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Tipton, Glenn: Baptizm Of Fire

When Glenn Tipton first recorded and released his solo album Baptizm Of Fire, Judas Priest was not as active and I think as a result the support given his efforts were on the dismal side. Now courtesy of Rhino Records we are able to treat the album with a little more respect as it finds Glenn with a rejuvenated Priest and new Metal from the Gods of the genre. The time was right to not only re-issue the debut with some bonus tracks but also to release for the first time the album that was supposed to be out first. The record featured legends Cozy Powell and John Entwistle and is reviewed elsewhere on these pages. On Baptizm Glenn gave us a solid collection of Hard Rock which was not exactly Judas Priest- like but can appeal to his fans in the band just the same. The veteran axe slinger is very adept and some of the tunes on this record rock. The music is heavy yet not really Metal which in the end shows a little more diversity to his talents. The instrumental title track is perhaps the best of the songs, and "Enter The Storm" with its strong and slow power was a repeat number in my changer. Glenn also does a decent version of The Rolling Stone classic "Paint It Black", but if you ask me the best cover ever done was by W.A.S.P.

The cast of players on the release are numerous and include John Entwistle, Cozy Powell, Robert Trujillo, Brooks Wackerman, C.J. DeVillar, Shannon Larkin, Billy Sheehan, Don Airey, Neil Murray and a few others. An all-star lineup to say the least with Tipton himself singing all the songs and not doing a terrible job at it. You cannot expect Halford from him, but Glenn does have a decent voice. Fans of solid Hard Rock and of Tipton's guitar work will enjoy this more than some others but I feel there is a little bit of something on this for most fans. A full-color booklet that features lyrics and a bunch of photos of Glenn is included with the release. The re-issue also has a cleaner production than I remember the original having.


Track Listing
1. Hard Core
2. Paint It Black
3. Enter The Storm
4. Fuel Me Up
5. Extinct
6. Baptizm Of Fire
7. The Healer
8. Cruise Control
9. Kill Or Be Killed
10. Voodoo Brother
11. Left For Dead
12. Himalaya
13. New Breed

Added: April 30th 2006
Reviewer: Ken Pierce
Score:
Related Link: Glenn Tipton Website
Hits: 3291
Language: english

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» SoT Staff Roundtable Reviews:

Tipton, Glenn: Baptizm Of Fire
Posted by Pete Pardo, SoT Staff Writer on 2006-04-30 08:14:53
My Score:

Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton's 1997 solo album Baptizm of Fire has now been re-released on Rhino Records with a couple of bonus tracks. The timimg is pretty good actually for this reissue, with the reunited Judas Priest somewhat hot with a recent album and tour. Tipton had a hot supporting cast for this album which includes among others Billy Sheehan, John Entwistle, Robert Trujillo, Cozy Powell, and Don Airey. Glenn handles all the guitars as well as the lead vocals, and while he is not going to set the world on fire with his vocal style, he does an admirable job.

The music on the album is decent hard rock/metal, pretty on par with Judas Priest's output as far as heaviness goes. Songs like "Enter the Storm" and "Hard Core" have a certain doomy vibe to them that works real well, and a tune like "Fuel Me Up" reminded me of Turbo era Priest. Other hot tracks include the raging metal of "Extinct", the galloping title track, the grinding grooves of "Cruise Control", and the searing guitar work on "Voodoo Brother".

Overall, Baptizm of Fire won't set your world on fire like its title suggests, but it's a decent affair nontheless. Some of the songs have a certain generic element about them, which is probably not helped by Tipton's lack of vocal range. The cover of "Paint It Black" is also not very good, but hey, he gave it a try. Otherwise, expect some "Priest-lite" sort of material with solid guitar work.

Tipton, Glenn: Baptizm Of Fire
Posted by Jack Toledano, SoT Staff Writer on 2006-03-30 08:02:02
My Score:

Some metal fans, and even some Judas Priest fans, sometimes overlook Judas Priest axeman extrordinare Glenn Tipton's first solo CD release, Baptizm Of Fire. However, I feel that it was an important release, in that it originally came out in 1997, at a time when there was still some uncertainty as to whether the almighty Priest would ever really get back together, release another studio CD and tour. Well, we all know how it went down. Anyway, Baptizm Of Fire definitely filled a longtime void (at least somewhat) left in the wake of Rob Halford's departure from Priest. It will never go down as being a classic in the vein of Sad Wings Of Destiny, British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance, etc. But it was a very good release nonetheless. After the successful Angel Of Retribution tour, Tipton decided to not only re-release Baptizm Of Fire with two bonus tracks, but he also dug down deep into his recording collection to release Edge Of The World, which is officially listed as a project of Glenn Tipton, along with the late greats John Entwistle and Cozy Powell. My review of that CD is forthcoming, but my fellow writer Ken Pierce has already given that CD a review, for those interested.

I will say that I prefer Baptizm Of Fire to Edge Of The World, partially due to the fact that it is heavier than the latter. I also found the songs to be catchier. Tipton's guitar work is another reason I like this release better. While he doesn't light up the fretboard on every song, as he was trying to play songs in keeping with the times, the title track and The Healer will definitely be enjoyable for those looking for some of Tipton's better guitar work. Other highlights for me are Extinct, Enter The Storm, and Voodoo Brother.
Tipton does an admirable job on the remake of Paint It Black. Most of his other songs on the CD range from listenable to pretty good, as they are all in keeping with some of the new metal of the time. As for the two bonus tracks, New Breed is the better of the two, and is a family affair, as it features Glenn's son on drums, and is co-written with his daughter.

But probably the most frequently asked question for those who have not yet heard either of Glenn Tipton's release is;

What does his voice sound like, as he is tackling all of the lead vocals? My answer would be; not great, certainly not in the caliber of Rob Halford or Tim "Ripper" Owens, as Tipton does not possess the vocal range or power that both Priest vocalists do, but pretty good. He certainly is no worse than the likes of Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Joe Perry, Peter Criss, or Ace Frehley, all of whom occasionally sang lead either with their respective bands, or on solo albums.

Overall, Baptizm Of Fire is a good CD, and will be enjoyed by most Priest and metal fans alike.



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