BREAKING NEWS!!!!

3/10/07 - I was contacted by the author of the upcoming biography about Judas Priest. Neil Daniels wrote "Defenders of the Faith - The True Story of Judas Priest," which is due out this summer. Here's some info:

PRE-ORDER HERE! (Amazon UK)

Defenders Of The Faith: The True Story Of Judas Priest by Neil Daniels is the first comprehensive biography of the world's most dedicated heavy metal band. Filled with obscure facts, exclusive interviews and rare photo's, this book traces the entire history of the band since Al Atkins formed the first line-up in 1969 in his home town West Bromwich. This new book is exactly what heavy metal fans have been waiting for! However, the band's management have recently issued a statement in reaction to the unauthorized biography: "We would like to make it clear to everyone that a book which is due out soon, entitled 'Defenders Of The Faith - The True Story Of Judas Priest' by Neil Daniels, is not an official book and is not approved by the band. We had absolutely no involvement with this book at all and therefore it is most definitely not the true story of JUDAS PRIEST!!" Defenders Of The Faith is due out this summer by Omnibus Press.

Neil Daniels is a UK rock writer who contributes to Record Collector, Powerplay and Fireworks Melodic Rock.

2/21/07 - Much better news coming from the Priest camp this week in an interview BW&BK did with KK Downing a few days ago. Here's a snippet:

• What's your timeline? Will Nostradamus be out by the summer time?
  "Yes, definitely. We may be back on the road in the summer, maybe late summer. There's always somewhere in the world Priest can tour, so we'll be looking to get out there and play some shows."

2/7/06 - Some downer news coming from an interview Rob did recently with Metal Shrine. He drops a line near the end of an extensive interview that Priest will NOT be touring in 2007. This is contrary to what we've been told earlier. Nostradamus was originally supposed to come out in the next few months. It looks like - in true Priest style - we're going to wait many months more. What a bummer!! 12/4/06 - More exciting news about Rob's whereabouts this month, according to Blabbermouth.net:

• JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford will be a guest on "Bloody Roots" on Sirius Satellite Radio on Tuesday, December 12 at 9:00 p.m. EST. Host Ian Christe interrogates the metal god for a full debriefing on growing up in Birmingham, England in the shadow of BLACK SABBATH, forging a path for metal in the '70s and '80s, and his many projects from the past decade ? FIGHT, TWO, HALFORD, and the reunited, legendary JUDAS PRIEST. Rebroadcast dates/times: Friday, December 15 at 3:00 p.m. EST and Sunday, December 17 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  

• Rob Halford will also be the featured guest on "Jim Breuer Unleashed", airing on Sirius Satellite Radio's Raw Dog Comedy / channel 104 on Tuesday, December 5 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

• JUDAS PRIEST singer ROB HALFORD spoke to BW&BK today about a number of topics including the forthcoming flurry of HALFORD reissues that will hit Apple's iTunes Music Store at the end of November via MGE (Metal God Entertainment - Halford's new label). Speaking on the phone from his sunny California home in San Diego, Halford also revealed more information regarding the anxiously-awaited Nostradamus concept album that Judas Priest are currently working on.

• "All the Nostradamus writing sessions are completed," says The Metal God, "and Ken (K.K. Downing - guitar) and Glenn (Tipton - guitar) are in the studio at the moment doing their bits. So that is going to take a while because it is just massive."

• Have you written about lyrics yet for it? "I have the bulk of them sketched out. I have just come back to San Diego for a little bit of a break end to support this big slew of Halford reissues. I am working on my Nostradamus lyrics as we speak. On this recent trip I can't remember how long I was in England. It was over a month. The writing sessions have taken about three months, much like they did for Angel Of Retribution (2005). There are still ideas coming up for Nostradamus all the time, but the bulk of it is done."

• When asked about the monstrous undertaking so late in their career, Halford beams - "Isn't it great, it is our first ever concept album/metal opera. We are just so stoked about that. After the critically acclaimed Angel Of Retribution and the success the metal fans gave us for that record, it would been an even bigger task to to go in and do another studio album. And then Nostradamus raised his head and we all went 'Oh my God, this is unbelievable, did Nostradamus prophecize that Judas Priest would be doing at metal opera about his life in 2007?' It is so cool isn't it? We are just immersed in the land and world of Nostradamus right now. It is incredible."

