Customer Reviews

Ram It Down

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

WOW! Let me first start off by saying that each Judas Priest studio effort is a distinguishable classic. The Judas Priest Remaster series is both good and bad. Good because each studio release sounds sonically superior to the old versions. All of them sound clean, crisp sounding from Sin After Sin through Painkiller. Also good on some of the reissues are the studio bonus tracks. I will review each bonus track as I review each reissue, some are better than others. The bad part about the studio ablum remasters series is the live bonus tracks (do not be confused, the live bonus tracks on both live reissues are great, and I include those bonus tracks in the reviews). ALL the live bonus tracks are lousy. The sound quality is good, just the performances are uninspried, and lame. From Sin After Sin's Jawbreaker (Halford sounds weak here) to Painkiller's Leather Rebel (which is made worse because it's rpobably the weakest song on Painkiller). If you are a fan who has all the studio albums already and are looking to wet your ears with the live tracks, forget about it, they will let you down. Seriously, the songs off of the Halford-less 98 Live Meltdown are more inspirational than these live bonus songs. Well that sums up the Remaster Series as a whole,
now on with the individual review...

This album is an UNDER-RATED Priest Jem. Sure, it's no British
Steel, or Killing Machine, but come on, it's 10 years later, and
they still can scream of Vengenence and riff like Metal Gods.
Proof is the leadoff track, Ram It Down. Their heaviest album opener since Screaming For Vengence in 1982. This song just cooks and it's kind of gets the tempo set for Painkiller in 2 years. Other great tracks are Heavy Metal, Hard as Iron, and a ripping cover of Johnny B. Goode. My 2 favorite tracks though are Blood Red Skies (Pure classic Priest) and Monsters of Rock, what a great way to close an album along with the opener title
track. All-in-all, a GREAT album, ever though the drums do sound a bit mechanical. It really isn't that bad. The remastering is
superb, both in sound improvement and album packaging (lyrics and photos). As for the 2 bonus tracks, Live Bloodstone and Night Comes Down, really not necessary to have been included.
But the album is definitely worth getting.

After the release of "Turbo", an album I (and many others) dug but which left a lot of Priest fans scratching their heads, the question was whether or not the band was going to go in a poppier direction. Happily they did no such thing and came back with "Ram it Down", a crushing metallic onslaught that marked the return of the classic Judas Priest sound along with some new tricks.

Make no mistake, these songs are the heaviest Priest had written up to that time, although the song lyrics are more down and dirty ala Kix or Faster Pussycat as was the scene in '88, and some of Rob Halford's customary forays into fantasy/literary themes are absent here. Still, songs like "Hard As Iron", "I'm A Rocker", "Heavy Metal", and the title track are shining headbangers. You also have the most bizarre version of "Johnny B. Goode" you're likely to hear. The title track also has the distinction of containing what many Priest fans regard as perhaps the greatest extended guitar solo duel in metal (and Priest's) history and marked Glenn Tipton's and K.K. Downing's evolution into the cutting edge of guitar-playing.

The remastered sound is really crisp here and the guitars sound great, although no amount of studio tweaking could do away with the synths and Dave Holland's lame electronic drums (what were you guys thinking?). Unfortunately, the only bonus tracks are two filler live songs, but this album is worth owning for the title track alone.

Be amazed, be very amazed.

This album deserves about 3.5 or 4 stars, but I am giving it five because reviewers have been underrating this great album. Ram it Down is definately not their worst album, it is much better than Turbo, Rocka Rolla, and Point of Entry. Plus, many people say that the Title Track is the only good song on the album. "Ram it Down" is a really kickass song, but so is "Heavy Metal" and "Blood Red Skies". I highly suggest this album to any Priest fans that don't already have it.

Originally, 'Turbo' (1986) was to be released as a double record, featuring songs that are included on this record, released two years later. (For unreleased tunes from this period, listen to "Red, White & Blue" (from the 'British Steel' reissue) and "Prisoner of Your Eyes" (from the 'Screaming for Vengeance' reissue).) This would have made for a more traditional Judas Priest record overall, but as it was planned, the pop-oriented tunes on the former were panned by the rock press and the edgier tunes on this latter release were lost in the backlash.

