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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: Sony
Salesrank: 108120
Released: October 25, 1990 |
| Our Price: $46.76 |
| Used Price: $2.61 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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British Steel Track Listing:
1. Breaking the Law
2. Rapid Fire
3. Metal Gods
4. Grinder
5. United
6. Living After Midnight
7. Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise
8. Rage
9. Steeler
10. Red, White and Blue [*]
11. Grinder [Live][*]
Editorial Review:
The main guitar riff from "Breaking the Law" is one of the most recognizable from early '80s heavy metal. Though British Steel sounds dated these days, it's also a classic album, one of the best from a band that defined the genre in the late '70s and early '80s. Everything that ultimately became characteristic of heavy metal is here; the lightning-fast riffs on "Rapid Fire," the anthemic "Metal Gods" and "United," the obligatory party song "Living After Midnight," and the equally obligatory youth-rebellion song, "You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise". Metalheads are a dying breed these days, and those unfamiliar with Judas Priest will probably want to start with The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight. Of all their albums, however, British Steel is unquestionably the best. -- Genevieve Williams
British Steel Reviews:
i never got a cd from judas priest-british steel...i tried a few times never got it......... 
2009-04-17 - i had tried several time to purchase the cd judas priest/britsish steel..i got 1 but it was NOT A CD... IT WAS A CASSETTE.............i had complain about it to the seller and he stated it showed on the ad that it was a casstte......i would never buy a casstte im not living the 80's..i had bought alot of cd's and other merchandise from amazon i only had a few runs ends which i didnt think would get taken care but all was but this main cd. that i have been trying UNSUCCESSFULLY for awhile now and yea i did spent money on some cd's that wern't worth a yard sale price of maybe a 25 cents.........i think u can see that this ORDER got me beyond upset..
Hell Bent or British Steel--Their Best 
2007-07-01 - This was a great review:
"This was one of those rare ocasions when everything falls into place to make a masterpiece since the band line-up to the chemistry between band producer, recording company and even the studio chosen to record the album. The result: an unforgetable metal album, one of the best of all times. Raw, simple and diect to the point, but not vulgar or cheap"
As a drummer, I loved Dave Hollands pure groove and metronomic timekeeping. His drum sound was perfect and it stands up today. The general reviewer who said this recording sounds dated is insane. This recording is fresh and it comes.
Les Binks was a great drummer as well. His stuff on Hell Bent for Leather and JP Live in Japan is so underrated. That guys was a perfectionist and played perfect parts for the songs. No wasted notes, just brillant drumming. His drums sound was also great and the double bass work tasty. Great bass drum sound as well. The recording back in the 70's is superior to today. Ya gotta have a great booming Bonham-esq BD sound!
British Steel is perfection and Steeler in mindboggling rock N roll. The guitar sounds are what metal is about. BUY THIS CD!
Also, Hell Bent & BS have two of the best looking album covers!
Essential Judas Priest
2006-11-26 - British Steel was my first Judas Priest album, which I bought on casette back in junior high. Thinking back now, I can't remember what turned me onto it. Maybe it was the "Breaking the Law" music video I saw on Beavis and Butthead, but it's not important now. I listen to everything from Marilyn Manson to Cannibal Corpse and British Steel is still one of my top ten favorite metal albums.
It's not bone-crushing heavy, no. It's not that kind of music. I wouldn't call it "pop metal" but it's not lyrically deep or technically complicated. I would relate it most closely to ACDC's Back in Black. It's just real catchy, fun, and good.
It's more than just good melodies. There's a certain punch to it, and I think it's in the delivery. The mid-tempo song like Grinder and Metal Gods get a real good groove going and then just keep it up. It's something about Rob singing those short staccato syllables over the beat. Some of the tracks like Living After Midnight and Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise have more of a rock 'n' roll feel to them rather than what I think of as metal, but still rock none the less. And of course Rapid Fire is here as the obligatory fast tempo priest screamer with the banshee wail at the end. The Rage, while it does seem out of place on this album (as another reviewer pointed out) with its moody, brooding, sludgey feel and decidedly darker lyrics, becomes one of the album's best tracks with repeated listens. This song always gave me the most colorful mental imagery, though admittedly partly because of misheard lyrics (like early Ozzy, I find rob's voice sometimes garbles itself).
The big picture is that British Steel is a very solid (not one mediocre track to be heard) and fairly diverse collection of classic metal that's best heard while shouting along in one's car on the highway.
"Pounding the world like a battering ram"
2004-07-16 - The track "Grinder" is a perfect description of British Steel. Most of the songs off Judas Priest's first release of the 1980s sound like guitars thrown in a grinder. Those who know this album chiefly by the two singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" will be surprised at how non-commercial the rest of this album is. Rob Halford, through much of the 1980s, called British Steel the best Judas Priest album. As a fan of 1980s Priest, I'd give the nod to Screaming for Vengeance and I may even put British Steel behind Defenders of the Faith. Still, British Steel is a classic 5-star album and a must for any metal fan. "Living After Midnight" aside, any fan of raw, grinding metal who does not like too much of the good time rock 'n roll sound, will be a big fan of British Steel.
"Breaking the Law" is one of the more well-known songs by Priest receiving a lot of play with the cool retro (although rather silly) music video. It is a very accessible and fun rocker. "Rapid Fire" is one of those grinding songs. It is my least favorite off British Steel as it is very repetitive and doesn't seem to go anywhere. It has no chorus to speak of. "Metal Gods" and "Grinder" also have a very raw sound but are also very catchy. The former is classic Priest and "Grinder" is one of my favorites on this album. "United" is a chanting anthem which was probably more appropriate live with audience participation.
The most played Judas Priest track is definitely "Living After Midnight." It is a good rock 'n roll song, but it is also very commercial and not really what Priest was/is all about. In terms of the best songs on this album, I put it in the middle of the pack. To me, the best song on this album is "Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise." It is a powerful track with excellent lyrics and incredible vocals. Rob Halford really demonstrates his range on this one! The album ends with two more grinders, "The Rage" and "Steeler." The former is the better of the two as it actually comes to a climax. "Steeler," like "Rapid Fire," just grinds away and is mostly instrumental with driving guitars and drums. Metal purists will probably enjoy it. I don't agree with some reviewers that British Steel is Judas Priest's best album, but it is still a classic and essential for any metal collection.
not the best, alot is better 
2004-02-21 - i have just got into metal thanx to a friend, so i have been lookin up bands and i came along this one, when i first heard it, i thought it was awesome, BUT i started listening to other metal and relized..these guys aren't THAT good. The better metal is iron maiden, metallica, ac/dc, slayer, anthrax, panthera i could go on! it is worth the money don't get me wrong, but just look at some other ones to, because there are many better bands out there