• Halford adds: "Our feeling in Priest with Nostradamus was that the fans have been clamoring for a concept album for as long as we've been together. Some people think that Painkiller (1990) was a concept album. Some people think that Sad Wings Of Destiny (1976) was a concept album. Both of them were not. But this is a moment now, three decades later, where we can put all that thinking in one place, and create this one big metal opera called Nostradamus. And everybody will be happy - in happy metal land we hope!"

10/27/6 - Huge announcement from Halford this week. Here's the press release as posted on RobHalford.com:

• ROB HALFORD TO DEBUT FIRST NEW 'HALFORD' TRACK IN FOUR YEARS; FIVE 'HALFORD' AUDIO TITLES, RARE 'FIGHT' AUDIO TITLE AND BONUS FILM FOOTAGE FORTHCOMING

• This November will see a flurry of release from one of heavy metal's all-time great voices, Judas Priest's Rob Halford. Rob's solo band 'Halford' make an unforgettable and exclusive return to Apple's iTunes Music Store this fall. On November 21, 2006 Halford will debut its first new track in more than four years: 'Forgotten Generation' exclusively @ Apple.com/iTunes/store - keyword: Halford.

• One week later - on November 28, 2006 - three (3) full-length Halford albums: 'Resurrection' with bonus material (2000/2006), 'Live Insurrection' (2001/2006), and 'Crucible' with bonus material (2002/2006) will re-release after being re-acquired earlier this year. 'Resurrection' signaled Halford's glorious metallic return, and featured a duet with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, 'The One You Love To Hate.' The ensuing tour was faithfully documented on 'Live Insurrection,' which combined new Halford and Fight tracks with such Priest classics as 'Stained Class,' 'Genocide,' and 'Breaking the Law.' Halford's sophomore studio set, 'Crucible,' showed the group continuing to gel as one of metal's fiercest outfits, before the singer returned to front the classic Judas Priest line-up once more. All titles are available exclusively @ Apple.com/iTunes/store - keyword: Halford.

• The new 'Halford: Metal God Essentials - Volume 1' (2006) release features fifteen (15) outstanding tracks from Rob's early solo days right up to the inclusion of two new Halford tracks from the current 'Halford IV' writing sessions: 'Forgotten Generation' and 'Drop Out.'

• The first Halford Expanded Singles EP: 'Silent Screams' (2006) is the fifth Halford title to release on November 28, 2006. Rob Halford's original 1999 demonstration recording of 'Silent Screams;' is bundled with three additional Halford versions. Bonus 'Silent Screams' film footage previewing next year's 'Halford - Live at Rock In Rio III (2001/2007) film release is included with your full-EP digital download purchase. Exclusively available @ Apple.com/iTunes/store - keyword: Halford.

• MGE's sixth release is a very rare, full-length 'Fight' demonstration recording: 'K5 The War Of Words Demos' (1992/2006). K5 features The Metal God's first written material and recorded performances as a solo artist (1992); PLUS, five (5) previously unreleased Rob Halford songs; reflecting Rob's original vision of his first solo effort. Available exclusively @ Apple.com/iTunes/store - keyword: Fight.

• Each Halford and Fight K5 iTunes full album and EP digital pack features: mastered audio, new & enhanced art, expanded liner notes and exclusive media @ RobHalford.com with your iTunes order number, PLUS exclusive, bonus film footage of The Metal God & band is packaged with your full-album and EP iTunes digital download purchase.

• Halford's new video 'Forgotten Generation' debuts November 28, 2006 @ Apple.com/iTunes/store - keyword: Halford.

• Save on your own early purchase and gift Halford and Fight to your family and friends; 'The Halford and Fight iTunes pre-sale' begins November 21, 2006 - November 27, 2006.

• Tracklisting for 'Halford: Metal God Essentials - Volume 1' includes:

  1) Resurrection (Resurrection 2000/2006)

  2) Made In Hell (Resurrection 2000/2006)

  3) Screaming In The Dark (Live Insurrection 2001/2006)

  4) Golgotha (Crucible 2002/2006)

  5) Silent Screams 1999 Demo (1999/2006)

  6) Crystal (Crucible 2002/2006)

  7) Into The Pit (New K5 - 1992/2006)

  8) Nailed To The Gun (New K5 - 1992/2006)

  9) Slow Down (Resurrection 2000/2006)

  10) Forgotten Generation (New - 2006)

  11) Drop Out (New - 2006)

  12) Locked and Loaded (Resurrection 2000/2006)

  13) War Of Words (New K5 - 1992/2006)

  14) Sun (Crucible 2002/2006)

  15) Trail Of Tears (Crucible 2002/2006)

• Phoenix, Arizona -- Heavy Metal superstar Rob Halford - The Metal God - has purchased his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed Halford catalog from Sanctuary Records U.K. The three albums under the band name: Halford include 'Resurrection' (2000), the two-CD concert recording 'Live Insurrection' (2001) and 'Crucible' (2002).

