Original Album Classics

Photographer: Bob Carlos Clarke.
Original Album Classics is an import series issued by Columbia Records, which combines several of a classic artist's stand-out albums together in one package, usually for a low price. So a group that is widely considered to be one of the finest heavy metal/hard rock bands of all time certainly qualifies for the Original Album Classics treatment. Issued in 2008, the five-disc Priest set includes the albums Sin After Sin (1977), British Steel (1980), Turbo (1986), Painkiller (1990), and Angel of Retribution (2005). And therein lies the problem: the selection of which albums made the cut, and which ones were left out. While there's no denying that such classic albums as British Steel and Painkiller be included, the others are curious choices (especially the presence of synth-heavy Turbo, considered the most musically controversial release of Priest's career). There's no denying Sin After Sin is a great Priest album, while Angel of Retribution certainly confirmed that the band was back, mighty and strong, after a 15-year break with singer Rob Halford. But the fact that much more worthy Priest releases, such as Screaming for Vengeance -- arguably their greatest and most popular release; after all, it spawned "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" -- and Unleashed in the East (one of the top metal live albums of all time) are not included, makes the Priest edition of Original Album Classics feel haphazardly assembled. ~ Greg Prato