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===Original (Gull) LP track listing===
===Original (Gull) LP track listing===
{{tracklist
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Lead break
| headline = Side A
| headline = Side A
| writing_credits = yes
| writing_credits = yes
Line 56: Line 55:
| writer1 = [[Al Atkins]], [[Glenn Tipton]], [[Rob Halford]], [[K.K. Downing]]
| writer1 = [[Al Atkins]], [[Glenn Tipton]], [[Rob Halford]], [[K.K. Downing]]
| length1 = 7:47
| length1 = 7:47
| extra1 = Both
| title2 = [[The Ripper (song)|The Ripper]]
| title2 = [[The Ripper (song)|The Ripper]]
| writer2 = Tipton
| writer2 = Tipton
| length2 = 2:50
| length2 = 2:50
| extra2 = Tipton
| title3 = [[Dreamer Deceiver]]
| title3 = [[Dreamer Deceiver]]
| writer3 = Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton
| writer3 = Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton
| length3 = 5:51
| length3 = 5:51
| extra3 = Downing
| title4 = Deceiver
| title4 = Deceiver
| writer4 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| writer4 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| length4 = 2:40
| length4 = 2:40
| extra4 = Tipton
}}
}}


{{tracklist
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Lead break
| headline = Side B
| headline = Side B
| writing_credits = yes
| writing_credits = yes
Line 78: Line 72:
| writer5 = Tipton
| writer5 = Tipton
| length5 = 2:02
| length5 = 2:02
| extra5 = None
| title6 = Tyrant
| title6 = Tyrant
| writer6 = Halford, Tipton
| writer6 = Halford, Tipton
| extra6 = Both
| length6 = 4:28
| length6 = 4:28
| title7 = Genocide
| title7 = Genocide
| writer7 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| writer7 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| length7 = 5:51
| length7 = 5:51
| extra7 = Both
| title8 = Epitaph
| title8 = Epitaph
| writer8 = Tipton
| writer8 = Tipton
| length8 = 3:08
| length8 = 3:08
| extra8 = None
| title9 = Island of Domination
| title9 = Island of Domination
| writer9 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| writer9 = Halford, Downing, Tipton
| length9 = 4:32
| length9 = 4:32
| extra9 = Downing
}}
}}



Revision as of 20:40, 4 May 2014

Untitled

Sad Wings of Destiny is the second album by the English heavy metal group Judas Priest, released in 1976. Sad Wings of Destiny was Judas Priest's second and final studio record made while under contract with Gull Records, an independent UK company. Despite critical acclaim, the band was struggling financially due to lack of support from the small label (Rob Halford and K.K. Downing would later claim that they were living in a van outside the Gull studios and went hungry some days) Shortly after changing management, the band severed their ties with Gull and signed with Columbia Records. Consequently, Judas Priest lost all rights to the recordings on their first two albums and to all demo recordings made during the sessions while under contract with Gull.[1] Sad Wings of Destiny was initially published and distributed by Janus Records in the United States,[2] with subsequent reissues by Ovation Records and RCA Records.

Background

The cover art for the album, titled Fallen Angels, was illustrated by Patrick Woodroffe. The producer duo Jeffrey Calvert and Max West were also the main members in pop group Typically Tropical who had a No. 1 UK hit in 1975.

While the band lost the rights to recording royalties, they obtained copyright ownership of the songs themselves, many of which became staples for their live shows. "Victim of Changes", "The Ripper", "Tyrant" and "Genocide" appear on Unleashed in the East, a live album released by CBS in 1979. "Diamonds & Rust" — a Joan Baez song originally recorded for Sad Wings but omitted from the final album — was re-recorded for Sin After Sin, their first CBS release, and also appears on Unleashed. Gull later released the band's original recording of "Diamonds & Rust" on a 'best of' album and their re-release of Rocka Rolla, while a demo recording from this era of the song "Mother Sun" — which was performed live in 1975 — remains unreleased.