• The Halford titles were acquired January 2006, and they will be the first music releases to possess The Metal God's new corporate imprint: 'Metal God Entertainment' (MGE) an entity which will act as exclusive production company and label for Rob's future solo music and film releases. Under new licenses, much of Rob's existing and new titles will release through global-label partners whom have worked previously with The Metal God. Additional details available late-summer 2006.

• The Roy Z. Produced Halford titles: 'Resurrection' (2000) and 'Live Insurrection' (2001) have been Re-Mastered. Roy and John Baxter (Rob Halford's Manager / Executive Producer) recruited Denmark Producer / Mixer Tue Madsen to Re-Mix and Master one of Rob Halford's finest releases: 'Crucible' (2002). Additional details available late-summer 2006.

• In 2007, Metal God Entertainment (MGE) will release: 'Fight, War Of Words - The Film.' Recorded throughout 1992 and 1993, this 5.1 surround-sound film presents a view of Rob Halford as he makes his decision to leave Heavy Metal legends Judas Priest, record and tour with his first solo band: 'Fight.' The band's original audio-demonstration recordings (1992) will appear on a separate Fight soundtrack release. Promotional trailer available at: www.RobHalford.com/trailers

• Also in 2007, Metal God Entertainment (MGE) will release: 'Halford - Live at Rock In Rio 2001'. The formation of Rob Halford's new Heavy Metal band (Halford) is chronicled from studio to road in 5.1 surround sound. After releasing 'Resurrection' (2000) Halford screams through a 95-city, world-wide concert tour. The band's final-tour performance at Brazil's Rock in Rio III (2001) festival in front of more than a quarter-million Metal fans presents an up-close view of one of Metal's hardest working and innovative bands. The film's audio-only soundtrack release: Halford - Live at Rock In Rio III - has been Produced by Roy Z. Promotional trailer available at: www.RobHalford.com/trailers

• The anticipated Halford studio album 'Halford IV' is being rescheduled as Rob is in studio with Judas Priest collaborating on their 2007 release and subsequent tour. Additional 'Halford IV' details available summer 2008.

• Halford is universally recognized as the greatest singer in the history of Heavy Metal.

• Halford departed Judas Priest in 1992 to pursue a solo career during which he has released seven albums thus far. He formed an uncompromising new band called Fight which released 'War of Words' (1993), 'Mutations' (1994) and 'A Small Deadly Space' (1995). Up next was the Two project with Trent Reznor at the production helm. Two released the experimental, industrial rock-flavored 'Voyeurs' (1998). The Metal God realized he missed writing, recording and performing the kind of Heavy Metal he helped invent, and the result was the formation of Halford.

• Heavy Metal fans all over the world yearned for the Metal God to reunite with Judas Priest, and after 12 long years they got their wish in summer 2003.

I guess the only real "downer" is that we have another two years before we get another solo album from Rob.

5/19/06 - Found some rather sad news today for us old metal fans. Back in the early 80's when I first got turned on to metal when I was ten years old, one of the things I looked forward to each month was the new issue of CIRCUS Magazine. Unlike today when every tidbit of news is readily available online, sources for music news for metalheads were few and far between. Every month, the cover picture featured the heroes of our time — Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ratt, Dokken, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen and, of course, Ozzy. The pictures were amazing. The interviews fun and enlightening.

Today came word of the demise of CIRCUS. The magazine was owned by a Gerry Rotheberg who apparently sold his soul to try and save the magazine from its impending doom. Unfortunately, Mr. Rothberg lost the battle of the inevitable this week and has shut the magazine down for good. For those of us who loved this magazine so dearly in the 80's, it's sort of like losing a childhood friend that you lost touch with after you moved away from the old neighborhood. Your time together may have been short, but the memories last a lifetime. Rest in peace, CIRCUS.

4/12/06 - Some huge news from Priest this week that is raising plenty of eyebrows. Turns out the band is working on its first concept album "based upon the life and predictions of Nostradamus! This album will be theatrically staged and performed in its entirety as an epic musical by Judas Priest!," says the band's Web site.

