KK’s Priest – Sermons Of The Sinner

If you’re still firmly rooted in the denim and leather culture and walk around town with a bullet belt and long hair, then KK’s Priest’s debut is the album of your dreams.

Written by: Dangerzone

ARTIST: KK’s Priest
ALBUM: Sermons Of The Sinner
LABEL: Explorer Music Group
SERIAL: EX1R21017-2
YEAR: 2021

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

LINEUP: Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens – vocals * K.K. Downing – guitars * A.J. Mills – guitars * Tony Newton – bass * Sean Elg – drums

TRACK LISTING: 01 Incarnation * 02 Hellfire Thunderbolt * 03 Sermons Of The Sinner * 04 Sacerdote y Diablo * 05 Raise Your Fists * 06 Brothers Of The Road * 07 Metal Through And Through * 08 Wild And Free * 09 Hail For The Priest * 10 Return Of The Sentinel

RATING: To follow
WEBLINKS: Site Link

Background

When K.K. Downing left Judas Priest a decade ago it was inevitable he’d return at some stage. Apparently Downing took part in some botched business ventures during those years, hastening his return to the metal scene. Rumor has it Priest didn’t want him back, probably accentuated by his autobiography a while back that packed a few punches against his former bandmates.

Instead Downing recruited former Priest ally ‘Ripper’ Owens as vocalist for the ingeniously titled KK’s Priest, along with a few other hired guns from other obscure metal acts such as Cage, Hostile and Deeds. Apparently Les Binks was supposed to play on the album, but was curtailed by a wrist injury. The result is a predictable traditional metal affair that will naturally appeal to Priest addicts, Downing giving the fans what they want.

The Songs

‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’ and the title track rampage ahead, with Owens still sounding identical to Rob Halford, the music steeped in the ‘Painkiller’ era. It’s heavy, but lacks any real effect. There’s nothing to separate ‘Sacerdote y Diablo’, another perfunctory power metal cut that you’ve heard a million times before.

The band reaches Manowar levels on the humiliating likes of ‘Raise Your Fists’ and ‘Brothers Of The Road’. At the age of 70 I wonder what goes through Downing’s mind when he’s forced to continue knocking out music like this. Is his heart really in it? The lyrics are hilarious. I guess 25 years ago I’d have been the first to hail this, but now it seems ludicrous.

As if to reinforce his credentials, there’s a track titled ‘Metal Through And Through’ which could be even more farcical than the two previous tracks. It runs almost eight minutes, which is agonizing enough. The lyrics again need to be read to be believed:

‘Together as one
United we stand
Our legions
Who march on this land
And so to each other
We will stay true
We will fear no one’

Is this for real? Someone actually took the time to sit down and write this and pass it off as a serious composition.

It gets even more laughable on ‘Wild And Free’, this one sounding like ‘Freewheel Burning’ at odd moments. Owens sings about being a metal rebel at the age of 54, claiming ‘we’re living young, we are strong, we’re not wrong, we’re rule breakers, hell raisers!’ The band rounds it out with two more faceless tracks in ‘Hail For The Priest’ and ‘Return Of The Sentinel’, both as dull as it gets. It’s the kind of power metal assured to put you to sleep, similar to Hammerfall or something as equally insipid.

In Summary

Downing is obviously playing to his tried and tested faithful with this album and the KK’s Priest monicker. It’s so worn out and obvious, all of it. I don’t hear any spark, regardless of how fast the band play or how many guitar solos Downing throws in. The reliance on the ‘Painkiller’ sound grows weary too. It’s as if Downing and Priest themselves never moved past that era.

If you’re still firmly rooted in the denim and leather culture and walk around town with a bullet belt and long hair, then KK’s Priest’s debut is the album of your dreams. Metal will never die! For everyone else it’s best seen as comedy, pure nonsense, but good for a laugh.

Video

Hellfire Thunderbolt

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