# The Privilege of Power

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Privilege_of_Power
> Source revision: 1344295032
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = The Privilege of Power
| type       = [Album](/source/Album)
| artist     = [Riot](/source/Riot_(band))
| cover      = RiotTPOP.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 28 February 1990
| recorded   = December 1988 – September 1989
| venue      =
| studio     = [Greene St. Recording](/source/Greene_St._Recording), New York City
| genre      = [Heavy metal](/source/Heavy_metal_music), [progressive metal](/source/progressive_metal)
| length     = 57:52
| label      = [Epic](/source/Epic_Records)
| producer   = Steve Loeb, Vince Perazzo, Rod Hui, [Mark Reale](/source/Mark_Reale)
| prev_title = [Riot Live](/source/Riot_Live_(album))
| prev_year  = 1989
| next_title = [Riot in Japan – Live!!](/source/Riot_in_Japan_%E2%80%93_Live!!)
| next_year  = 1992
}}

'''''The Privilege of Power''''' is the seventh studio album by American [heavy metal](/source/heavy_metal_music) band [Riot](/source/Riot_(band)). It was more experimental than their previous work, being an attempt at a [concept album](/source/concept_album) and also including a horn section on some of the tracks.

"Racing with the Devil on a Spanish Highway" is a cover of an [Al Di Meola](/source/Al_Di_Meola) instrumental track from the album ''[Elegant Gypsy](/source/Elegant_Gypsy)'' (1977). "Killer" is about convicted killer [Jeffrey R. MacDonald](/source/Jeffrey_R._MacDonald) and features a guest vocal appearance by [Joe Lynn Turner](/source/Joe_Lynn_Turner) (ex-[Rainbow](/source/Rainbow_(English_band)), [Yngwie Malmsteen](/source/Yngwie_Malmsteen)).

The album was re-issued in 2003 by [Collectables Records](/source/Collectables_Records) with slightly amended artwork and re-issued on 180g vinyl as a 2-LP set with ''[Thundersteel](/source/Thundersteel)'' by [SPV](/source/SPV_GmbH) on February 25, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=SPV launch an exciting new series of catalogue vinyl releases|url=http://www.spv.de/News/newsdetail.php?newsID=436|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101084304/http://www.spv.de/News/newsdetail.php?newsID=436|archivedate=January 1, 2014}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1      = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-privilege-of-power-r16611/review | title = Riot The Privilege of Power review | access-date = January 10, 2012 | last = Monger | first = James Christopher | publisher = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[Classic Rock](/source/Classic_Rock_(magazine))''
| rev2score = {{Rating|8|10}}<ref name="classic" >{{cite magazine |title=Riot - Thundersteel/The Privilege of Power |journal=[Classic Rock](/source/Classic_Rock_(magazine)) |date=February 2010 |last=Barton |first=Geoff
|authorlink=Geoff Barton |issue=141 |page=93}}</ref>
| rev3 =''[Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal](/source/Martin_Popoff)''
| rev3score = 8/10<ref name="martin" >{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | authorlink1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties | publisher = [Collector's Guide Publishing](/source/Collector's_Guide_Publishing) | date = August 1, 2007 | location = [Burlington, Ontario](/source/Burlington%2C_Ontario), [Canada](/source/Canada) |  pages=365–366 |isbn = 978-1-894959-62-9}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[Rock Hard](/source/Rock_Hard_(magazine))''
| rev4score = 9.5/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Stratmann|first=Holger|title=Rock Hard review|url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=9127|work=issue 36|access-date=May 26, 2013}}</ref> 
}}
In 2005, ''The Privilege of Power'' was ranked number 354 in ''[Rock Hard](/source/Rock_Hard_(magazine))'' magazine's book of ''The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten|year=2005|publisher=[Rock Hard](/source/Rock_Hard_(magazine))|isbn=3-89880-517-4|page=68}}</ref>

== Track listing ==
{{Track listing
| title1 = On Your Knees
| writer1 = Tony Moore, Don Van Stavern
| length1 = 6:37
| title2 = Metal Soldiers
| writer2 = Moore, [Mark Reale](/source/Mark_Reale), Van Stavern
| length2 = 6:40
| title3 = Runaway
| writer3 = Moore, Reale
| length3 = 5:11
| title4 = Killer
| writer4 = Moore, Reale, Van Stavern
| length4 = 4:53
| title5 = Dance of Death
| writer5 = Moore, Van Stavern, Reale
| length5 = 7:17
| title6 = Storming the Gates of Hell
| writer6 = Reale
| length6 = 3:43
| title7 = Maryanne
| writer7 = Moore, Reale
| length7 = 4:55
| title8 = Little Miss Death
| writer8 = Eric Mauk, Moore, Reale
| length8 = 4:12
| title9 = Black Leather and Glittering Steel
| writer9 = Moore, Van Stavern
| length9 = 7:07
| title10 = Racing with the Devil on a Spanish Highway (Revisited)
| note10 =  Al Di Meola cover
| writer10 = [Al Di Meola](/source/Al_Di_Meola)
| length10 = 7:17
}}

==Personnel==
===Band members===
*[Tony Moore](/source/Tony_Moore_(singer)) – vocals
*[Mark Reale](/source/Mark_Reale) – guitars, producer
*Don Van Stavern – bass
*[Bobby Jarzombek](/source/Bobby_Jarzombek) – drums

===Additional musicians===
*[Tower of Power](/source/Tower_of_Power) horn section: Greg Adams, Emilio Castillio, Steve Kupka, Lee Thornburg, Steve Gross
*[Randy Brecker](/source/Randy_Brecker), [Jon Faddis](/source/Jon_Faddis), [Dave Bargeron](/source/Dave_Bargeron), Ron Cuber, Lawrence Feldman – horn section
*[James 'Blood' Ulmer](/source/James_Blood_Ulmer) – guitar
*[G. E. Smith](/source/G._E._Smith) – guitar
*[T. M. Stevens](/source/T._M._Stevens) – bass
*[Joe Lynn Turner](/source/Joe_Lynn_Turner) – vocals on "Killer"
* Bob Held – bass on "Little Miss Death"

===Production===
*Steve Loeb – producer, executive producer
*Vince Perazzo – executive producer
*Rod Hui – producer, engineer, mixing
*Nick Sansano, [Chris Shaw](/source/Chris_Shaw_(recording_engineer)), Kirk Yano – engineers
*Dan Wood, Dave Swanson, Jason Vogel, Kenny Almestica, Glenn Zimet – assistant engineers

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Riot V}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Privilege of Power, The}}
Category:Riot V albums
Category:1990 albums
Category:Epic Records albums
Category:1990s concept albums

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Privilege of Power](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Privilege_of_Power) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Privilege_of_Power?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.