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)
The Sentinel
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steam begins to rise
The figures primed and ready
Prepared for quick surprise
He's watchin' for a sign
His life is on the line
Dogs whine in the alleys
Smoke is on the wind
A cathedral bell begins to toll
A storm begins to grow
Amidst the upturned burned-out cars
The challengers await
And in their fists clutch iron bars
With which to seal his fate
Across his chest is scabbards rest
The rows of throwing knives
Whose razor points in challenged tests
Have finished many lives
Now facing one another
The stand-off eats at time
Then all at once a silence falls
As the bell ceases its chime
Upon this sign the challengers
With shrieks and cries rush forth
The knives fly out like bullets
Upon their deadly course
Screams of pain and agony
Rent the silent air
Amidst the dying bodies
Blood runs everywhere
The figure stands expressionless
Impassive and alone
Unmoved by this victory
And the seeds of death he's sown
Sworn to avenge
Condemn to Hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the Sentinel
The Sentinel by Judas Priest is a song about a solitary figure who stands amidst an urban wasteland, waiting for his attackers who emerge as challengers, armed with iron bars and throwing knives. As the cathedral bell begins to toll, the challengers rush forth, the knives fly out like bullets, and screams of pain and agony rent the silent air. However, the figure stands expressionless, unmoved by his victory and the seeds of death that he has sown. The song warns the listener not to tempt the blade and to fear the Sentinel.
The lyrics of this song can be interpreted in various ways. One interpretation is that the Sentinel is a personification of the grim reaper, who comes to collect the souls of the dead in a desolate world. The challengers represent the living, who are willing to fight against death but ultimately succumb to it. The cathedral bell tolling can be seen as a metaphor for the end of life, and the throwing knives as a symbol of mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
Along deserted avenues
On lonely streets
Steam begins to rise
Mist begins to form above the ground
The figures primed and ready
People are prepared and alert
Prepared for quick surprise
Ready to act fast
He's watchin' for a sign
He's looking for a signal
His life is on the line
His life is at risk
Dogs whine in the alleys
Dogs howl in the streets
Smoke is on the wind
Smoke is carried by the breeze
From deep inside its empty shell
From within an abandoned building
A cathedral bell begins to toll
A church bell starts ringing
A storm begins to grow
A tumultuous event is beginning
Amidst the upturned burned-out cars
Among the overturned and burned vehicles
The challengers await
The opponents are anticipating
And in their fists clutch iron bars
They hold onto metal rods
With which to seal his fate
To finalize his destiny
Across his chest is scabbards rest
A sword sheath rests on his chest
The rows of throwing knives
Several throwing knives are arranged
Whose razor points in challenged tests
Sharp edges which have slain many
Have finished many lives
Have been the cause of death for many
Now facing one another
Now confronting each other
The stand-off eats at time
The confrontation wastes time
Then all at once a silence falls
Suddenly, there is no more noise
As the bell ceases its chime
As the bell stops ringing
Upon this sign the challengers
When the sign is given, the opponents
With shrieks and cries rush forth
Scream and attack
The knives fly out like bullets
The throwing knives leave their grip fast
Upon their deadly course
On their way to kill
Screams of pain and agony
Shrill noises of suffering
Rent the silent air
Break the peace and quiet
Amidst the dying bodies
Amongst the perishing corpses
Blood runs everywhere
Blood spills abundantly
The figure stands expressionless
The person is emotionless
Impassive and alone
Unmoved and separate
Unmoved by this victory
Unimpressed by this win
And the seeds of death he's sown
The person caused death and destruction
Sworn to avenge
Determined to seek revenge
Condemn to Hell
Destined for damnation
Tempt not the blade
Don't provoke the deadly weapon
All fear the Sentinel
Everybody is afraid of the guard
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodnyc.8876
Along deserted avenues
Steam begins to rise
The figure's primed and ready
Prepared for quick surprise
He's watching for a sign
His life is on the line
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
Dogs whine in the alleys
Smoke is on the wind
From deep inside its empty shell
A cathedral bell begins
Ringing out its toll
A storm begins to grow
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
Amidst the upturned burned-out cars
The challengers await
And in their fists clutch iron bars
With which to seal his fate
Across his chest in scabbards rest
The rows of throwing knives
Whose razor points in challenged tests
Have finished many lives
Now facing one another
The stand-off eats at time
Then all at once a silence falls
As the bell ceases its chime
Upon this sign the challengers
With shrieks and cries rush forth
The knives fly out like bullets
Upon their deadly course
Screams of pain and agony
Rent the silent air
Amidst the dying bodies
Blood runs everywhere
The figure stands expressionless
Impassive and alone
Unmoved by this victory
And the seeds of death he's sown
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
Sworn to avenge
Condemned to hell
Tempt not the blade
All fear the sentinel
@matteovrizzi
"Amidst the upturned burned-out cars
The challengers await
And in their fists clutch iron bars
With which to seal his fate
Across his chest in scabbards rest
The rows of throwing knives
Whose razor points in challenged tests
Have finished many lives"
Greatest metal lyrics ever written ❤
@josefdez4691
This is pure high quality heavy metal. One of the greatest of all time. Agressive, epic, fast, melodic, technic, feeling...
@edisonmustainethrash6662
Amen.
@joaquincastillo2922
To me, this is THE perfect heavy metal song
@drewlarson65
this is theme song for my life
@DOMINATORsChannel
Couldn't have put it better
@dustingilbert9991
This and heavy duty
@CorvusCorax.
The lead guitar duel still gives me goosebumps after all these years.
@jodiberry5405
Everytime
@kevinshanholtzer
me too
@samualsaylor8911
The Greatest Metal Band Ever!