I’m not a Metalhead, but I do listen to heavy metal from time to time. One thing I’ve been curious about for a while now, is why is Judas Priest considered metal gods?
This isn’t a putdown of them. I really do like their music, but there must be something I’m missing because I don’t see how they got that title (other than it’s a title of one of their songs).
So what did they do to deserve it?
Interesting.
I would not have thought of them at metal gods at all. Motorhead are kind of the grandfathers/gods of metal, I though.
They were one of the biggest metal bands of the '80s. That, and they wrote a song titled “Metal Gods” on the 1981 album British Steel.
that second one might have more to do with it 
They perfected a certain formula of metal: twin guitars chugging rhythms and doing harmony leads, operatic vocals - and all encased in leather and rivets, not knowing where Rob Halford got his look.
They are fun in an entirely juvenile Beavis and Butthead sorta way…
I thought Black Sabbath invented heavy metal?
This helps to explain it. They were very influential to a lot of bands, and are credited with being the first band to have the “leather / metal studded” stage presence.
They and bands like Iron Maiden ARE metal gods.
Sabbath, Metallica, Priest and Maiden are the main Metal bands for School of Rock concerts, for what that is worth. I’m shooting the Chicago School’s Metallica show next Sunday. You’ve never heard Metal until you’ve heard it sung by a seven year old.
Please post follow-up (YouTube?) links if available…
Alas, I am on the Megabus at the moment, and YouTube is on the list of blocked web sites on their WiFi. I’ll find some when I get to my destination.
Except Lemmy considers Motorhead to be punk.
As for Priest, IMO, Halford defined metal vocals for the bands that followed, while Tipton & Downing set the standard for twin lead guitars.
After Sabbath, JP is probably the most important act in heavy metal. Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rainbow, and other early metal bands did not consider themselves metal; even if others were already using the term. JP was the first band to embrace the metal title and go with it. And, as others said, they started the whole wearing black/leather and studs thing, the twin guitars, etc.
Are twin guitars really that common in metal?
In some metal, hell yeah! In the 70’s, with Maiden and Priest, it was a signature sound - Thin Lizzy and a few other bands emphasized it, but metal bands made it their own. It became a bit cliche and bands moved away from it, but it doesn’t take much to break out a little twin-lead action if you want to show your metal cred…
Yes. especially when they were on the same bill.
Judas Priest developed a sound like no other. For a couple of years (1978-1982), they were the biggest and the best. Certainly the loudest.
Were their songs not released as singles heavier than their singles?
Were their songs in concert heavier than on their albums?
Not really.
Up until British Steel (1980), yes.
I never cared for the pop-metal singles JP released. Their heaviest, metalliest (heh) work is found mostly on album tracks, IMHO. JP had a wide range, by metal standards. Few would rate Painkiller or All Guns Blazing as anything but very heavy. Some of their best work, if you ask me.
I haven’t really heard any of their songs that came out after “Pain Killer”, but I always considered it the heaviest song I heard from them.
Hearing “All Guns Blazing” for the first time. Yeah, both are heavier and faster than songs like “Turbo Lover”, “Breaking the Law”, and “You’ve got Another Thing Coming”.
But then again, it was their first speed metal album.