Does anyone know where the inspiration for the title of the record came from? Other Priest records have rather obvious references, but I can't find anything obvious to reference Sad Wings. Can anybody shed some light on what it might be?

I don't know, but it's a good question. I mean the main triumph is simply "sad wings" which is a great oxymoron: wings being freedom, but oh, sad ones. Also Of Destiny, which perhaps is kinda redundant.

I think it's easier to view it in context of the prog rock albums with ambitious titles in the 1970s that Priest were competing against. And they just thought of something profound, that was good fodder for their cover artist, and went with it.

It also surely has to do with the narrative in Dreamer Deceiver / Deceiver, doesn't it? And that is the centrepiece of the album.

"Sad wings of Destiny" the way i read it is someone locked into a path of no hope.

Perhaps something like a terminal disease, destiny is death and the disease are your "sad wings" taking you there.

I always thought it tied into the Dreamer Deceiver narrative, but I've never been sure.

I also believe that the Dreamer Deceiver is the end of the record, not the centre piece, which I feel is Victim of Changes. Rather the entire record builds up to the Deceiver finale. I mean, if it were the wrong way around, surely the ending of the record would be Epitaph rather than Island of Domination?

Well I don't mean literally at the centre. I used to program my CD to play "side B" first and end on Dreamer Deceiver.

The whole Gull Records thing, keeping it out of the mainstream re-releases, has really harmed this album's reputation. I feel a lot of casual metal fans don't know it well and how it came out in the same explosive year as Rainbow Rising.

Also I think the Halford solo song "Sad Wings" is helpful in the idea that he came up with the album title, not that it was kicking about in the Atkins era. Probably.

always thought it's a reference to lucifer, coupled with the cover depicting an angel with black wings in something that resembles hell...

The album is rather obvious once one considers the history of the band as well as the history of the members and their surroundings. When a writer comes from a cold, bleak, miserable, poverty stricken, rampant disease and crime ridden existence, the art made in reflection is going to be a sad account of their life's destiny.

It has an almost identical narrative as Dark Side Of the Moon by Floyd, a collection of ideas that lead to a very sad destiny on the wings of time. Oppression and dictatorship(Tyrant), Racism and torture(Genocide), growing weary and broken down(Epitaph), persecution and bigotry(Island Of Domination), alcoholism, adultery and domestic violence(Victim Of Changes), murder and desperation in poverty(The Ripper), raging drug abuse and abuse of power(Dreamer & Deceiver).

It is the most competent - and serious - collection of lyrics Judas Priest has ever laid down. The album title came from the illustration, which was not created for the musical output, just happened to be the most fitting proposition the band could afford.

I looked it a bit and I believe it's just made up and they mean the personification of destiny which is displayed on the cover art.