"Ram It Down", "Heavy Metal", and "Monsters of Rock" are just as heavy any of the sounds on 'Painkiller' (1990) in that regard. "Blood Red Skies" combines the traditional two-guitar attack and post-apacolyptic lyrical landscape with a synthesizer to good effect. Even the radio-song, "I'm a Rocker", and the tongue-in-cheek rendition of "Johnny B. Goode", are appreciated.

The downside of 'Ram It Down' is the sound. By that time, it seems that Tom Allom, the long-time producer who began his tenure by spicing up the classic 'Unleashed in the East' (1979), hit an all-time low with this swan song.

BONUS TRACKS: As with the previous reissues, we have two live songs that has nothing to do with this particular record or the era it was recorded in, "Night Comes Down" (from the same 1984 show as "Jawbreaker" from the 'Sin After Sin' reissue, "Grinder" from the 'British Steel' reissue, and "Heavy Duty" from the 'Defenders of the Faith' reissue) and "Bloodstone" (from the same 1982 show as "Devil's Child" from the 'Screaming for Vengeance' reissue, "Screaming for Vengeance" from the 'Priest Live' reissue, and "Riding on the Wind" from the 'Hell Bent for Leather' reissue).

THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED HEAVY METAL ALBUMS. I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY NO ONE LIKES THIS ALBUM. IT'S EVERYTHING METALHEADS HAD HOPED FOR AFTER THE SLICK-SOUNDING TURBO. IT'S FAST, IT'S LOUD, IT'S OBNOXIOUS AND VIOLENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A GREAT METAL ALBUM. ALSO THE COVER PACKS A HARD PUNCH (NO PUN INTENDED). THE PRIEST BOYS PAY HOMAGE TO THE MOST DAZZILING OF MUSICAL STYLES IN 'HEAVY METAL', AND DO COVERS OF CHUCK BERRY SONGS, (JOHNNY B GOOD). THIS IS THE MOST SEVERELY UNDERRATED ALBUM IN ALL OF HEAVY METAL, AND IT TRULY SUCKS THAT IT HAS NOT FOUND IT'S PLACE AMONG ALL THE OTHER PRIEST ALBUMS THAT WERE JUST AS GOOD.

Their previous album Turbo experimented with a more "pop" sound, but it was still heavy in some parts. With Ram it Down, the band makes a shift to a much more heavier sound. At the time, this was their heaviest album (until Painkiller came out two years later). There are still a few 80s touches, such as that electronic drum sound, and the guitars have that sort of "processed" feel. But overall, the album is pretty good. Ram it Down starts off the album with a shriek from Rob. Couldn't think of a better intro myself! This song is HEAVY, almost unlike anything they had come out with before. The guitar solos on this song are simply jaw-dropping. Love Zone is a catchy song that sounds like a glam metal song for some reason. But don't get me wrong, it still rocks! It's very heavy on that "processed guitar" sound I mentioned earlier. Hard as Iron is another heavy and fast song that just kicks you in the face. Even more awesome solos on this one. I'm a Rocker has an awesome message and is very melodic.

Johnny B. Goode seems to be a song that people love or hate. I happen to love it. They took a classic rock song and turned it into a full blown metal song successfully. I love the way Rob sings it, I think more people should give this song a chance! Come and Get It and Love You to Death are catchy songs, but they don't stand out as much as the others. Monsters of Rock is a nice slower-paced track that took some time to grow on me. Heavy Metal is a theme song for metalheads everywhere. It starts off with an AMAZING solo, and when the song kicks in, you automatically begin to rock out. Rob sings in a high tone practically throughout the whole song.

From what I heard, some of the songs off of this album where meant to be released as a double album called Twin Turbos, combining the material from Turbo with this album. Blood Red Skies sort of reminds me of Turbo, with its synths being played throughout the song. It is sort of an epic power ballad, with Rob hitting some HIGH notes. And the solos are amazing as always. You also get some nice live versions of Night Comes Down and Bloodstone. People seem to be divided over this album, I think it is awesome. Maybe not one of their better albums overall, but still one worth trying out!

