This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
I will say this for Judas Priest: They don’t do things halfway. Take their recent series of remastered re-releases. Some bands would put out a best-of album or a box set. Others might put out their best three or four discs. Not these metal gods. In true amps-on-11 fashion, the Priest have spent the last few months remastering and reissuing their entire Columbia catalog — 12 albums recorded from 1977 to 1990. The final four just landed in stores, complete with bonus tracks, lyrics and other goodies. Here’s one of them:
Judas Priest
Ram It Down
The Year: 1988.
Call It: Back in black. After the failed experiment of Turbo, the boys learned their lesson and wisely returned to the fast, furious, frenzied form of their earlier albums.
The Essentials: None of these tunes would rank as classics, but the blistering title cut is impressive, as are the balls-out rockers Love Zone, Hard as Iron and their cover of Johnny B. Goode.
The Extras: Live versions of Night Comes Down (from Defenders of the Faith) and Bloodstone (from Screaming for Vengeance). You can almost hear the barrel scraping in the background.
Most Metallic Moment: “Drivin’ in the fast lane late at night, I can’t keep my eyes off your red tail light.” And they say heavy metal is sexist.
Reason to Buy It: It’s a comeback heavier than some bands’ first albums.
