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British Steel saw the band reprise the commercial sound they had established on Killing Machine. This time, they abandoned some of the dark lyrical themes which had been prominent on their previous releases, but some of it still remains. In a June 2017 appearance on Sirius radio podcast “Rolling Stone Music Now,”^[4] Rob Halford said the band may have been inspired by AC/DC on some tracks after supporting them on a European tour in 1979.^[5] British Steel was recorded in December 1979 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. 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.^[2] It is the first Judas Priest album to feature drummer Dave Holland, and it was released in the UK at a discount price of £3.99, with the advertisements in the music press bearing the legend “British Steal”. The songs “Breaking the Law”, “United“, and “Living After Midnight” were released as singles.^[2]

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