This collection contains the albums ROCKA ROLLA (1974)/SAD WINGS OF DESTINY (1976).

Includes liner notes by Krusher.

ROCKA ROLLA:

Judas Priest: Rob Halford (vocals); Glen Tipton (guitar, synthesizer, background vocals); K.K. Downing (guitar); Ian Hill (bass); John Hinch (drums).

Recorded in June & July 1974.

SAD WINGS OF DESTINY:

Judas Priest: Rob Halford (vocals); Glen Tipton (guitar, piano); K.K. Downing (guitar); Ian Hill (bass); Alan Moore (drums).

Producers: Jeffery Calvert, Max West, Judas Priest.

Engineers: Jeffery Calvert, Dave Charles, Chris Tsangerides.

Liner Note Author: Krusher.

Before death, thrash, and power metal there was only Judas Priest. This re-release consists of Priest's first two albums, ROCKA ROLLA and SAD WINGS OF DESTINY, and the world is a better place for it. Judas Priest has been the poster band for pure, unadulterated heavy metal since 1969; the seeds for world domination were planted with the aforementioned releases.

ROCKA ROLLA's title track is an accessible slab of grooving heavy rock, influenced by Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. "Deep Freeze" and "Never Satisfied" display the group's trademark classic dual guitar attack and piercing vocals. The peak continues on Disc Two with "Victim of Changes," the tale of a prominent woman's fall from grace. "The Ripper" features Rob Halford's range and the tandem precision of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing, while the dark "Dreamer Deceiver" shows Halford delivering by turns a deep, bluesy octave and a God-like falsetto. A beautiful piano introduces "Tyrant," and returns on "Epitaph," a Queen-like ballad that gives way to the sheer power of "Island of Domination." Fans of any metal genre should own GENOCIDE.