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Metal Insider contributor Anthony Maisano is listening to a different metal album that was released on that day every day this year. Today, it’s Judas Priest’s Defenders of the Faith. NOTE: While there are varying accounts on when the album was officially released, Encyclopedia Metallum says that it was released on January 24, 1984.

Now, this is a hard claim to make, because Priest has so many amazing albums, but Defenders of the Faith is my favorite Priest album. It has, what I consider to be a great blend of Priest past, present, and future at the time. It took everything Screaming for Vengeance did so well, and amplified it even further. It’s a monster of an album in every respect. I can pop it in, and listen to it through and through anytime. It’s heavy (“Freewheel Burning”), it’s melodic (“Night Comes Down”), it’s aggressive (“Eat Me Alive”), and it’s technical (“The Sentinel”). I also need to mention my personal favorite “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll.” There’s just something about that riff that is just heavy and catchy at the same time that I can’t get enough of. It just has something for everyone, and fires from all cylinders.

I really can’t say anything negative about Defenders of the Faith. There may be a debatable filler-ish track, or a bit more of a stereotypical Priest track on the album, depending on opinion, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that it’s an incredible album. Absolutely.

Favorite Tracks: “Some Heads Are Gonna Roll,” “The Sentinel,” “Night Comes Down,” “Eat Me Alive,” “Freewheel Burning.”

I absolutely recommend all metal fans pick up a copy of this album. It’s one that should be heard by all. It’s just so good through and through. Defenders is the definition of a classic, and it has stood the test of time, getting better with age.