![News Added Apr 28, 2014 British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have set "Redeemer Of Souls" as the title of their long-awaited new album. The CD will be released through Epic/Columbia on the following dates: Friday, July 11: Australia Austria Benelux Finland Germany Ireland New Zealand Norway Sweden Switzerland Turkey Monday, July 14: Asia (excluding […]](https://hasitleaked.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/09633c21-0d7f-4f7a-bbe9-398511a0c3cf-460x460-320x320.jpeg "Judas Priest : Redeemer Of Souls")
British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have set "Redeemer Of Souls" as the title of their long-awaited new album. The CD will be released through Epic/Columbia on the following dates:
Friday, July 11:
Australia
Austria
Benelux
Finland
Germany
Ireland
New Zealand
Norway
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Monday, July 14:
Asia (excluding Japan)
Czech Republic
Denmark
France
Greece
Hungary
Poland
Portugal
South Africa
UK
Tuesday, July 15:
Canada
Italy
Latin America
Russia
Spain
USA
Wednesday, July 16:
Japan
The "Redeemer Of Souls" title track can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.
Speaking to Artisan News at last month's VIP listening party for the Ronnie James Dio tribute album "This Is Your Life" and awards gala at the Avalon in Hollywood, California, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford stated about the band's new CD: "The record is finished; it's absolutely finished as of today." He added: "It's a relief. It's a relief because whenever PRIEST makes an album, like any band, you put your heart and soul into it; it is that typical 'blood, sweat and tears.' It's not an easy thing to do 40 years later. But PRIEST has always been up for the challenge of that, and it's one of things that we love to do more than anything else as we move on through our metal years. So this is a great time for PRIEST: 40th anniversary, a brand new record. Life couldn't be better."
In a 2013 interview with Billboard.com, Halford described the new PRIEST CD's sound as "hard. It's heavy. It's something we think our PRIEST fans will be thrilled with. We know we have a reputation to maintain, and we know we have to deliver something really strong and solid. The album is going to be full of all the great things you love about JUDAS PRIEST — I don't think I can say anything more than that without being hung, drawn and quartered."
Speaking to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner, Halford said about what fans can expect from JUDAS PRIEST's next LP: "We felt it was very important to follow up [2008's] 'Nostradamus', the last release, and that was a concept experiment and it was a real success for us and the fans loved it, but I think our fans and ourselves as a band, we want to get back to the side of PRIEST that we haven't heard for a few years and reemphasize and remake those big, heavy metal statements again."
PRIEST's next album will mark the band's first release with Richie Faulkner, most recently guitarist in the backing band for Lauren Harris (daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris).
Faulkner joined PRIEST as the replacement for original PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing, who announced his retirement from the band in April 2011.
Asked how it has been collaborating on new music with Faulkner, Halford told Guitar World in a 2012 interview: "Really, really strong. Exciting. He's riffing and saying, 'Robby, I'm thinking of this and this and this.' It's really exciting to have that kind of energy, because you feed off of it."
He added: "[Richie] went through the ritual on [the 'Epitaph'] tour, did great work on stage, the fans embraced him, so it's now time to see what we're capable of, the writing trio of Glenn [Tipton] and Richie and myself."
Regarding whether technology has changed JUDAS PRIEST's songwriting process at all, Halford said: "It's dangerous to walk around with a flash drive on a bunch of keys. [Laughs] To a great extent, it doesn't really change. The technology is amazing in terms of the advantages it brings to music now, some of it good, some of it very bad. It's all about discipline and self-belief, determination, wanting to do the best you can do and not accepting anything that's below par. We've always had that attitude in PRIEST. We've always felt really strongly about any track that goes out for our fans. We're still doing it like we always have: firing up the riffs and finding a vocal melody to go with it, me going into me wonderful world of the Roget's Thesaurus and trying to come up with a new lyric and a new idea. And that's what we've been doing for four decades."
Shouldn’t this be under the Metal category not Rock?
nice catch. i have changed it to metal.
OFFICIAL TRACK LISTING
1. Dragonaut
2. Redeemer of Souls
3. Halls of Valhalla
4. Sword of Damocles
5. Marched of the Damned
6. Down in Flames
7. Hell & Back
8. Cold Blooded
9. Metalizer
10. Crossfire
11. Secrets of the Dead
12. Battle Cry
13. Beginning of the End
Bonus Tracks
14. Snake Bite
15. Tears of Blood
16. Creatures
17. Bring it On
18. Never Forget
Really pumped, the Priest is back!
sloppy cropping on the initial leak, intro effect cropped out, every track starts with a blip
Upon further review, tracks 3, 11, 12, and 13 are all borked
Leaked at get metal
5.0?? That bad?
So, now that I fully listened to the standard 13 track album twice, im gonna give my full review on it. Im very disappointed..that this wasn’t longer! What a hell of an album, for me this was certainly worth the 6 years of waiting. Ill give a full analysis at the bottom, but here are the tracks and my review of them first.
1. Dragonaut (10/10) With that mighty clap of thunder at the beginning, this opener really brings in a fresh combination of 80’s and 90’s “metal” Priest with its thunderous music. Rob’s vocals really shine on the low register here. Sure, this might not jump you out of your seat like Judas Rising on Angel of Retribution, but this still proves to be a hell of song.
