Judas Priest Announces Fall Tour Schedule

Courtesy: Epic Records/ Chipster PR

Judas Priest will hit the road again this fall.

The band announced this week that it will hit the road once again this fall beginning Friday, October 16^th in Paso Robles, California. The band—Rob Halford (vocals), Glen Tipton (guitar), Richie Faulkner (guitar), Ian Hill (bass), and Scott Travis (drums)—noted in its announcement that the newly announced tour is in response to the massive success of its latest release, 2014’s Redeemer of Souls. The album, the band’s seventeenth full-length studio release, is the band’s highest-charting album to date having debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart.

Judas Priest’s upcoming tour is currently scheduled to run through Thursday, November 12^th and will include a total of fifteen dates. Mastodon will serve as support for the tour. The current schedule for the band’s tour is noted below.

JUDAS PRIEST TOUR DATES:

October 16th, 2015      Paso Robles, CA    Vina Robles Amp
October 17th, 2015      Las Vegas, NV        The Pearl
October 20th, 2015      San Francisco, CA  The Warfield Theatre
October 21st, 2015      San Jose, CA           City National Civic
October 23rd, 2015      Fresno, CA              William Saroyan Theater
October 24th, 2015      San Bernardino, CA  Knotfest
October 27th, 2015      Vancouver, BC         Hard Rock Casino
October 28th, 2015      Vancouver, BC         Hard Rock Casino
October 31st, 2015       Regina, SK              Brandt Center
November 1st, 2015     Winnipeg, MN          MTS Center
November 3rd, 2015     Peoria, IL                 Civic Center
November 6th, 2015     Huntington, NY      Paramount Theater
November 7th, 2015     Newark, NJ              Prudential Center
November 10th, 2015    Halifax, NS             Scotiabank Center
November 12th, 2015    Toronto, ON           Air Canada Center

More dates will be announced in the weeks to come. Fans can keep up with those updates online now along with all of the latest news from the band online at:

Website: http://www.judaspriest.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Judas Priest Back In A Big Way On Redeemer Of Souls

Courtesy: Epic Records

Judas Priest’s new album Redeemer of Souls is one of the top new hard rock and metal albums of 2014. As a matter of fact, it is, in this critic’s eyes (and ears) a contender for the top spot on said list. The only other album that can even come close right now to vying for that spot is Black Label Society’s Catacombs of the Black Vatican. What makes Redeemer of Souls such a top notch album despite its slightly touchy production is its mix of music and lyrics. Musically, this album has been likened to previous hit Priest albums including: British Steel, Nostradamus, and Painkiller just to name a few. That it could be compared in such positive light to so many other of the band’s releases is a statement in and of itself. Lyrically, it covers some interesting themes throughout the course of its thirteen tracks and sixty-two minutes. One of those themes is of standing up for what one believes. That topic comes in the album’s fourth track ‘Sword of Damocles.’ Another interesting topic is that of the tribute paid to the fans of sorts in the album’s lead single ‘March of the Damned.’ Late in the album, front man Rob Halford and his band mates cover an interesting topic in ‘’Hell & Back.’ The topic in question is one of the band’s survival through the years. Or it would seem so at least. Regardless, its lyrics and music together make for one more prime example of why Redeemer of Souls is one of this year’s top two new hard rock and metal albums. That argument is made even stronger through the two songs noted before it and through those pieces not noted. Altogether, this album is proof that Judas Priest is still one of the most dominant forces in the world of hard rock today.

Judas Priest has proven without a shadow of a doubt on its new album that it is still one of the most dominant forces in the world of hard rock today. It has done so through an album that is easily one of the year’s top new hard rock and metal albums in Redeemer of Souls. One example of why this album deserves such recognition comes early on in the album in the form of ‘Sword of Damocles.’ Musically, it is a full on, rocker that comes across as being about false leaders and standing up for one’s own beliefs. As audiences will hear, front man Rob Halford sings here, “When men lead by words that are false as they preach/Fatality waits in the wings/Surrounded by fools behind walls that are breached/Beware of the jester that sings.” Right there, audiences are led to infer that Halford and company are singing about said false leaders. And those leaders don’t necessarily have to include religious leaders, either. They can include political leaders, too. Halford and company go on to sing, “Stand tall/Rise up/Stay strong/Fighting your enemies/Truth will find its reward/If you live and die by the sword/The whispers can’t hide when the tongues are let loose.” Listeners might get from this verse a message of not giving up against certain insurmountable odds. They come across as telling audiences don’t just give in like sheep to the words of those false leaders and to stand up to said leaders and those that would harass an individual for having views other than their own. This could very well be the wrong interpretation. It is merely the interpretation of one single critic. If it is at least somewhere in the ballpark though, it once again serves as solid proof of why this record is one of the year’s top two new hard rock and metal albums.

