Sad Wings Of Destiny

Bringing a surge of compositional ambition and flair to the riff-driven sound previously established by Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Judas Priest’s second album is a definitive heavy-metal document. It's not at all obvious that they were basically still a bootstrapping band as they aimed high with their now-iconic, multipart epic “Victim of Changes,” veering through dense riffs, duelling guitars, and quiet breakdowns. Frontman Rob Halford handles his snarls and howls with leonine elegance in “The Ripper,” while the power ballad “Dreamer Deceiver” offers a journey through the cosmos.