Stained Class

Easily one of the most important heavy metal albums ever released, Stained Class marks the peak of Judas Priest's influence, setting the sonic template for the new wave of British heavy metal more than any other single recording. This is the point where Priest put it all together, embracing their identity as the heaviest band on the planet and taking the genre to new heights of power, speed, musicality, and malevolence. It's impossible to overstate the impact that Stained Class had on virtually all of the heavy metal that followed it, from the new wave of British heavy metal through thrash and speed metal onward, and it remains Judas Priest's greatest achievement.