The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s and the departure of singer Rob Halford in 1992. Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replaced Halford in 1996 and recorded two albums with Judas Priest, before Halford returned to the band in 2003. The current line-up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis. The band's best-selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, with their most commercially successful line-up featuring Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, guitarist K. K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album.
Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on heavy metal bands. Judas Priest's image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s. The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal. Despite a decline in exposure during the mid-1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and having their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series. In 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Priest
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Stained Class (1978)
Killing Machine (1978)
British Steel (1980)
Point of Entry (1981)
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Defenders of the Faith (1984)
Turbo (1986)
Ram It Down (1988)
Painkiller (1990)
Jugulator (1997)
Demolition (2001)
Angel of Retribution (2005)
Nostradamus (2008)
Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Firepower (2018)
Invincible Shield (2024)
Between the Hammer and the...
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But there's no fear
Lies forming
The sacrament lays bare
The sinner
Will testify
They'll suffer
The burning sermons purge their evil words
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Force rises
False rituals
Baptizes
The body and the soul
Our union
Their fall from grace
Confession (confess your sins)
Will seal them to their fate
The burning sermons will survive their curse
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Transgression
They prey on grief
Our mission
To purify belief
This altar
Gives power and light
They'll falter
While we are shining bright
The burning sermons consecrate their sin
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Storm warning
But there's no fear
The lyrics of "Between The Hammer And The Anvil" by Judas Priest/Bruce Dickinson are filled with metaphors and symbolism. The song is talking about the church and the clergy, who are seen as corrupt and hypocritical. The "sacrament lays bare" refers to the act of confessing sins, which is seen as a way for the clergy to control their followers. The "burning sermons" refer to the fiery speeches given by the clergy, which are meant to intimidate and scare people into submission.
The chorus, "Between the Hammer and the Anvil," is a metaphor for the power struggle between the church and its followers. The hammer represents the church, which is seen as a tool of oppression, while the anvil represents the people, who are being crushed and shaped by the hammer. The idea is that the church is using its power to keep people in line, but eventually, the people will rise up and overthrow their oppressors.
Overall, the song is a critique of organized religion and the power structures that exist within it. It suggests that people should question authority and think for themselves, rather than blindly following the dictates of the church.
Line by Line Meaning
Storm warning
A warning of impending danger.
But there's no fear
Despite the warning, there is no fear present.
Lies forming
Falsehoods being created.
The sacrament lays bare
The ritual reveals the truth.
The sinner
One who has committed a wrongdoing.
Will testify
They will bear witness.
They'll suffer
They will experience pain or hardship.
When sacrificed on high
When offered as a sacrifice to a higher power.
The burning sermons purge their evil words
The intense speeches cleanse the wickedness from their speech.
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
The conflict between opposing forces.
Force rises
Power becomes stronger.
False rituals
Inauthentic ceremonies.
Baptizes
The act of purifying through immersion in water.
The body and the soul
The entirety of a person.
Our union
Our coming together.
Their fall from grace
They lose their favor with God.
Confession (confess your sins)
Admission of wrongdoing.
Will seal them to their fate
Their fate will be sealed by their admission of guilt.
The burning sermons will survive their curse
The intense speeches will endure despite their suffering.
Transgression
An act of wrongdoing.
They prey on grief
They take advantage of others' pain.
Our mission
Our objective or purpose.
To purify belief
To eliminate false faith or ideology.
This altar
The place of sacrifice or worship.
Gives power and light
Provides spiritual strength and guidance.
They'll falter
They will stumble or struggle.
While we are shining bright
As we are victorious and successful.
The burning sermons consecrate their sin
The intense speeches sanctify their wrongdoing.
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
The battle between good and evil.
Storm warning
A forecast of impending danger.
But there's no fear
Despite the warning, there is no fear present.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fenixmaker
Storm warning
But there's no fear
Lies forming
The sacrament lays bare
The sinner
Will testify
They'll suffer
When sacrificed on high
The burning sermons purge their evil words
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Force rises
@blgvieira
Our union
Their fall from grace
Confession (confess your sins)
Will seal them to their fate
The burning sermons will survive their curse
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Transgression
They prey on grief
Our mission
To purify belief
This altar
Gives power and light
They'll falter
While we are shining bright
The burning sermons consecrate their sin
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
@johnnyr8737
mozart would approve the guitar solo
@chase4007
Agreed
@mannyruiz1954
Me three, agree.
@RicecakeGainzAndArtistic
Haha yes
@edwardrodriguezphotographe2103
He would approve All Judas Priest
@arthur-jx9ou
eddie van halen too
@thepunslinger9349
One of the, if not the most underrated Judas Priest song. Love it.
@grendel6005
but also one of my favorites
@biggiesmallsgamerle4she276
underrated according to whom?
@jscott1622
anything on this album is not underrated