Review Summary: Only recommended for Judas Priest diehards.
Point Of Entry seems to be Priest’s forgotten album, and in my opinion, it really deserves so.
The album kicks off with
Heading Out To The Highway, a really cool hard rock song about racing and that sort of stuff. It starts with some guitar riffing, and in a few seconds, the drums kick in and Halford screams
Hit ‘em boys!. The chorus is simple, yet very catchy and soon you’ll sing along with it.
Yes I’m heading out to the highway/I’ve got nothing to lose at all/I’m going to do it my way/Take a chance before I fall/A chance before I faaaaaaaaaaaaaaall. The singing of Halford is pretty impressive here, and he hits some really high notes. Also, every time before the chorus begins, Dave Holland does some cool drum fills which really showcases his talent. The song ends with Halford who’s screaming
I’ve got nothing to lose at aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall.
Heading Out To The Highway is a great driving song, and it really rocks. Even though it’s not really that heavy, and the guitar solo isn’t really that special, it’s still superb and has great catchy melodies. A great opener and one of their best songs…
…but unfortunately, that’s the best song on this album. Yes, you heard me right. Of the other songs, only
Hot Rockin’ really stands out. It’s the heaviest and fastest song on here, and has a great (though over the top) screaming guitar solo. It’s one of those songs that influenced the speed/thrash metal genre. They performed this song on the DVD Rising In The East. At first I didn’t care much for this song, but after seeing it on that DVD, I liked it much better. The chorus is very catchy.
I wanna go/I wanna go/I wanna go/Hot Rockin!
But, alas, all the other songs sound like generic pop/rock songs. They are too soft for Judas Priest, and could have been made by any rock band from that time. Just listen to
Don’t Go. That riff is one of those riffs that you could think up in a minute. And the chorus just totally doesn’t sound like it’s Judas Priest, it just sounds like it’s a pop song!
Don't go/Please don't leave me/Don't go in the mornin'/Don't go/Please don't deceive me/Don't take it away. Another example:
You Say Yes. The chorus says everything:
You say yes/I say no/You say yes/I say no.
Most people seem to like
Desert Plains, and it’s a song that was frequently played at Judas Priest’s live shows. I kinda like the guitar/drum intro, which really gives a ‘desert feel’. But the lyrics are so generic, they could be in any pop song from that time, especially the chorus:
From desert plains I bring you love/From desert plains I bring you loooooooooooove. The guitar solo isn’t really that spectacular, but it fits the song well. All in all, this one’s okay.
Not only the lyrics and riffs are generous, so are the guitar solo’s. They are much shorter and less spectacular than on their previous (and following) albums. The dual guitar assault of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton isn’t really present here. The songs also seem to be simpler than on their seventies albums. On British Steel, this formula of simple songs sort of worked, but here, it’s just plain annoying and boring. The songs either sound like they were written in an hour or less or like they are meant as filler (with the exception of
Heading Out To The Highway, Hot Rockin’ and
Desert Plains). That may sound harsh, but it really sounds so.
I feel kinda sorry that I bashed this album, but it’s really one of the worst Priest-albums. This album came out in 1981, a year after British Steel and a year before Screaming For Vengeance. Those two albums are (debatably) Priest’s most popular albums, so maybe that’s why this album is so forgotten.
All in all, just don’t buy this album and stay away from it. Only recommended for Judas Priest diehards.
