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)
Island of Domination
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take heed our time is near
Fatality relinquish not
Brutality in arms doth seek to destroy
They smashed through the clouds into the light of the moon
Their steeds were full charging, called destruction and doom
'Twas as if all hell had broke loose on this night
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
We gotta get, we gotta get, we gotta get out of this place
There's a man with a needle who's pleading to get at my face
Hide me and hold me, control free as best as you can
It's all becoming too much, I can't cope, for one man
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
Skyrider, you supersonic flyer
Nightdriver, you demon of desire
Spinesnapper, you tried your best to break us
Throatchoker, you thought that you could take us
The fright of your life, the fright of your life
The fright of your life is here guaranteed
This is no illusion, confessing confusion you're freed
Lashings of strappings with beatings competing to win
Oh, what a mess I am blessed, dominations set in
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
The lyrics of Judas Priest's "Island of Domination" seem to be warning about an impending doom that is on the horizon. The people are urged to be careful and beware of what is coming because the time is near. The tone of the lyrics is ominous and suggests that something terrible is about to happen. The use of words like "fatality," "brutality," and "destroy" all point to the idea of violence and chaos.
The song describes a scene where beings on their steeds, called "destruction and doom," break through the clouds and create a chaotic and terrifying sight. The people are then taken to the island of domination where they are subjected to torture and abuse. The lyrics describe the pain and suffering that the people are going through, and their plea to escape this place.
The song's theme appears to be about control, oppression, and the struggle to break free from it. The "island of domination" represents a place where people are subjected to tyranny, and the lyrics describe the horror of being under someone's control. The use of imagery and metaphors in the song is powerful, and it creates a sense of dread and urgency in the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Beware of their coming
Be cautious of their arrival
Take heed our time is near
Pay attention because our time is almost up
Fatality relinquish not
Don't give up hope for survival
Brutality in arms doth seek to destroy.
Those with weapons are seeking to destroy
They smashed through the clouds into the light of the moon
They arrived violently through the clouds under the light of the moon
Their steeds were full charging, called destruction and doom
Their horses were charging with destructive intentions
'Twas as if all hell had broke loose on this night
It seemed as though chaos had been unleashed on this night
And all in all it was a terrible sight
Overall, the scene was horrifying
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
We are taken to an island where we will be dominated
We gotta get, we gotta get, we gotta get out of this place
We must escape this situation
There's a man with a needle who's pleading to get at my face
There is a person with a needle who wants to harm my face
Hide me and hold me control free as best as you can
Protect and restrain me to the best of your ability
It's all becoming too much, I can't cope, for one man
The situation is overwhelming and I cannot handle it alone
Skyrider, you supersonic flyer
Addressing someone as a fast flyer
Nightdriver, you demon of desire
Addressing someone as a demon who desires something
Spinesnapper, you tried your best to break us
Addressing someone who tried their best to harm them
Throatchoker, you thought that you could take us
Addressing someone who tried to harm them by choking their throats
The fright of your life, the fright of your life
A terrifying experience
The fright of your life is here guaranteed
You are guaranteed to be frightened
This is no illusion confessing confusion you're freed
This is not a trick, admitting confusion will set you free
Lashings of strappings with beatings competing to win
There are beatings and whippings happening with a goal of competing to win
Oh what a mess I am blessed, dominations set in
The situation is chaotic, but they feel fortunate to have survived and accepted their domination
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Glenn Tipton, Kenneth Downing, Robert Halford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind