Metal Anarchy

Judas Priest have announced a remixed and remastered 50th anniversary edition of “Rocka Rolla.” The reissue, which is titled “Rocka Rolla – 50th Anniversary: Remixed And Remastered 1974 – 2024,” will receive a digital release in the U.S. and Canada on September 13. CD and vinyl copies will be available November 22.

“Rocka Rolla – 50th Anniversary: Remixed And Remastered 1974 – 2024” Track Listing:

01. “One For The Road”
02. “Rocka Rolla”
03. “Winter”
04. “Deep Freeze”
05. “Winter Retreat”
06. “Cheater”
07. “Never Satisfied”
08. “Run Of The Mill”
09. “Dying To Meet You”
10. “Caviar And Meths”

The band decided to update the album after being unsatisfied with original mix and master, which was done without them. Singer Rob Halford said the following about hearing it for the first time:

“I took the record and I put the needle onto the groove and I sat back. And I just slowly started to deflate, deflate. I was so disappointed with the way it was sounding. All of us were — we’d all worked so hard to get to this place. And now this music that we know when we play live is roaring — the heavy metal is roaring even in those early primitive days — none of that was coming out of the speakers”

Fortunately, after Gull Records sold the masters and publishing rights to Reach Music Publishing, the band were able to bring the record up to their standards from the original multitrack tapes. Producer Tom Allom commented:

“What we did with the multitracks is quite unusual, to completely remix an album from that era, from scratch. So to clarify what we’re doing, we’re not adding anything musically. We’re not re-recording any of the musical parts… We’re remixing them, rebalancing them using the technology we have, the modern tools we have now, to sonically upgrade them, and make them sound more powerful.”

Halford continued:

“It’s great to look back and see our future unfurl — from little metal acorns mighty metal oaks do grow. One small step for metal, one giant leap for metalkind — a lifelong metal journey began with these songs. This album lit the eternal metal flame — as real and fresh as ever five decades on.

I’m just thrilled… because it just goes to show you when you get an expert involved in a project, it’s likely that you have a second chance. And I think that Tom Allom is giving us a second chance here with the way that a lot of the elements were lost in ‘Rocka Rolla’. And it’s also nice, like a really nice feeling, especially to attach it to what will be a 50th-anniversary moment. It’s just a beautiful feeling.”

Guitarist Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill, and ex-guitarist K.K. Downing also shared their thoughts on the updated album:

Tipton:

“This is where it all started for us and 50 years later, we have a great re-mixed and re-mastered version of the original…and the band are still going strong!”

Hill:

“Recorded during nighttime sessions to save costs, over a few weeks in June and July 1974, on a shoestring budget, ‘Rocka Rolla’ was always going to have its flaws! But walking into my local record store and seeing it on a shelf amongst all your idol’s records was the proudest feeling in the world, and I thought, ‘Whatever happens now, nothing can change that!’ Now remixed by Tom Allom and remastered, ‘Rocka Rolla’ has finally got the production it deserved!”

Downing:

“At last! This! The first Judas Priest album can be listened to and enjoyed in the way it was always intended to be!”