Enjoyable heavy metal party album by the numbers - A review of KK's Priest's Sermons of the Sinner

KK's Priest is the new project by former Judas Priest guitarist Kenneth Downing Junior who has joined forces with former Judas Priest vocalist Tim Owens and three other musicians to release a traditional heavy metal record featuring ten songs and fifty-one minutes of new music.

While I initially expected this record to be by the numbers and tiresome, most of Sermons of the Sinner is actually very enjoyable to listen to. ''Raise Your Fists'' for instance is a passionate heavy metal anthem with catchy melodies and memorable vocal lines that should work splendidly in concert. ''Metal Through and Through'' features some atmospheric passages that need some time to grow but eventually convinces through its running time of more than eight minutes. The addicting, energetic and melodic ''Hail for the Priest'' delivers the goods as it could come from a classic Judas Priest record of the eighties and proves that Downing still has his unique, influential and gripping own style. The guitar play by Downing and Mills stands out positively in most songs as it finds the perfect balance between aggressive riffs, atmospheric parts and melodic sections. Tim Owens also convinces on vocals with his energetic, high-pitched and melodic approach that is emotionally gripping and technically appealing as he deserves more credit than he is often given by traditional heavy metal fans.

The record is however not without its obvious flaws. The songwriting might be diverse but is ultimately predictable and recalls classic Judas Priest material on more than one occasion which can become somewhat predictable, one-dimensional and even clumsy. The lyrics about traditional heavy metal are at times so childishly stereotypical that it might even make a band like Manowar green with envy. Some of the instrumental work is not perfectly executed and could have needed some more precision, as witnessed in the solo sections of ambitious but ultimately underwhelming closer ''Return of the Sentinel''.

At the end of the day, KK's Priest's debut record Sermons of the Sinner is an enjoyable traditional heavy metal record for fans of what Judas Priest played throughout the eighties and nineties. While this album might not win any awards for creativity, it's an excellent release to listen to in the background at a party or a metal pub. In any case, it's great to have two good heavy metal bands out there instead of just one but Judas Priest remains the unreachable household name that has recently been cementing its status and strength with Firepower.

Final rating: 77%