Tipton 3:00
Side two
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
6. "Burnin' Up" Downing, Tipton 4:07
7. "The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)" (Fleetwood Mac cover; originally exclusive to Hell Bent for Leather, also added to later releases of Killing Machine) Peter Green 3:23
8. "Killing Machine" Tipton 3:01
9. "Running Wild" Tipton 2:58
10. "Before the Dawn" Halford, Downing, Tipton 3:23
11. "Evil Fantasies" Halford, Downing, Tipton 4:15
show2001 bonus tracks
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
12. "Fight for Your Life" (Recorded during the 1982 Screaming for Vengeance sessions) Downing, Halford, Tipton 4:06
13. "Riding on the Wind" (Live at the US Festival, Devore, California; 29 May 1983) Downing, Halford, Tipton 3:16
Personnel[edit]
Judas Priest
Rob Halford – vocals
K. K. Downing – guitar
Glenn Tipton – guitar, keyboards on "Before the Dawn"
Ian Hill – bass
Les Binks – drums
Production
Produced by James Guthrie and Judas Priest
Engineered by James Guthrie, assisted by Damian Korner, Andrew Jackson, Kevin Dallimore, and Andrew Clark
Cover design by Rosław Szaybo
Photography by Bob Elsdale
Charts[edit]
Year
Chart
Position
1979 US Billboard Top LPs 128
Sales and certifications[edit]
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[5]
Gold 500,000^
^shipments figures based on certification alone
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
Jump up ^ [1] Archived 4 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
Jump up ^ "Killing Machine review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
Jump up ^ [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p. 82. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
Jump up ^ "American album certifications – Judas Priest – Point of Entry". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
show
v
t
e
Judas Priest
Ian Hill
Glenn Tipton
Scott Travis
Rob Halford
Richie Faulkner
Andy Sneap (current touring guitarist)
K. K. Downing
Tim "Ripper" Owens
Dave Holland
Les Binks
Alan Moore
John Hinch
Al Atkins
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla
Sad Wings of Destiny
Sin After Sin
Stained Class
Killing Machine
British Steel
Point of Entry
Screaming for Vengeance
Defenders of the Faith
Turbo
Ram It Down
Painkiller
Jugulator
Demolition
Angel of Retribution
Nostradamus
Redeemer of Souls
Firepower
Live albums
Unleashed in the East
Priest...Live!
'98 Live Meltdown
Live in London
A Touch of Evil: Live
Battle Cry
Compilations
The Best of Judas Priest
Hero, Hero
Metal Works '73–'93
The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight
Priest, Live and Rare
Genocide
Metalogy
The Essential Judas Priest
Single Cuts
The Chosen Few
The Complete Albums Collection
Videos
Live in London
Electric Eye
Rising in the East
Live Vengeance '82
Epitaph
Battle Cry
Singles
"Rocka Rolla"
"The Ripper"
"Diamonds and Rust"
"Better by You, Better than Me"
"Exciter"
"Take On the World"
"Evening Star"
"Rock Forever"
"Living After Midnight"
"Breaking the Law"
"United"
"Heading Out to the Highway"
"You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
"Electric Eye"
"Freewheel Burning"
"Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"
"Turbo Lover"
"Locked In"
"Parental Guidance"
"Ram It Down"
"Johnny B. Goode"
"Painkiller"
"A Touch of Evil"
"Burn in Hell"
"Bullet Train"
"Revolution"
Other songs
"Run of the Mill"
"Victim of Changes"
"Dreamer Deceiver"
"Dissident Aggressor"
"Beyond the Realms of Death"
"The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)"
"Hell Bent for Leather"
"Judas Rising"
Tours and concerts
Judas Priest Tour
The Return of the Priest Tour
Whiskey Woman Tour
Rocka Rolla Tour
Sad Wings of Destiny Tour
Sin After Sin Tour
Stained Class Tour
X Certificate Tour
Hell Bent for Leather Tour
Unleashed in the East Tour
British Steel Tour
World Wide Blitz Tour
World Vengeance Tour
Metal Conqueror Tour
Fuel for Life Tour
Mercenaries of Metal Tour
Painkiller Tour
Operation Rock & Roll
Reunited Tour
Retribution Tour
Nostradamus World Tour
Metal Masters Tour
Epitaph World Tour
Redeemer of Souls Tour
Firepower World Tour
Related articles
Discography
Members
The Flying Hat Band
Fight
Two
Halford
Heavy Metal Parking Lot
A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal
Hell Bent Forever: A Tribute to Judas Priest
A Tribute to the Priest
Book:Judas Priest
Category:Judas Priest
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