Hopefully they will avoid being overly cheesy, but this should be quite exciting. They are going to deliver one hell of a new stage show, and this will obviously shake up the setlist like we've been asking for!. I know I'm anxious to see how this all turns out. It's a risky move for them, but they can certainly afford to do so and are talented enough to pull it off. They won't release something that's a piece of shit.

1/23/06 - Well, it's official: we're getting a second Glenn Tipton solo album. According to the Rockdetector.com, the album is due out on March 7:

• As exclusively revealed by Rockdetector it has now been confirmed that the Rhino Records release of an album entitled 'Edge Of The World' from JUDAS PRIEST guitarist GLENN TIPTON for 7th March is in fact the recordings made with THE WHO bassist John Entwistle and RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH and WHITESNAKE drummer COZY POWELL. At the same time Rhino also re-release Tipton's 1997 album 'Baptism Of Fire'.

• GLENN TIPTON has many unused tracks in the archives from the early 90s. Tipton did record many tracks prior to his the release of his 'Baptism Of Fire' opus with two high profile Rockers both no longer with us, bassist John Entwistle and drummer COZY POWELL.

• Speaking with Rockdetector's Garry Sharpe-Young in 1994, COZY POWELL mentioned this project. "While I was away (from BLACK SABBATH) I did some things with GLENN TIPTON from JUDAS PRIEST. Great songwriter. So I put drums down on his album. That was fun, we both have a very similar sense of humour so that was very enjoyable, very relaxed. Glenn is just itching to get out there again and do something. Priest can't find a singer though so I'm working with a singer called JOHN WEST too so something will hopefully come of that. Right now though I am totally committed to BLACK SABBATH but I have cushion there of my solo album if needs be. John is a great singer, a bit of an undiscovered talent. Maybe me, John, Glenn and Neil Murray. That would be quite a band. It could happen.''

• Speaking to Garry in 1997, GLENN TIPTON said "I had a whole album's worth of material ready actually but I scrapped all of that and decided to re-do it. For all the new stuff I put down my guide vocals, which is what I often do with JUDAS PRIEST anyway before Rob sings the real thing, but someone said, you know what, this sounds OK, it has a nice, raw quality. So that's what I did. The stuff I recorded before 'Baptism Of Fire' sounds great. Hopefully one day I can get to release that too."

Hopefully we'll hear a lot more chops from Glenn and less singing.

9/19/05 - As if a second tour leg wasn't sweet enough, word has now surfaced that we are getting a LIVE DVD release this November called "Rising in the East." It reportedly features 23 songs (a full setlist!) and was filmed earlier this year. This is sweet!!

Be sure to pre-order the DVD today.

Here's more, courtesy of Blabbermouth.net:

• According to Amazon.com and several other online retailers, JUDAS PRIEST will be releasing their new live DVD, "Rising in the East", in the U.S. on November 8 via Rhino/WEA. PRIEST filmed and recorded their May 18-19, 2005 shows at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan for the full-length concert DVD. The band used three cameras and two large screens during the sold-out shows, which were attended by a total of 20,000 people. The group's setlist for the concerts can be found at this location.

• In a June 2005 interview with the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford confirmed the group's plans to release one or more live DVDs documenting PRIEST's "Angel of Retribution" tour. Halford said, "We had a wonderful moment recently where we played our hometown in Birmingham, in the Midlands, and we played at the NEC, which is like a big top-notch rock venue, and there were 10,000 metal maniacs there, and we actually filmed that show. We also filmed a show at a famous venue in Sweden called the Globe, and then more recently we filmed two nights at the Budokan in Tokyo . . so we're stock-piling all of this stuff, and eventually, when we get a little break, we'll make sense of it all, and we'll start feeding it out there. So you may get PRIEST at home in Birmingham, you might get PRIEST 'Re-Unleashed in the East' [original working title] in Japan, which is a nice idea, because as you know, that is one of our famous releases -- 'Unleashed in the East'. We thought about this, because it was kind of an anniversary trip back to Japan, so we actually DVDed and we ProTooled recorded the whole show. So we're just amassing everything as we go along -- we'll probably do the same here in America -- and then we'll bring out little pieces, either a worldwide piece or a piece from one country, whatever, we're gonna mix it up and just keep all the stuff going for the PRIEST fans out there that can't get enough of this."