‘Sword of Damocles’ is just one many examples of what makes Redeemer of Souls one of the top new hard rock and metal albums of 2014. With its mix of adrenaline-fueled music and thought provoking lyrics, this song is an instant hit. The album’s lead single, ‘March of the Damned,’ is just as solid a choice for a single. As guitarist Glenn Tipton explains, this song is simply about the fans that come to the band’s shows. There’s no deep, hidden message for the religious right wingers to hunt for. It is for all intents and purposes a tribute to those fans. Halford sings against the song’s driving guitars and drums, “Can’t stop us/They don’t know why/They try/Can’t hurt us/We’ll never die/We are on the march of the damned…We know what’s at stake/Won’t take your mistakes/Won’t break us/We’ll never fall/That’s all/It’s over/Just watch us crawl.” Referencing Tipton’s statement about the song again, these lyrics illustrate quite well exactly what he was saying. They come across as a collective statement from the band’s fans saying that they don’t care what anyone says. They are fans for life. It is easy to see why this anthem was chosen as the album’s lead single. It’s a powerful statement from an album that could be the last from one of metal’s most legendary bands.

‘March of the Damned’ is a powerful statement from the members of Judas Priest. It puts expertly into words the devotion of the band’s fans regardless of their fans’ ages. It’s especially fitting that there’s no telling whether or not this will be the band’s last album, especially considering that some years ago, Halford and his band mates said they were through touring. Yet once more the band has in fact hit the road in support of another album. Speaking of being on the road, ‘Hell & Back’ will have audiences wondering if perhaps this tour will be the band’s last. Halford ruminates on the band’s past here, singing, “Still in the land of the living/Rocking the home of the brave/Staying alive and still kicking/Ain’t got no need to be saved/Out of the fire and into the black/We’ve been through it all/We’ve been to hell and back.” The song’s musical side is not the high-powered, straight forward piece that the previously noted songs prove to be. But set against the song’s lyrics, one can clearly see the song’s chorus and verses play out clearly in one’s own mind. That clarity will again lead one to wonder about the band’s future after this album and tour. If it proves to be the last for the band on both counts, then this song will have proven to be one more powerful statement from the band. And along with each of the album’s other songs—both noted and not—it is one part of a whole that is easily one of the top two new hard rock and metal albums of the year.

Judas Priest will kick off the U.S. leg of its tour in support of Redeemer of Souls this fall beginning Wednesday, October 1^st in Rochester, NY. The band’s current tour schedule is listed online along with all of the latest news from the band at http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest, http://twitter.com/judaspriest, and http://www.judaspriest.com. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Judas Priest Debuts Lead Single From Upcoming Album

Courtesy: Epic Records

Legendary rock band Judas Priest has officially released the lead single from its upcoming album Redeemer of Souls.

The band has released ‘March of the Damned’ to radio stations across the country. It is also available for download via all digital sales providers. And along with the download of the single, fans can pre-order Redeemer of Souls now online via iTunes at http://smarturl.it/redeemerofsouls-albm. Fans can check out the new song in its entirety now along with introduction from Glenn Tipton online via YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJhm2vZFj2k&feature=youtu.be.

Redeemer of Souls will be available Tuesday, July 15^th via Epic Records. It will be available both in standard format and as a deluxe expanded edition with five bonus tracks. Tipton explains about expectations for the band’s seventeenth (yes, seventeenth) full length studio release stating, “Sometimes in the past we may have come under fire for being too adventurous musically – so we have listened!! From start to finish ‘Redeemer of Souls’ is 13 songs of pure classic Priest metal!!”

More updates on Redeemer of Souls and news from the band is available online now at http://www.judaspriest.com and http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.