Those who were plagued by shallow wannabe rockers from the USA in the 80s could finally be helped with a simple recipe in 1990. "Painkiller" by Judas Priest was the most brutal and violent record that a heavy metal band had ever recorded. There was no compromise, no chart-worthy ballad, no blow-dry and no milquetoast on the mic. JP played like berserkers and swept the auditory canals properly.