The album still has significant traces of progressive rock, notably in the multi-sectioned "Victim of Changes", the proggy space ballad "Dreamer Deceiver", the technique of most of the album tracks segueing into one another, and the philosophical lyrics, as well as lingering elements of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. Despite this, it was a significant progression in style from the band's debut album, which had nothing resembling heavy metal on it. In particular, the aforementioned "Victim of Changes", "The Ripper", and especially "Tyrant", were notable for being the heaviest songs released up till that time.

It is the first album in which all the notable characteristics of the band fell firmly into place, with Rob Halford's wide vocal range, KK Downing's and Glenn Tipton's dueling guitars, and dark heavy metal songs.

The track "Genocide" mentions the title of the next album, Sin After Sin, in the middle of the song. Glenn Tipton's piano playing features prominently on Sad Wings of Destiny, especially on "Epitaph", a song that features no guitar.

The tracks "Victim of Changes" and "Dreamer Deceiver" were co-written by vocalist Al Atkins, who fronted the band in the early 1970s before being replaced by Rob Halford. These songs are known for showing Halford's full vocal range, with the latter song containing one of his highest-pitched screams ever recorded.

"Victim of Changes" was originally written as a shorter song. However, another early track called "Whiskey Woman" was mixed in the middle of the song resulting in the final version, plus a song "Red Light Lady" that had been written by Rob Halford in a previous band he fronted. Al Atkins would eventually record the original version of the song for his 1998 album of the same name.

Sad Wings Of Destiny became a favorite album for live performances, with only two tracks ("Prelude" and the guitar-less "Epitaph") having never been played in concert. "Victim Of Changes" is the band's single most performed song, with 897 plays through 2012.

In 2011, Sad Wings of Destiny and Rocka Rolla were remastered for the first time.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5 [4]

Despite the lack of commercial success the album received, it was widely praised by critics, and earned the band a small, but dedicated cult following on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, the album is widely considered to be one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time. Sputnikmusic's Brendan Schroer says that the album, "is the record in which the band came into their own."[5] Martin Popoff, in his book, The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal, cites the album's "reinvention" of the heavy metal genre. [6] Tracks such as "Victim of Changes", "The Ripper", "Dreamer Deceiver", and "Tyrant" became fan favorites over the years.

Track listing

Original (Gull) LP track listing

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Victim of Changes"Al Atkins, Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford, K.K. Downing7:47
2."The Ripper"Tipton2:50
3."Dreamer Deceiver"Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
4."Deceiver"Halford, Downing, Tipton2:40
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Prelude"Tipton2:02
6."Tyrant"Halford, Tipton4:28
7."Genocide"Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
8."Epitaph"Tipton3:08
9."Island of Domination"Halford, Downing, Tipton4:32

On the sleeve of the original pressing by Gull Records, the tracklisting puts side B before side A, suggesting that "Prelude" would serve as the opening song.[7] However, the actual LP opens with side A. There has been some confusion among Priest fans regarding what order the band had intended for the tracks, and whether it was the LP or the tracklisting that was mixed up by the label. This has never been cleared up.

CD Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Victim of Changes"Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton7:47
2."The Ripper"Tipton2:50
3."Dreamer Deceiver"Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
4."Deceiver"Halford, Downing, Tipton2:40
5."Prelude"Tipton2:02
6."Tyrant"Halford, Tipton4:28
7."Genocide"Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
8."Epitaph"Tipton3:08
9."Island of Domination"Halford, Downing, Tipton4:32

The 1995 CD reissue by Repertoire Records had track 3 labelled as "Dream Deceiver" rather than "Dreamer Deceiver". This was later changed back to its original title on the 1998 release by Snapper Music. None of the reissues of Sad Wings of Destiny are endorsed by Judas Priest.[8]

2011 Remastered track list

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Prelude"Tipton2:02
2."Tyrant"Halford, Tipton4:28
3."Genocide"Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
4."Epitaph"Tipton3:08
5."Island of Domination"Halford, Downing, Tipton4:32
6."Victim of Changes"Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton7:47
7."The Ripper"Tipton2:50
8."Dreamer Deceiver"Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton5:51
9."Deceiver"Halford, Downing, Tipton2:40

While not an official statement on the issue, this would seem to indicate the order in which the band intended the tracks to appear. [9]

Personnel

Judas Priest
Production

Cover versions

References

Template:Link GA