Rock Band Download Low-Down: Week 23

Each week we’ll run out onto our website stage like roadies and review the latest Rock Band Downloadable Content. Check back every week! (And click here for all of our previous music DLC reviews.)

*NOTE: Each of the songs in this week’s selection costs 160 Microsoft Points ($2). They are also available as a full album download for 1,200 points ($15).

"Screaming for Vengeance" by Judas Priest (1982,
9 tracks/10 songs total)

WHAT ROCKS: A handful of tracks are definite gems here. The opening cuts, "The Hellion" and "Electric Eye" (combined into one song in Rock Band because the former is only 41 seconds) are two of the better guitar and drum riffs. The title track is the most challenging on the album for both drums and guitar -- but arguably also the most fun. The other drum/guitar highlight is the hectic "Riding on the Wind." On vocals, you can't beat the one Priest song everyone knows: "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

WHAT SUCKS: Played in a row, in order (a process made as difficult as possible because the game lacks a custom setlist feature and doesn't list the tracks in the order they appear on the album when you sort by artist at the song-selection menu), we noticed that almost every one of these songs goes on for, literally, about a minute too long. The final measures in most cases simply repeat the same patterns, wearing out their welcome. Also, most of the drum selections are rather easy -- some of them overly, boringly so. Bass is also dull across the board, including laughably so on "Pain and Pleasure."

FINAL VERDICT: Finally, Rock Band has its first full album download. And while "Screaming for Vengeance" is certainly a metal classic, it can hardly be considered so within the context of the gameplay. Bass is universally disappointing, drums are mostly mediocre, and almost every song goes on for too long. The guitar and vocals save this album from a totally negative rating -- as does the unexpectedly reasonable price point -- but not by much.

As a semi-relevant aside, with so many songs in the game now, including these album downloads, an update that adds custom setlist support (so we can at least play all of the album's tracks in the proper order without needing the jewel case in front of us) wouldn't just be appreciated, it's downright necessary at this point. It really breaks the flow of trying to get into an entire album when you have to drop back to the song selection menu and then figure out what the next one is, select it, and wait for it to load up. Harmonix is generally good about taking care of its fans, so hopefully they'll remedy this malady.