Heavy metal titans Judas Priest have unleashed the first single off their long-awaited 17th studio album, Redeemer of Souls, which is due out on July 14 in the UK via Columbia Records and July 15 in the US via Epic Records. “Sometimes in the past we may have come under fire for being too adventurous musically, so we have listened,”said guitarist Glenn Tipton. “From start to finish, Redeemer of Souls is 18 songs of pure classic-Priest metal.” The record is the much-anticipated follow-up to the band’s 2008 double concept album Nostradamus which debuted at #11 on the Billboard Top 200. The band proceeded to tour the world in support of the record from 2008-2009, which included a Metal Masters run with Heaven & Hell, Motörhead, and Testament. After touring in support of Nostradamus, founding guitarist K.K. Downing retired from the band in 2011. This new album will be the band’s first studio effort to feature new guitarist Richie Faulkner, who toured with the band on their Epitaph Tour from 2011-2012. Part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Judas Priest are widely considered godfathers of traditional heavy metal music. To date, the band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. In 2010, the band garnered the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. – by Matt Bishop (@The_MattBishop)
