Presenting 34 tracks on two discs, THE ESSENTIAL JUDAS PRIEST does an excellent job of living up to its title by featuring many of the revered British heavy-metal band's finest moments. Wisely bypassing the group's years with Tim "Ripper" Owens, the collection features only Priest's beloved Rob Halford-fronted incarnation, with songs ranging from the ensemble's late-1970s beginnings to its 2005 reunion. Although the non-chronological order may put off some purists, the sequencing does highlight the group's consistency of vision, with tracks ranging from the ferocious "Judas Rising" to the fist-pumping "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" to the blistering "Painkiller," all the while showcasing Halford's banshee shriek and K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton's dual-guitar attack. As an overview of Halford-era Priest, this excellent compilation can't be beat.
Disc 1: Judas Rising - Album Version Breaking The Law - Album Version Hell Bent For Leather - Album Version Diamonds And Rust - Album Version Victim Of Changes Love Bites - Album Version Heading Out To The Highway - Album Version Ram It Down - Album Version Beyond The Realms Of Death - Album Version You've Got Another Thing Comin' Jawbreaker - Album Version A Touch Of Evil - Album Version Delivering The Goods - Album Version United - Album Version Turbo Lover - Album Version Painkiller - Album Version Metal Gods - Album Version
Disc 2- The Hellion Electric Eye Living After Midnight - Album Version Freewheel Burning - Album Version Exciter - Album Version Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) - Album Version Blood Red Skies - Album Version Night Crawler - Album Version Sinner - Album Version Hot Rockin' - Album Version The Sentinel - Album Version Before The Dawn - Album Version Hell Patrol - Album Version The Ripper Screaming For Vengeance Out In The Cold - Album Version Revolution - Album Version