A Touch of Evil (Live)

iTunes Review

Heavy Metal went in and out of style and Judas Priest singer Rob Halford spent a few years away from the band he virtually defined. Put back together Judas Priest emerged as a sharper, more focused group that could take on all comers, a tough, daring posture that powers the group as they finish up a fourth decade of service. This live collection recorded on tours in 2005 and 2008 represents all aspects of the band without settling for the predictable crowdpleasers. More recent tracks from their ambitious new studio albums, Angel of Retribution and Nostradamus, settle alongside the classics “Riding on the Wind,” “Beyond the Realms of Death,” and “Dissident Aggressor.” The band even include “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” from the overlooked 1990 Painkiller album. Miraculously, Halford hasn’t lost anything off his voice and still leads the band with the same ironclad authority as the old days. Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing virtually define the “twin-guitar” attack and the band’s rhythm section is never fancy, performing in lockstep.