Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford says that upcoming album Firepower features some of the band’s best-ever work.
The 2018 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominees will release the follow-up to 2014’s Redeemer Of Souls early next year, with the first leg of a world tour already confirmed.
VintageRock.com caught up with the vocalist on the red carpet at this week’s Loudwire Music Awards, where Halford spoke about the new record – and praised guitarist Richie Faulkner’s work on the album.
Halford says: “This is what Priest lives for. We’re a hard-working metal band still making the metal 40-odd years later thanks to our glorious metal fans around the world.
“So we make music now, obviously, still for our own pleasure and enjoyment – and the challenge of finding a new riff and a new melody is a great feeling.
“We came off the Redeemer Of Souls tour, had a break and then we dove straight back into the second record with Richie. And it’s Richie’s moment, really, because when we did Redeemer Of Souls, it was his first time with Priest as a writer.
“I think it was great how Richie coming into the band and then going through the writing experience and the world tour together really put him in a better place for when we went in to do Firepower.”
Halford adds: “Richie’s playing is fucking unbelievable on this album. I think, as the writing team of Richie, Glenn Tipton and myself, this is some of our best work without a doubt.”
Further album details will be revealed in due course. Find a list of Judas Priest’s confirmed 2018 tour dates below.
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Judas Priest 2018 North American tour dates
Mar 13: Wilkes Barre Mohegan Sun Arena At Casey Plaza, PA
Mar 15: Youngstown Covelli Centre, OH
Mar 17: Uniondale Nassau Coliseum, NY
Mar 18: Washington The Anthem, DC
Mar 20: Newark Prudential Center, NJ
Mar 22: Uncasville Mogehan Sun Arena, CT
Mar 25: Ottawa The Arena At TD Place, ON
Mar 27: London Budweiser Gardens, ON
Mar 28: Oshawa Tribute Communities Centre, ON
Mar 30: Rama Casino Rama, ON
Mar 31: Detroit Masonic Temple, MI
Apr 03: Milwaukee Riverside Theater, WI
Apr 05: Green Bay Resch Center, WI
Apr 08: Bloomington Grossinger Motors Arena, IL
Apr 10: Casper Events Center, WY
Apr 11: Loveland Budweiser Events Center, CO
Apr 15: Kent ShoWare Center, WA
Apr 17: Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum, OR
Apr 19: San Francisco The Warfield, CA
Apr 22: Los Angeles Microsoft Theatre, CA
Apr 24: Phoenix Comercia Theatre, AZ
Apr 26: Tulsa BOK Center, OK
Apr 28: Dallas Bomb Factory, TX
Apr 29: Sugarland Smart Financial Centre, TX
May 01: San Antonio Freeman Coliseum, TX
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