9/8/05 - The Priest show in Pittsburgh, PA on Sept. 24 has been CANCELLED. Here's a full list of this fall's tour dates:
SEPTEMBER 2005
23rd SOARING EAGLE CASINO/MT. PLEASANT, MI
25th RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER/CINCINNATI, OH
27th ASSEMBLY HALL/CHAMPAIGN, IL
28th ROCKFORD METROCENTRE/ROCKFORD, IL
29th WINGS STADIUM/KALAMAZOO, MI

OCTOBER 2005

1st US CELLULAR ARENA/MILWAUKEE, WI
2nd THE MARK OF THE QUAD CITIES/MOLINE, IL
4th STATE THEATRE/PORTLAND, ME
5th ARENA AT HARBOR YARD/BRIDGEPORT, CT
7th PAUL E TSONGAS ARENA/LOWELL, MA
8th LANDMARK THEATRE/SYRACUSE
9th BORGATA CASINO & SPA/ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
11th MID HUDSON CIVIC CENTER/POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
12th BELL CENTRE/MONTREAL
14th COREL CENTRE/OTTAWA
15th JOHN LABATT CENTRE/LONDON, ONT.
18th MTS CENTRE/WINNIPEG
20th REXALL PLACE, EDMONTON
21st PENGROWTH SADDLEDOME/CALGARY
23rd PACIFIC COLISEUM/VANCOUVER, BC
24th VERNON MULTIPLEX/VERNON, BC
26th THE 'E' CENTER OF WEST VALLEY/SALT LAKE CITY, UT
28th KONOCTI HARBOR RESORT & SPA/KELSEYVILLE CA

Europe
NOVEMBER 2005
24th PALACE OF SPORTS/KIEV
27th LUZNHIKI ARENA/MOSCOW
29th NEW ICE ARENA/ST PETERSBURG

DECEMBER 2005
1st SAKU ARENA/TALLIN
2nd KIPSALA HALL/RIGA
3rd ICE HALL/VILNIUS

7/18/05 - So, just when we thought the tour was over, the mighty Priest announces a SECOND leg of a North American tour! YES! Hopefully they'll add more dates, as they are sorely lacking in Northeast appearances. Here are the new dates according to the band's official site:

SEPTEMBER 2005
24th POST GAZETTE PAVILION/BURGETTSTOWN, PA
25th RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER/CINCINNATI, OH
27th ASSEMBLY HALL, CHAMPAIGN, IL
28th ROCKFORD METROCENTRE/ROCKFORD, IL
29th WINGS STADIUM/KALAMAZOO, MI

OCTOBER 2005
1st US CELLULAR CENTER/MILWAUKEE, WI
2nd THE MARK OF THE QUAD CITIES/MOLINE, IL
9th BORGATA CASINO & SPA/ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
11th MID HUDSON CIVIC CENTER/POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
12th BELL CENTRE/MONTREAL
14th CORELL CENTRE/OTTOWA
15th JOHN LABATT CENTRE/LONDON, ONT.
18th MTS CENTRE/WINNIPEG
20th REXALL PLACE, EDMONTON
21st PENGROWTH SADDLEDOME/CALGARY
23rd PACIFIC COLISEUM
28th KONOCTI HARBOR RESORT & SPA/KELSEYVILLE CA
29th GIBSON AMPHITHEATRE/LOS ANGELES, CA
30th SDSU OPEN AIR THEATRE or SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA/SAN DIEGO, CA

NOVEMBER 2005
1st ANSELMO VALENCIA AMPHITHEATRE/TUCSON, AZ

3/31/05 - It's official! Here are the confirmed US Tour dates:

Jun. 01 - Xcel Energy Center - Minneapolis, MN
Jun. 03 - Tweeter Center - Chicago, IL
Jun. 04 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Detroit, MI
Jun. 05 - Blossom Music Center - Cleveland, OH
Jun. 07 - Darien Lake - Buffalo, NY
Jun. 08 - Verizon - Mancester, NY
Jun. 10 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ
Jun. 11 - Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT
Jun. 12 - Tweeter Center - Boston, MA
Jun. 14 - Montage Mountain - Scranton, PA
Jun. 15 - Giant Center - Hershey, PA
Jun. 17 - Jones Beach - Wantagh, NY
Jun. 18 - Tweeter Waterfront - Philadelphia, PA
Jun. 19 - Nissan Pavilion - Washington, DC
Jun. 22 - Ford Amphitheatre - Tampa, FL
Jun. 23 - Sound Advice Amp. - West Palm Beach, FL
Jun. 25 - Verizon - San Antonio, TX
Jun. 26 - Smirnoff Amp. - Dallas, TX
Jun. 28 - Journal Pavilion - Albuquerque, NM
Jun. 29 - Coors Amphitheater - Denver, CO

Unfortunately, Queensryche is opening for Priest on this tour. I used to be a big fan of the band, but after Empire, they were done. I saw them live during Halford's tour a few years ago and they were terrible. Supposedly, they are only playing material from their first two albums, which excludes their two BIGGEST selling albums. Go figure. I won't worry about being late to the show...

