Gig review: Judas Priest

ONE of heavy metal's most committed and fervently adored groups bowed out of active duty on this farewell Epitaph tour, which was as subtle and cryptic as its title suggested.

With no further need to placate hardcore fans, Judas Priest indulged their not-so-latent showbiz tendencies on this non-chronological retrospective.

A very non-metal laser show strafed the arena and frontman Rob Halford stalked the stage in a fulsome array of studded and/or sequined greatcoats, ranging from leather stormtrooper to metal pearly king in look, while the relevant album sleeves were projected on to the big screen.

The band were on effortlessly fiery form. A number from their 1974 debut album Rocka Rolla sounded as virile as ever, while the title track of their most recent album Nostradamus boasted an enjoyably hoary hookline. The fabulously overwrought Judas Rising was another more recent track which proved the Brummie bruisers had not lost their bombastic touch.

Fleetwood Mac's hippy mantra The Green Manalishi was pummelled into the ground beneath their biker boot heels and Joan Baez's Diamonds And Rust was retooled as a metal torch song, matched by their own OTT elegy Beyond The Realms Of Death.

Halford's vocals were impeccable throughout, his heavy metal scream as fluent and piercing as ever, though he let the crowd do all the work on Breaking the Law, merely mouthing the words to one of their meatiest and most entertaining numbers.

Monotonous braindead chant You've Got Another Thing Coming remained inexplicably popular but they redeemed themselves at the last with the pumped-up leathery pomp of Living After Midnight.

In pleasing themselves, Judas Priest also delighted the leave-taking faithful.