Pioneers of Metal

If I were to talk about Heavy Metal, I would talk about excellent music, guitar riffs, fantastic vocals, the look, the feel, the raw edge and of course, being true to yourself.

But everything has a beginning and for Heavy Metal that legendary starting point was Judas Priest.

Fair enough, there were other bands, other awesome singing groups around. But keep in mind, most of them were still heavily influenced by the Blues.

Who put the Metal in Rock and fused it to be Heavy Metal? The Metal Gods themselves. That's right, that was Judas Priest.

In this particular instance I want to point out one particular song from their legendary album, British Steel – Breaking the Law.

While almost all the songs in this must-have album were important, in that they set the pace, look and feel for Heavy Metal genre, this particular one is represents one significant trait of early Metal music – it's timeless; it still applies to present day issues.

To begin with, let's get the obvious out of the way. It's true; the official video for Breaking the Law was cheesy. Guys drive into a bank and steal a record album. While playing guitar no less.

Given various misconceptions about Metal, it is worthwhile to point out that this song is in no way endorsing people to commit crime. A quick glance at the lyrics and quiet pondering over the documentary about the British Steel album reveals much about this song.

For a bit of background, do recall that when the album came out in 1980, United Kingdom was facing rough economic times. Unemployment, problems in mines, a strict and scary PM in the form of Margaret Thatcher ... it was a time of upheaval.

So is it any surprise that the song, nay the whole album has underlying tones of youthful rebellion, disillusionment with current situation and the rather strong metal theme (quick question: how many in the band worked in or lived within a mining community?).

And of course, the most important bit about metal – the music. Metal was and is and should not be about pristine model looks, lip syncing and an overall focus on the vocals. Rather, it is about breathtaking guitar riffs, no, make that twin guitars adding to the flow. In fact, remember, this song has one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time. In addition to this, note that Judas Priest was one of the first bands to introduce the dual guitar playing concept which has now become a staple feature in metal bands.

Coming back to the topic of British Steel and how they defined a genre - metal is also about being able to play an instrument; no wait, make that being able to play an instrument really well. And of course, a singer whose voice captivates the audience whereby it also complements the whole song.

It's right about time to talk about Rob Halford; let's face it, he has one of the best vocal ranges in the genre. And while Breaking the Law might not bring out his full potential, one of the features that carries the momentum of the song is his powerful voice.

How else does Breaking the Law represent the genre? It's about having fun, being true to yourself; it's about the underdog and standing up for what you believe in; it's about playing music that is an expression of your own feelings.

That just about sums up Breaking the Law.