Review Summary: A respectable effort by post-Halford Priest.
With Rob Halford leaving Judas Priest after creating their best album to date (or at least one of the best), Jugulator is a first for Priest, featuring a vocalist that's not Halford. This is pretty much the reason this album has been pounded so much. Many whine about Ripper, but what was Priest supposed to do? Just end the band after one member left? ...I've always felt, though, that the Ripper (Tim Owens) is one helluva singer, with different capabilities than Halford, yes, but by no means inferior, like every youtube-priest fan claims.
Jugulator is somewhat of a concept album, speaking of the "Jugulator", though it more seems that the concept is simple blood, gore and armaggeddon. Nonetheless, if you're familiar to Priest, you already know that lyrics don't matter in this bands case: it's the music that counts. Here, Priest stays on the course taken with Painkiller, just on a lower level of awesomeness. Many nu-metal and thrash metal elements can be heard.
Musically, the album is like a low-intensity rollercoaster: couple of gems amidst a sea of medocrity. While the title track has a feel of over-dramaticness to it at the beginning and end, the middle is just quality thrashing. Especially notable are Scott's drums, which in some cases are known for simplistic rhythm patterns, this is not the case though. Death Row is another interesting song, but again streched too long, and has a completely unneeded "mood-setter". Another (I dare say a song which would've felt welcome on Painkiller) song, Bullet Train, is a fast and mean. Ripper shows that he isn't far behind in falsetto screams.
The rest of the album is pretty much crap, maybe fun on the first listen, but despicable later on. Save for one track, Cathedrals Spires. Being 9 minutes long, this is an epic way to close an album, with memorable riffs, a cheesyish chorus, and great work on the acoustic guitar. The song fades away in a drowsy, eerie chant. I know I risk my health while saying this, but I dare claim that Cathedral Spires is the second best Priest song, behind Painkiller. *hides face*
Yet the amount of thrash (garbage) left on this album after picking out the pieces of gold makes you want to wash your hands quickly and forget all this ugly mess happened: but keep the gold, of course.