3/30/05 - Well, finally, some US tour dates are starting to emerge from the abyss. It appears Priest is set to begin their summer tour in Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 31, in Minneapolis, MN. The second known date is Sunday, June 19 at the Nissan Pavilion in Maryland.

Another date flying around is Friday, June 10 in New Jersey. However, since that's a scheduled OzzFest date, no one is sure. Keep an eye out on the Shrine for more dates.

3/9/05 - Besides Rob rejoining the band, I'd have to say today is one of the biggest days in Priest history. I'm ecstatic!! According to HitsDailyDouble.com and Rockdetector.com, "Angel of Retribution" will debut at #13 on the Billboard charts in the US! It's the band's higest ranking EVER! (Although there seems to be some confusion, as some places are saying #12 and the actual number is 58,509 copies sold. Who knows?).

Here's the actual story from Billboard.com:
Veteran metal act Judas Priest scores its highest-charting album ever with "Angel of Retribution" (Epic), which debuted at No. 13. Original vocalist Rob Halford returned to the fold for the set, which bested the band's previous high-water mark of No. 17 with "Turbo" in 1986 and "Screaming for Vengeance" in 1982.

Here's the rest of the story (thanks, Rock Detector and BW/BK):

• JUDAS PRIEST's "Angel of Retribution" has sold 57,522 copies in the United States during its first week of release to debut at No. 13 on next week's The Billboard 200 chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

• The group's first collection of new material in 14 years to feature singer Rob Halford, "Angel of Retribution" has given the band their highest ever career chart position in the U.S. The following are the peak U.S. chart positions for the PRIEST catalog:

  #13 - "Angel of Retribution" (2005)
  #165 - "Demolition" (2001)
  #82 - "Jugulator" (1997)
  #155 - "Metalworks" (1993)
  #26 - "Painkiller" (1990)
  #31 - "Ram It Down" (1988)
  #38 - "Priest Live" (1987)
  #17 - "Turbo" (1986)
  #18 - "Defenders of the Faith" (1984)
  #17 - "Screaming for Vengeance" (1982)
  #39 - "Point of Entry" (1981)
  #34 - "British Steel" (1980)
  #70 - "Unleashed in the East" (1979)
  #128 - "Hell Bent for Leather" (1978)
  #178 - "Stained Class" (1978)
  

• JUDAS PRIEST's most successful album to date is 1982's "Screaming For Vengeance", which spent 53 weeks on the Billboard charts, receiving gold RIAA sales certification on October 29, 1982, platinum on April 18, 1983 and double platinum October 16, 2001. The album included the band's only U.S. top 100 hit single, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'".

• Other million-seller RIAA certifications for JUDAS PRIEST are "Priest Live" (October 29, 2001), "Turbo" (July 24, 1989), "Defenders of the Faith" (September 26, 1988), "British Steel" (August 9, 1989) and "Unleashed in the East" (November 10, 1989).

• JUDAS PRIEST also has gold albums certifications (500,000 sales) for "Stained Class" (November 10, 1989), "Hell Bent For Leather" (November 10, 1989), "Point of Entry" (November 10, 1989), "Ram It Down" (July 18, 1988) and "Painkiller" (January 2, 1991).

• In the band's home country of the U.K., 1980's "British Steel" remains their most successful outing, peaking at No. 4 in the charts and launching three hit singles: "Living After Midnight", which peaked at No. 12; "Breaking The Law" No. 12 and "United" No. 26.

• JUDAS PRIEST has remained at the top of the Rockdetector.com user charts for an incredible ten months, only once being briefly usurped by METALLICA over the Christmas period.

• "Angel of Retribution" has also entered the charts in the following countries:

  #4 - Japan
  #4 - Germany
  #6 - Norway
  #12 - Canada
  #19 - Switzerland
  #39 - U.K.
  #40 - Ireland
  #43 - France
  #46 - Holland

12/27/04 - As promised, I have established a pre-order link for everyone to order Judas Priest's new album, Angel of Retribution: Angel Of Retribution (With Bonus DVD)

Happy New year!!