Judas Priest "Screaming For Vengeance"

Screaming for Vengeance is the eighth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. The album, considered the band's commercial breakthrough, sold in excess of 5 million units worldwide and has been certified double platinum in the United States of America as well as platinum in Canada. The album includes the hit single "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", which became one of the band's signature songs and a perennial radio favourite.

Screaming for Vengeance was recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain (during this period, it was commonplace for UK-based musicians to record in continental Europe for tax purposes) and mixed at Beejay Recording Studios and Bayshore Recording Studios in Coconut Grove, Florida. Stylistically, Screaming for Vengeance showcased a harder, heavier sound than British Steel and saw the band quickly reverse direction back into straight heavy rock after the melodically styled direction of Point of Entry. The album also marks the first time a Priest drummer played on more than 2 Judas Priest albums, with Dave Holland having also played on British Steel and Point of Entry.

The album's most commercially successful track, the single "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", was a last-minute addition. According to guitarist K. K. Downing, "We were quite happy with the album, but decided late on that we could add one more song. I know we had some of the parts, but we set about completing "Another Thing Comin'" during the mixing sessions at Bee Jay studios. It came together quite quickly, and I seem to remember that we all had a good feeling about it, as it did sound like a good driving song and possibly a good radio track." Rob Halford expressed surprise at the song's success, saying "that track was buried. Normally the tracks you think are going to do stuff are at the front end of the release. But our friends at Sony said, 'We're going to go for this song.' And we didn't really know what was going on. But then the feedback was coming over: 'Hey, the record's buzzing in this town and that town,' and it just took off."

Screaming for Vengeance was released on 17 July 1982, with a remastered CD version released in May 2001. As of the album's 30th anniversary in 2012, it remains the top-selling release of Judas Priest's career.

The World Vengeance Tour began shortly after the album's release in July 1982 and focused on North America during the summer and fall, Priest not performing in Europe until December 1983. This emphasis on US audiences was in order to establish a solid commercial foothold there, and in particular because "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" became a major hit. That and "Electric Eye" became live setlist staples and some of the band's most performed songs. "Devil's Child" has also been performed on various tours between 1982 and 2008, and "Riding on the Wind", "Bloodstone" and the title track have also been in the setlist on various tours. For comparison, "Fever" was only played at the first two 1982 shows and "(Take These) Chains" only appeared in the setlist in 2019. The 30th-anniversary release of the album in 2012 came with a DVD of a live show recorded in May 1983 at the US Festival in California on the last date of the Screaming For Vengeance Tour. During the US tour to support the album in 1982, Judas Priest were supported by bands such as Iron Maiden, Krokus, and Uriah Heep.

While 1980's British Steel has been referred to as the band's masterpiece, Screaming for Vengeance was Judas Priest's breakthrough in North America. Although the band had achieved a cult following among American audiences by 1979 and could headline their own tours, they sold "relatively few" records there before Screaming for Vengeance. It was also extremely successful worldwide.

The album ranked 15th on IGN's 25 most influential metal albums. Screaming for Vengeance also came 10th on Metal-Rules.com's 100 greatest metal albums. Kerrang! listed the album at No. 46 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". In 2017, it was ranked 12th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

This album was the first entire album released as downloadable content for the video games Rock Band and Rock Band 2.

The title song "Screaming for Vengeance" was played on the main site for the video game Brütal Legend. In the game, Rob Halford voices a villain named General Lionwhyte, as well as a heroic character called the Fire Baron, modeled after his likeness. The track "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" was featured in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as part of the V-Rock radio station, whilst "Electric Eye" was featured on the same radio station in the 2006 prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. The song "Riding on the Wind" was featured in the 2012 video game Twisted Metal.

The title song "Screaming for Vengeance" is mentioned in The Hold Steady song "Hot Soft Light" on their album Boys and Girls in America.

The Geto Boys reference "Screaming for Vengeance" in the song "Bring it on" on the album "Till Death do us Part" Scarface references it as well on the track "Jesse James" on the album "The Diary".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and K. K. Downing, except where noted.

Side one

1. "The Hellion" (Instrumental) 0:41
2. "Electric Eye" 3:39
3. "Riding on the Wind" 3:07
4. "Bloodstone" 3:51
5. "(Take These) Chains" (Bob Halligan, Jr.) 3:07
6. "Pain and Pleasure" 4:17

Side two

1. "Screaming for Vengeance" 4:43
2. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" 5:09
3. "Fever" 5:20
4. "Devil's Child" 4:48

Total length: 38:43

2001 CD edition bonus tracks

1. "Prisoner of Your Eyes" (recorded during the 1985 Turbo sessions) 7:12
2. "Devil's Child" (live at Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee; 12 December 1982) 5:02

Total length: 50:57

This first 1982 vinyl edition (in most countries) included free, large, 60 x 60 cm poster with cover design.

A track called "Fight for Your Life", was originally written and recorded for this album, but did not make the final cut. It was later reworked as "Rock Hard Ride Free", and appeared on their next album, "Defenders of the Faith", released two years later. The original version was later used as a bonus track on the 2001 re-issue of "Killing Machine".

Another song, written and demoed as "Earth, Wind and Fire", was shelved, but reworked several years later as "Judas Rising" for the "Angel of Retribution" album.

All music and lyrics by Halford, Downing, & Tipton (except track 5 by Halligan, Jr.)

Recording information:

Recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain.

Mixed at Beejay Recording Studios, Orlando, Florida and Bayshore Recording Studios, Coconut Grove, Florida.