Ram It Down was the 11th studio album recorded and released by
Judas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1969. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of bass player Ian Hill, vocalist Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing. The band has gone through several drummers, though Scott Travis has held the position since...
, which was released in 1988.
Ram It Down was remastered in 2001, with two live tracks added.
In 1986, Judas Priest intended to record a
double albumA double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold . A double album is typically, though not always, released because the recording is longer than the capacity of the medium...
called
Twin Turbos of which half would be lighter, more commercial rock, and the other half would be similarly polished but heavier and less synth-driven.
Ram It Down was the 11th studio album recorded and released by
Judas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1969. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of bass player Ian Hill, vocalist Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K. K. Downing. The band has gone through several drummers, though Scott Travis has held the position since...
, which was released in 1988.
Ram It Down was remastered in 2001, with two live tracks added.
In 1986, Judas Priest intended to record a
double albumA double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold . A double album is typically, though not always, released because the recording is longer than the capacity of the medium...
called
Twin Turbos of which half would be lighter, more commercial rock, and the other half would be similarly polished but heavier and less synth-driven. As it happened, record labels being notoriously timid about double albums, the project was split into two releases, with the heavier
Twin Turbos material being relegated to this later album. While it largely failed to capture the metal public's approval, elements such as the more technical drumming, high speeds, and sci-fi themes prefigured their return-to-form classic,
Painkiller. Judas Priest had also done a rendition of
Chuck BerryCharles Edward "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.Chuck Berry is one of the pioneers of rock and roll music...
's "
Johnny B. Goode"Johnny B. Goode" is a famous 1958 rock and roll song by Chuck Berry. It reached #8 on the Billboard pop chart, and remains one of Berry's best known songs.-Characteristics:...
" for the movie
Johnny Be GoodJohnny Be Good is a 1988 comedy film, directed by film editor Bud S. Smith, in his only film in the director's chair. It stars Anthony Michael Hall as the main character Johnny Walker, Robert Downey Jr., Steve James, Jennifer Tilly and Uma Thurman. Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon makes...
, which was the only single from this album. This would be the final album involving long-time drummer
Dave HollandDavid Holland is an English rock drummer, best remembered from his stint with Judas Priest between 1979 and 1989. He is currently in prison for attempted rape of a wheelchair-using 17-year-old boy...
and producer
Tom AllomTom Allom is an English sound engineer and record producer, mainly active in the 1970s and 1980s. Allom is known for his work on seminal albums by Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, KIX, and Rough Cutt.-Black Sabbath:* 1970 - Black Sabbath...
. Allom would later return as co-producer to the 2009 live release
A Touch of Evil: LiveA Touch of Evil: Live is Judas Priest's fifth live album, and first with original vocalist Rob Halford since they reunited. It was recorded during the band's 2005 and 2008 world tours, and released on July 14, 2009....
.
The epic song "Blood Red Skies" has been described by
Glenn TiptonGlenn Raymond Tipton is one of the guitarists for the British heavy metal band Judas Priest...
as "
Victim of Changes"Victim of Changes" is a heavy metal song by British band Judas Priest, featured on their 1976 studio album Sad Wings of Destiny.The song is known for its introduction, which starts with a harmonised two guitar fade-in, something that was uncommon in music of the time...
model 1988".
Track listing
All songs written by
Rob HalfordRobert John Arthur Halford is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Halford has a nearly four octave vocal range, having recorded notes from D2 to B5 . He is one of the most respected singers of heavy metal and rock music with a...
, K.K. Downing and
Glenn TiptonGlenn Raymond Tipton is one of the guitarists for the British heavy metal band Judas Priest...
, except where noted.
- "Ram It Down" – 4:48
- "Heavy Metal" – 5:58
- "Love Zone" – 3:58
- "Come and Get It" – 4:07
- "Hard as Iron" – 4:09
- "Blood Red Skies" – 7:50
- "I'm a Rocker" – 3:58
- "Johnny B. Goode
"Johnny B. Goode" is a famous 1958 rock and roll song by Chuck Berry. It reached #8 on the Billboard pop chart, and remains one of Berry's best known songs.-Characteristics:...
" (Chuck BerryCharles Edward "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.Chuck Berry is one of the pioneers of rock and roll music...
) – 4:39
- "Love You to Death" – 4:36
- "Monsters of Rock" – 5:30
2001 Bonus Tracks
- "Night Comes Down" (Live at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach CA, May 5, 1984) – 4:33
- "Bloodstone" (Live at Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis TN, December 12, 1982) – 4:05
Trivia
- A tribute to the song "Blood Red Skies" from this album can be seen in the Japanese comic (Manga) Battle Angel Alita: Last Order
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, known in Japan as , is the continuation of the manga series Battle Angel Alita. It is created by Yukito Kishiro and tells the story of Alita continuing her quest to uncover her mysterious past.-Sequel or alternative story?:Last Order continues the story of Battle...
. In Book 5, during a battle scene the support character Sechs has the words "Blood Red Skies" and "You won't break me" written on the underside of his boots, a clear reference to the title and part of the lyrics.
- The song Johnny B. Goode was originally made for a video soundtrack, and the song that was supposed to replace it (which would have been a bonus track) was lost somewhere during the Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Halford has a nearly four octave vocal range, having recorded notes from D2 to B5 . He is one of the most respected singers of heavy metal and rock music with a...
-Ripper limbo. This is the reason Ram It Down is the only remastered disc with no bonus "track", just two live tracks.
- The song "I'm a Rocker" references the other Judas Priest song "Thunder Road", which can be found as a bonus track on the album Point of Entry
Point of Entry is a heavy metal album from the British band Judas Priest. Their seventh album was released on February 26, 1981.In 1980 Judas Priest garnered some airplay with "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" from their album British Steel...
. In both songs the lyrics read "it's something in the blood [...] Wouldn't change it even if I could".
Personnel
- Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Halford has a nearly four octave vocal range, having recorded notes from D2 to B5 . He is one of the most respected singers of heavy metal and rock music with a...
: Vocals
- K.K. Downing: Guitars
- Glenn Tipton
Glenn Raymond Tipton is one of the guitarists for the British heavy metal band Judas Priest...
: Guitars
- Ian Hill
Ian Hill is a founding member and bassist for the Birmingham-based heavy metal band, Judas Priest.-Biography:...
: Bass Guitar
- Dave Holland
David Holland is an English rock drummer, best remembered from his stint with Judas Priest between 1979 and 1989. He is currently in prison for attempted rape of a wheelchair-using 17-year-old boy...
- Drums
- Henrik Nilsson - engineer
External links