ARTIST: Judas Priest 
TITLE: Sin After Sin
YEAR RELEASED: 1977
CHART ACTION: #23 UK
SINGLES: Diamonds & Rust
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Sinner, Starbreaker, Dissident Aggressor
LINEUP: Rob Halford, KK Downing, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill, Simon Phillips
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: First major label release by the metal pioneers is a little step back from their previous album, but contains some classics and is the first to get some airplay.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: It may be strange for a band like Judas Priest to cover a contemporary Joan Baez songs, but there they were going at “Diamonds & Rust” with all vigor. Most of this album has a lot of attitude, but the songs are just a bit weaker than Sad Wings of Destiny.
However, “Sinner”, “Starbreaker” and “Dissident Aggressor” are part of the heavy-metal canon now, inspiring covers and reverent imitations. Phillips’ drumming (he was a fill-in as the Priest were between drummers, again), was quite inspirational in the development of the metal drum method.
There are still a couple of ballads, though “Here Come the Tears” breaks out into a classic Tipton solo. It’s just odd to hear Halford’s voice in a ballad, and not howling like he can do. Those ballads, and couple of cuts that aren’t as strong, knock this down a bit, but the inclusion of key cuts make it worth a listen.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: Roger Glover, bass player for Deep Purple, produced this album
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: A outtake cover and a live cut (not even from this album, for some reason)
GRADE: B+: There’s really good cuts, and OK cuts, but for a Priest fan it’s good to have for the best tunes and just skip the others.