Fight

After departing Judas Priest in the early 1990s, following twenty years as the veteran band's lead singer, Rob Halford promptly launched a new aggressive metal project called Fight, which he formed together with former Priest drummer Scott Travis. Completing the roster with guitarists Russ Parrish and Brian Tilse plus bassist Jay Jay, Halford guided the group into the studio to complete the 1993 album War of Words.

Steering clear of the classic-metal conventions and exaggerated lyrical style associated with his prior outfit, Halford shaped Fight's approach around the streamlined, thrash-driven style popularized by acts such as Pantera, pairing that sonic intensity with lyrics focused on contemporary social issues. Although the release made limited impact beyond core audiences, War of Words resonated strongly with Halford's existing supporters, prompting an extensive tour that spanned 1993 and 1994.

Eschewing the theatrical production values long identified with Judas Priest, Halford and his bandmates performed with the raw drive of an emerging act, while acknowledging their roots through renditions of "Freewheel Burning" by Priest and Black Sabbath's "Symptom of the Universe." The 1994 EP Mutations collected live recordings alongside remixes, after which Fight issued its follow-up full-length, A Small Deadly Space, in 1995, now featuring Mark Chaussee in place of Russ Parrish. Written through a more collective process, the album presented a marginally restrained take on the earlier record's aggressive force, missing Parrish's distinctive solo phrasing yet preserving the direct metal framework and Halford's focus on stark, real-world themes. A Small Deadly Space marked the end of the band's output; Halford dissolved Fight in 1996 before exploring fresh directions on the Trent Reznor-produced project Two.