10 Greatest Judas Priest Riffs
When it comes to heavy metal, no band gets rip-roaring quite like Judas Priest. The Metal Gods have written some of their genre’s finest riffs, so we’ve compiled our picks for the 10 Greatest Judas Priest Riffs.
Has there ever been a more epic intro to an album than “The Hellion / Electric Eye”? The two opening tracks, which flow together seamlessly, solidified Screaming for Vengeance as a classic album even before Rob Halford sang his first note. The structure of “Electric Eye” became the blueprint for countless future metal riffs where bands would loop around the same lick with a slight change in each measure. All these years later, it still rips harder than most metal bands could even imagine measuring up against.
Judas Priest’s commercial breakout, British Steel, is an absolute riff fest. Pounding the world like a battering ram, British Steel helped usher in the ‘80s, giving us immortal riffs like “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight” while keeping it heavy with cuts like “Grinder.” However, only one riff made it on our list. Can you guess the chosen one?
Though Point of Entry was a little too “rock” for the metalheads out there, one undeniably phenomenal track is “Desert Plains.” Beyond Halford’s soaring vocals, the cut features a lead riff that’s beefy as it is melodic, and it’s a classic example of what Priest can do better than any other band.
Check out the 10 Greatest Judas Priest Riffs in the Loud List above!
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