Review Summary: The album would have been a lot stronger if they had cut it down to one disk but
the atmosphere on the album is great it has a nice flow and it really grows on you, so give it a chance!
Judas Priest - Nostradamus
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this album when I first heard it and if I had written a review right away then it would have been about the same as the review of Mikesn.
But the album definitely grows on you, so don’t give up after the first listening
Don’t expect a straight forward heavy metal album in the vein of Screaming for Vengeance because all Priest fans know that they never put out the same sort of album twice and that’s what keeps Priest alive and interesting to their fans. With their reunion album Angel of Retribution they more or less paid tribute to all sorts of Priest songs they ever released.
But now they decided to come up with their first concept album.
Rob may claim that it’s the first heavy metal opera, but we all know that is not true and Avantasia has even created a concept album around Nostradamus. I am glad that they didn’t fall into the trap of coming up with a typical power metal album or use lots of gothic influences.
It is not as good as “Operation: Mindcrime” or “Streets” by Savatage but it sure is no worse than “Seventh son of a seventh son” by Maiden.
So what did Priest create then?
They created a concept album where they tried to create as much as they could the atmosphere of all things that happened in Nostradamus’ life and for that they used everything they could get their hands on. They even adapted their logo for a more fitting one.
They used keyboards (again by Don Airey), choirs and synth. guitars, lots of orchestration, Italian and French lyrics and even the booklet has lots of nice paintings and a medieval type of letter font on a perkament type of background.
There seem to be a lot of intros or prologues but don’t worry about them because most of the time they are an integral part of the main song that follows.
It’s a bit hard to describe the songs as most of them are going thru several stages.
Rob did his best vocal performance ever I think.
KK and Glen again produce some fine guitar solos.
Ian is… wel Ian: laying down a strong and heavy foundation.
Scott is somewhat holdback on this album as most songs are in a mid tempo except for a couple of songs like Persecution and Nostradamus.
So let’s go to the songs:
ACT I
Dawn of Creation 2.32
An instrumental intro that sets the mood for the Act I.
Prophecy 5.27
Slow but heavy introduction to Nostradamus
Awakening 0.53
Prologue to Revelations sounds a lot like Eulogy on AoR.
Revelations 7.05
Mid tempo memorable rock song that has a nice chorus with lots of keyboards, going into a bridge with some nice Spanish guitars followed by 3 incredible guitar solos (the last one with lots of aspergios).
The four Horseman 1.35
Prologue to War
War 5.05
Dark and haunting song with a thunderous rhythm and a big chorus.
The bridge sounds like a war zone with explosions and a marching rhythm, going over in a big anthem victory song to end it off in an almost ambient style.
Sands of time 2.37
Acoustic prologue with an emotional Rob on vocals.
Pestilance and Plague 5.09
One of my favourites of the album, the album gets really started here.
This is an up tempo rock song with an Italian Chorus (sung by an almost hysterical Rob) to set the right mood, again with lot’s of keyboards. Short bridge, followed by some nice guitar work that repeats the melody of the chorus.
Death 7.34
Starts of like a Black Sabbath song: Slow and heavy followed by a big intermezzo with lots of overdubs on the vocals. Then it goes into an up tempo song with 2 guitar solos and then back to the intermezzo to end it of like it started: slow and heavy!
Peace 2.22
Great acoustic intro to Conquest again with an emotional Rob on vocals.
Conquest 4.42
Mid tempo rock song with a silly but big chorus again with lots of keyboards.
Lost Love 4.28
Nice ballad for a lost one with lots of keyboards and a beautiful guitar solos ala Brian May.
Persecution 6.34
Great song
Starts of with a haunting guitar melody followed by a typical up tempo Priest song with a mad hysterical Rob in the chorus and going into overdrive speed like he did in “Freewheel burning”. The solo section is great too ending in a typical Priest twin solo. The song ends the same way it started with that haunting guitar melody.
ACT II
Solitude 1.23
Ambient instrumental to set the mood for act II.
Exiled 6.33
Nice and beautiful song reflecting the loneliness of a desperate Nostradamus while being banished in exile ending with a church choir.
Alone 7.50
My favourite song of the album
Starts of acoustically, slowly building up to the craziness that only Rob can create with a hysterical voice during the chorus. Midway we get some screaming guitars from KK like he did in Victim of changes and then the acoustic guitars return only to end the song with the mad chorus (my guess is that Rob was in a straitjacket after this song).
Shadows in the Flame 1.10
Acoustic prologue to Visions, again with an emotional Rob on vocals.
Visions 5.24
This song has a “Turbo Lover” kind of feel over it.
Hope 2.09
Again a beautiful prologue with an emotional Rob.
New Beginnings 4.57
The second ballad of the album for a new found love.
Calm before the Storm 2.05
Exactly what it says it is.
Nostradamus 6.43
After a short opera intro by Rob this turns into a full force breakneck speed heavy metal song like “Painkiller” with double bass drums etc. After a keyboard solo reflecting a harpsichord there is a great solo section that has 4 killer solos en ends with a typical twin solo only Priest can create.
Future of Mankind 8.30
Starts of with a big drum intro like “I love it loud” by KISS then goes over into a big epic song ending with some French Lyrics.
So in conclusion: Mikesn is not completely wrong: the album would have been a lot stronger if they had cut it down to one disk. I really think it’s about time that Rob and co. should start to use some more mature lyrics in stead of these typical cheesy Priest Lyrics.
The atmosphere on the album is great it has a nice flow and it really grows on you, so give it a change!
I would rate this album a 7.5 out of ten.
