Painkiller

"Painkiller" is the the first song on British metal band Judas Priest's 1990 album, Painkiller, and was released as the first single off the album later that year. The song is about The Painkiller. The Painkiller himself is one of a series of fictional messiahs created by Judas Priest. He is described as a metal messiah sent to the world to destroy evil and rescue mankind from destruction. He is believed to be inspired by the fallen angel from the Sad Wings of Destiny album cover that Judas Priest recorded early in their musical years. The most noticeable feature of the Painkiller, besides his metal body is that he rides the metal monster: a motorcycle with a dragon for the chassis and two circular saws for wheels. The song was covered by death metal band Death on their 1998 album Sound of Perseverance. This version also appeared on the Judas Priest tribute album Legends Of Metal - A Tribute To Judas Priest Volume II. The brazilian power metal band Angra has covered the song too on the album Freedom Call, released in 1996. Also, more recently, the British thrash/power metal band Biomechanical did a cover of the song, featuring Chris Tsangarides, who produced the Painkiller album. The first guitar solo in the song is played by Tipton, and the second final guitar solo is played by Downing. Rob Halford sings Painkiller exclusively in a screeching falsetto. The song is featured in the video game Rock Band 2 and is considered to be one of the hardest tracks in the game, being ranked in the last group of songs on the setlist for all instruments; it is also the final song in the "Rolling Stone Rock Immortal Setlist". The vocal part of the song is particularly difficult due to a section in the final phrase where the singer has to hold a note for a full 19 seconds.

[Drum Intro] [Verse 1] Faster than a bullet, terrifying scream Enraged and full of anger, he's half man and half machine Rides the Metal Monster, breathing smoke and fire Closing in with vengeance soaring high [Chorus] He is the Painkiller This is the Painkiller [Verse 2] Planets devastated, mankind's on its knees A saviour comes from out the skies in answer to their pleas Through boiling clouds of thunder, blasting bolts of steel Evil's going under deadly wheels [Chorus] He is the Painkiller This is the Painkiller [Bridge] Faster than a laser bullet Louder than an atom bomb Chromium plated boiling metal Brighter than a thousand suns [Guitar Solo] [Verse 3] Flying high on rapture, stronger free and brave Nevermore encaptured, they've been brought back from the grave With mankind resurrected, forever to survive Returns from Armageddon to the skies [Chorus - Extended] He is the Painkiller This is the Painkiller Wings of steel Painkiller Deadly wheels Painkiller [Chorus] He is the Painkiller This is the Painkiller He is the Painkiller This is the Painkiller Pain! Pain! Killer! Killer! Pain! Pain! Killer! Killer! [Guitar Solo] [Outro] Can't stop the painkiller! Pain!