Fight - War of Words: The Film with CD Review

Rob Halford stunned the metal world in 1992 when he announced he was leaving Judas Priest, the band he had fronted for many years. While fans pondered his next move, Halford didn't keep them waiting long by releasing "Light Comes Out Of Black" on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack. The song featured an uncredited Pantera as his backing band and signaled the beginning of a new, heavier era for the metal god.

That same year, Halford began rehearsals in Arizona with his new band, Fight. The band combined the melodic aspects of Judas Priest with the aggression of Pantera and released two albums, the first of which, War of Words, is included in a remixed/remastered form as part of the War of Words: The Film DVD package.

The DVD includes an all-too-brief documentary about the formation of the band, including rehearsal footage as well as live clips and interviews. One would think a giant in the world of heavy metal such as Halford would merit a longer documentary about his life after Judas Priest, yet the film barely runs 20 minutes.

Part II of the DVD includes a Fight concert with footage culled from 22 different venues, all of them named onscreen during the first song. While the audio all comes from one source, having footage from that many venues - both professional and audience shot - can be a little distracting to a viewer, especially when Halford goes from no hat to hat to no hat again in the same song.

Still, the performance is intense and features every song from the band's hard-hitting debut. Also included is bonus live footage from the Sony Music Studios from 1993, music videos for three of the band's songs, and a trailer for the Halford Live at Rock in Rio III film.

As for the remixed/remastered War of Words CD, the difference is noticeable. The drums and Halford's voice in particular seem more prominent in an attempt to make the record sound more current. Keen fans will notice that the bonus track from the original release is nowhere to be found on this reissue, but the overall sound quality of the CD is top notch.

Fight's career was short-lived as Halford later formed Two, his ill-fated industrial project, and then went solo before rejoining Judas Priest. For fans of the singer who may only know him for "Living After Midnight" or "You've Got Another Thing Coming," War of Words: The Film is a good place to start discovering the many sides of this metal god.