band's next album. Epitaph A quiet track with piano backing and Queen-like layered vocals, Halford said the lyrics to "Epitaph" express frustration at a lack of place for the young or old in modern cities. Island of Domination The side-closing "Island of Domination" is a heavy rocker with a complex riff in a style reminiscent of Black Sabbath. Downing described the lyrics as personal to Halford, joking of their having "probably a few innuendoes". Release Sad Wings of Destiny was released 23 March 1976, and four days earlier "The Ripper" appeared as a single backed with "Island of Domination". The album was initially published and distributed by Janus Records in the United States. The album had the A-side and B-side reversed, so that "Prelude" opens the second side and "Victim of Changes" the first, while the sleeve has "Prelude" opening the first side. The album had little commercial success at first and had difficulty getting noticed due to critical competition from the rise of punk rock. The band supported the album with a headlining tour of the UK from 6 April to 20 June 1976. The album peaked at in the UK, and was awarded a gold record in 1989. Sad Wings of Destiny arrived at the same time as other influential metal albums from the late 70's – the same year saw the release of Rising from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and Virgin Killer from Scorpions. The band had grown dissatisfied with Gull; the tight finances led Moore to leave the band a second time—this time permanently. The album caught the attention of , and with the help of new manager David Hemmings, the band signed with CBS and received a £ budget for their next record, Sin After Sin (1977). Downing described how the disappointed feelings the group had over Gull's management influenced the dark themes that appeared on Sad Wings of Destiny. The signing required breaking their contract with Gull, resulting in the rights to the first two albums and all related recordings—including demos—becoming property of Gull. Gull periodically repackaged and re-released the material from these albums, such as on the 1981 double album Hero, Hero. For the most part, the band was to abandon the progressive rock elements of their first two albums for a more straight-ahead heavy rock sound; the band revisited these progressive elements in 2008 on the album Nostradamus. Reception and legacy Fans, critics,