Ram It Down is certainly an album that did not get enough attention. If you want to know what would happen if you mixed Turbo and Painkiller, you get Ram It Down. This album has its positives and negatives. First thing, once you hear it, you could definitely tell it's from the 80's. You can tell that this album was following the trend at the time, but also trying new things. This is the only reason why I give it four instead of five stars, since it's stuck to this time period. What I really like was the direction Judas Priest went with this album. You can also definitely tell that this was the album before Painkiller. The title track, Heavy Metal, Hard As Iron, and Johnny B. Goode can attest to that and are the best songs on the album. The title track and Hard as Iron are the fastest tracks on the album and show that they were leaving the 80's trend after this album. Love Zone, Come and Get It, Blood Red Skies, and Love You To Death are great standing tracks as well, again, they sound very 80's, but they still are great songs to listen to. I heard I'm A Rocker live during their Angel Of Retribution Tour and it was great live, it's definitely a song that stands out for the album. To give fair warning, Ram It Down is for people who have heard a few of their earlier albums or Painkiller. It's not a good album to start with if your just getting into Judas Priest. You will definitely appreciate this album more if you listen to their other works first. Either way, if you're into 80's metal, now is the time for you to Ram It Down!

This has to be one of the most underrated heavy metal album of the 80s. JP, unlike other bands, capitalised on the advancements in the sound technology available in the late 80s and used it to their advantage. The speed and technical proficiency in this album rips to shreds any prior offering, including Screaming for Vengence, Bristish Steel and Defender of the Faith (all fine albums in their own right). I put it down to the fact that JPs popularity peeked during that period which is why all the original JP fans prefer those albums. Anyway this album definitely rocks!
RAM IT DOWN - Excellent opening track, and speed opus with an extended twin attack solo that RIPS
HEAVY METAL - For me this track captures the power of metal in this late 80s era, whilst paying due respect to the quality of the past by including the classic JP sound
LOVE ZONE - One of the weaker tracks, this one's more like a filler to cools things down after the first 2 classic tracks
COME AND GET IT - A medium paced thumper, with a catchy chorus
HARD AS IRON - They pick up the pace again here, with a blistering riff and absolutely soaring vocals from Mr Halford
BLOOD RED SKIES - Excellent track, this has to be one of the best slow tracks JP have ever played; its not quite a ballad, its more a slow rocker, the same vein as "The thing that should not be" by Metallica
I'M A ROCKER - Filler, not very effective at all
JOHNNY B GOODE - Absolutely rockin' cover, this is a fast, upbeat version that makes you happy that you're a rock fan
LOVE YOU TO DEATH - A song that grew on me, once again Halford kicks ass with the vocals. Clever lyrics.
MONSTERS OF ROCK - A nice one to finish on, menancing lyrics and riffs, perhaps a little too slow

Overall the songs on this album really complement each other and the end result is an album that has an addictive feel to it - if you don't own this album and intend to call yourself Hard rock/metal fan then get it - its an underrated metal opus.

I agree that the lyrics here are sometimes nauseating, but as far as the music goes, this is a very solid record. It's hard and rough. Also, Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing display the beginning of the shredding technique they would use with great skill in Painkiller.

What I don't understand here is Dave Holland's drumming. It seems that producer Tom Allom was making everything possible to mess the sound of his drums with each passing record since his debut in British Steel, finally succeeding in transforming it in a lifelees mechanic sound, what is a shame, since Dave is a great drummer (Check his work with TRAPEZE).

RAM IT DOWN is not a bad album at all. No doubt it still suffered the influence of hair metal, but is fine heavy metal record, full of cliches and cheesy chorus, but with Judas Priest`s traditional ability flowing from the first to the last song. The bonus tracks, as with most bonus from this series, are not a big deal.

After nearly a year for this remaster to grow on me, I hail it as a masterpiece. From the opening screms of the title track, the album never lets up. Heavy Metal is a classic. Hard as Iron is the best track on the album next to the title track, with the lyrics of victory recalling Freewheel Burning. The opening notes of Blood Ride Skies recall The Hellion, and features excellent vocals at the intro. Love You to Death is one of the best heavy Priest love songs. The ominous closer, Monsters of Rock, recalls Heavy Duty. If you love metal sprinkled with cheese, you can't go wrong here. A vintage slab of 80s metal not to be missed.