Rob Halford is a Metal God. There is no denying this. When it comes to the godfathers of metal, the names that come to mind are Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. These three distinct flavors have had some sort of influence on everything that has come since. Sure, you can argue the point, but that is how I see it. Now, recognizing Halford and Priest's contributions over the decades makes listening to this album a rather disappointing experience.
Don't get me wrong, there are some good moments on here. The problem is that the best I can say about Made of Metal is that there are moments. The production values and performances are quite good on the whole, but where it doesn't hold as much water are the songs themselves. They feel lackluster, largely uninspired, at best galloping Priest-tinged metal, and at worst dull semi-metallic excursions that just fall limply around the ears.
It goes without saying that Rob Halford's place in metal history is secure and he could turn out a polka album with no damage done. Even the great ones make missteps along the way (and Halford has previously disappointed with his Two project in the 1990's). I am not quite sure where this went off the tracks, but it is pretty early on.
Made of Metal opens with "Undisputed," a track that tells the story of a champion boxer. It has a great classic metal gallop that is hard to deny. The problem is that the lyrical phrasing feels really strange and awkward. It is not so much the content (although, listening to Halford sing about boxing reminds me of Megadeth's hockey anthem) as it is the words chosen. It sounds like he has to carefully dance around them to get them out in a timely manner. So, after a promising beginning it quickly falls off, save some nice guitar soloing.
The second song, "Fire and Ice," follows much the same pattern. There is a nice metallic gallop but when the chorus kicks in, it just doesn't work. It sounds common and beneath someone of Halford's stature. Then there is the title track, with its auto-tuned opening and the NASCAR subject that fails to engage me.
Article comments
1 - Daz
I agree with this review. Its not a bad album, but it does fall short lyrically. Made Of Metal really could have been penned by a 12 year old. If Halford had taken the time to perfect the album, which it doesnt seem they did, then it could have been a winner.
2 - Tyrant
Very honest and accurate review, Priest were my alltime favourite band, but as I grew up, they didn't. They became insular (in the world of metal), the lyrics stale and the meanings more oblique than ever. Great pity, because their music writing (melodies, lead guitars, riffs, etc ect) were wonderful ... they could have been the greatest metal band of all time.