Rob Halford has revealed that Judas Priest have nearly finished recording the follow-up to 2018’s Firepower.
In a new interview with US radio station Q104.3 New York’s ‘Out of the Box With Jonathan Clarke’, the metal god said the band were “close” to completing the new as-yet-untitled album.
“It is close, yeah. All the writing’s done; the bulk of the recording is done. I’ve still gotta put my vocal tracks down. So, in essence, it’s done, which is a great feeling, because that really points us to the metal future. Everything that we’ve done in Priest over the last 50-odd years has been driven by the latest music that we’re making. So this is no exception.
“We’ll finish this 50th-anniversary celebration down in São Paulo, Brazil on December the 18th, and that’ll be this year done," he continued. "And then next year we’re kicking off with our good friend Ozzy [Osbourne] in the U.K.; we’ll do some shows with him. And [in the rest of] Europe. And then a few other bits and pieces we’ve got going over in Europe. And then we stop. And then we plan the next release sequence for the next Priest album.”
Halford also commented on Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner's recent heart operation in the interview. It was the second heart operation for the guitarist, who originally went under the knife almost a year ago after suffering an onstage aneurysm during a show at Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, KY. Halford said that Faulkner is “doing great” and “on top of the world” after this second procedure.
Judas Priest will also be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 5, under the ‘Musical Excellence’ category. Other 2022 inductees will include Eminem, Lionel Richie, and Dolly Parton.
“I was buzzing. This is so great for Priest,” Halford told Q104.3. “Because if any band deserves it, it’s Priest, and I’m talking now as a fan! I’ve said countless times, it’s for our metal maniacs, throughout the United States, and the rest of the world, because the Rock and Roll Hall of fame is this great institution.”
Halford said earlier this year that he was planning to photobomb Dolly Parton at the event.
“I’m going to force her to, even if she doesn’t know who I am,” he told Metal Crypt. “I’m going to see what table she is sitting at. I’m just going to run to the table and do the devil’s horns thing.
“Tongue out, horns up, behind Dolly Parton’s head. It’s the only way to do it. I can’t smile sweetly. I’ve got to stick my tongue out and my horns up.”
Now that, we can't wait to see...
