Judas Priest - British Steel

British Steel is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest, originally released in April 1980 via Columbia Records.

During an interview with Wall of Sound's Educate Ebony podcast, Max Cavalera stated British Steel is the "essential thrash metal" album everyone needs to hear and says "I’m sure you can ask Metallica, if it wasn’t for British Steel they wouldn’t be here.

British Steel was recorded at Tittenhurst Park, home of former Beatle Ringo Starr, after a false start at Startling Studios, also located on the grounds of Tittenhurst Park, due to the band preferring Starr's house to the recording studio itself. It was the band's first album to feature Dave Holland on drums.

Digital sampling was not yet widely available at the time of recording, so the band used analog recording of smashing milk bottles to be included in "Breaking the Law", as well as various sounds in "Metal Gods" produced by billiard cues and trays of cutlery.

The songs "Breaking the Law", "United", and "Living After Midnight" were released as singles.

This album is a 2024 limited edition reissue on clear with black and white splatter coloured vinyl housed in a single pocket sleeve with a printed inner sleeve, pressed in Europe via Columbia Records.