2. Redeemer of Souls (8.5/10) I certainly get a big Hell Patrol (from Painkiller) vibe on this song. I think while approaching that classic metal priest sound comes in a slightly different approach, with Rob once again rocking the low vocals, and a kind of warm up for what the hell is about to happen next.
3. Halls of Valhalla (11/10) WOW. Literally, I think that is the only word that can come out from hearing this song. They literally embodied the Halls of Valhalla and Amon Amarth-type intro that makes you feel like you jumped right into Norse Mythology. What a better way than to start off with a scream from Rob. Rob really shows that just because he is in his 60’s, doesn’t mean he can’t sing better than some of today’s singers. When I originally heard the preview, the chorus sounded big and weird, but the chorus here is powerful, and I seriously cannot get enough of how good the entire band sounds in this song. But halfway, HOLY BALLS, Rob sings probably the lowest note (or one of them) that ive ever heard him sing, and the song takes a turn so he can go into that fatal scream. Literally one of the best songs Judas Priest has made, imo up there with Victims and Painkiller (oh yea I did it xD) Really more metal than metal (as rob said)
4. Sword of Damocles (9.5-10/10) I put the rating like this because I suppose it depends on how you feel when you listen to it. Once again, a stunning performance of guitars(with a classic Sabbath-like riff) and vocals in this song; during halfway, the song gets very metal(starting slow first) and just pops your eyes open. I would say this song really holds a great mix of Stained Class and Painkiller.
5. March of the Damned (8.5/10) This song really holds true to what Rob was saying, that the album would include elements of British Steel and Painkiller. This song has a midtempo beat with Rob really laid back on the vocals, but that really gives this song an 80’s image. British Steel really had a lot of laid back songs with vocals most people could sing, and this song probably fits that spot.
6. Down in Flames (8.8/10) This song really brings up many British Steel elements and the more simplier side of Priest, talking about the issues of the common man (like Breaking the Law, Headin Out on the Highway, etc did, instead of talking about mythical creatures).
7. Hell and Back (8.3/10) Starting with a beautiful intro takes a weird turn, with a combination of Ram it Down and British Steel (I know I say it a lot, but they really brought along a lot of influences from there), pounding with a riff that just sounds classic to begin with.
8. Cold Blooded (9/10) Starting with a mesmerizing intro that sounds like haunting keys, with some cold lyrics that really turn the mood down, and is more a mid tempo pacer. The mid section sounds very iron maiden like(I know Priest is older, but that’s what came to mind) Rob really shows no boring vocals at this point, and I really love the ways the guitars sound in parts of this song.
9. Metalizer (8.4/10) Starting with a killer intro, the song goes very fast, holding a Jugulator/Metal Meltodown(from Painkiller) vibe. Besides, who doesn’t love Judas Priest’s creatures? (Painkiller, Demonizer, to name a few)
10. Crossfire (9/10) They really brought back that Stained Class/Sad Wings of Destiny sound with this, along with a touch of heaviness. The song covers religion in today’s world, and sounds refreshing, with a weird sounding ending (at least to me).
11. Secrets of The Dead (8-8.5/10) Another one of those how you feel songs; really continuing with the haunting melodies, with an intro that makes you feel like you are rising from the grave. This song reminds me very much of A Touch of Evil (from Painkiller), with a slow, afterlike setting, with just a peppering of Nostradamus elements on it.
12. Battle Cry (10/10) Very, very, very epic song, with almost the same premise as Halls of Valhalla; like Richie Faulkner said, it really does feel like you are summoning an army, and Rob really shows his rich vocal range here, with him releasing that final “battle cry”.
13. Beginning of the End (10/10) God did they pick an amazing song to end the album with. This is very slow, with an acoustic setting. Its very haunting throughout the song, beautifully crafted, and Rob sounds like he is 20 in this song(seriously beautiful vocals). The guitar parts are so wonderful, especially if you are wearing headphones. This will probably be the best ballad type song Priest has ever made (imo).
Overall I believe this is a serious redemption from Nostradamus, and the Priest are back in their original form. If you are looking for K.K. Downing, Painkiller, vocals up 8 octaves, Screaming for Vengeance, classic Sad Wings all the way, then don’t listen to this album, because you will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for a band who is just as influential and monumental to metal as Black Sabbath, who still made amazing music after 40+ years, I’m sure you will not be disappointed as this album holds songs for all types of Priest fans. I truly think that this overtime could be in my top 5 favorites, or even top 3, and it makes me truly happy to be a priest fan after listening to this. I would not be saddened at all if Redeemer of Souls was their last album, for it is a beautiful swan song. You of course, don’t have to agree with me. Its just how I feel, after waiting 6 years for my favorite band to release another album.
I change my opinion on Hell and Back, its really eh and i didnt like it as much, but overall a damn good album.
Joshua pretty accurate assessment, I can’t argue. This is the type of album that you play from beginning to end, no need to skip tracks, classic priest. Rob the legend shows why he’s a Metal God.
Wrote my own little take on the album, feel free to check it out:
http://hardandheavyheaven.blogspot.ca/2014/07/judas-priest-redeemer-of-souls-review.html