Dawn Of the Metal Gods by Al Atkins [Book]

IP Verlag

August 4, 2009, 10:15 AM

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Bit weird to be doing a Book review I will admit but given the subject being the original singer of one of the biggest metal bands in history [Judas Priest] I thought I would give it a read.

If you've read most heavy metal star's beginnings it is a similar story: Good christian family upbringing, decides to start a band in high school, the usual cliches.

Of course the parts in which Al mentions his time in Judas Priest is the part most fans will clamour for and this is probably the best bit of the book (especially as I'm mostly a Halford era person) and knowing Al quit rather than being pushed out surprised me the most. It was also interesting that like Blaze Bayley, after he got the mainstream acceptance Al still managed to retain a cult following with a new band so at least the passion was still alive.

There however is one main reason I didn't give this book higher than 5's for the most part: it seems at parts that the ghostwriter with Al wanted to fill space so in the middle of a great anecdote about a gig you get this:

This to me totally disrupted the flow and made it clear of the presence of a 'ghostwriter' and their associated part in autobiographies. A massive shame really as I did enjoy the book bar those obvious ghostwriter packing out moments.

Overall if you want to know a forgotten part of Judas Priests history then buy 'Dawn of the Metal Gods' by Al Atkins but be warned of the writing flow being shaky in parts.

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