Review Summary: An experimental foray into pop-metal that mostly works, but also confuses many Priest fans.
Many Judas Priest fans were a bit perplexed the first time they cued up POINT OF ENTRY. Gone were the rage, aggression and bursts of speed might that made BRITISH STEEL such a landmark record for the heavy metal genre. Priest’s formula for POINT OF ENTRY was to compose shorter, catchier pop-metal songs that seemed more geared for radio airplay than anything they’d done prior. Although there were still several very strong tracks on this record, this album received a cooler response from older fans, which was made more evident by the diminished sales it garnered.
Priest’s earlier records had a tendency towards almost more complex song structures which could easily be considered as proto-progressive metal. Songs like “Tyrant”, “Call For The Priest, “Raw Deal” or even “Victim Of Changes” were unorthodox at the time for their multi-section construction. Beginning with HELL BENT FOR LEATHER, the band was trying to write shorter, less complicated songs. There was certainly a pop-metal sensibility within songs like “United”, “Evening Star” and “Living After Midnight”, so this wasn’t really a new approach for them.
I certainly noticed the absence of the speedier, more complex fare that I’d always come to expect from the band. Throughout the album, Tipton & Downing’s playing is far more restrained, minimalist and geared towards the songs. The solo breaks they do take are far shorter than those on their earlier records. They seem more interested here in creating melodies and textures rather than showboating. Rob Halford is also in fine voice here, but also limits himself a bit more to serving the songs.
The first half of the record contains most of highlights. The album begins with the palm muted metal riffing of “Heading Out To The Highway”, which is easily one of the strongest tracks. “Don’t Go” is a slow and sparsely riffed pop-metal track that is almost a guilty pleasure. “Hot Rockin’” is a catchy, headbanger that rocks just hard enough to satisfy their older fans, while still vying for FM radio. “Desert Plains” follows in a similar vibe, but possesses a more propulsive groove that is both melodic and powerful.
One of my favorite songs is the lesser known “Solar Angels” which begins with flanged electric guitars chugging away on a low E groove that sounds almost machine-like. With its majestic sustained guitar chords underneath Halford’s soaring vocals, this song is often one of the lesser appreciated highlights of the album.
“POINT OF ENTRY’s pop-metal formula succeeds slightly more than not, but does leave something of a bad taste in my mouth by the end. The final four tracks – “You Say Yes”, “All The Way”, “Troubleshooter” and “On The Run” seem under worked and even a bit goofy. Placing all of these lamer tracks at the end of the album just made it clearer how weak this record is. Still, there are still enough enjoyable cuts here to justify to putting this on every now and then.
Thankfully, the band came back with a VENGEANCE in 1982 and all was forgiven. However, Judas Priest would plumb to even deeper pop-metal depths with 1986's TURBO. But that's a story for another time.
