JUDAS PRIEST RELEASE FIRST SINGLE FROM 'FIREPOWER': LISTEN HERE
5th January 2018
One of the big things to look forward to in 2018 is the release of the new Judas Priest album, 'Firepower', and the first single from the legendary Metallers eighteenth studio album, 'Lightning Strike', has been released today.
Set for release on Friday 9th March 2018 via Columbia Records - the album is comprised of fourteen tracks of pure and highly inspired Metal. Here's 'Lightning Strike' as a taster of what to expect in March.
Priest have reunited with producer Tom Allom for 'Firepower'. Allom is the man behind the board for all of the band's releases from 1979-1988, including such stellar classics as 'Unleashed In The East', 'British Steel', 'Screaming For Vengeance' and 'Defenders Of The Faith', and with Grammy Award-winning producer Andy Sneap also on board, the sonic bar has been raised even higher.
Rob Halford says:
"Tom Allom has got this classic Metal thing and Andy is a bit more of a 'modern Metal producer' but his thinking is a little bit different to Tom's. And I think to get this balance between that classic old school Metal to what Andy's world is was just a remarkable coalescence.
Bassist Ian Hill adds:
"Tom Allom has been with us since 1979, so his knowledge of ourselves and our music in general is immense. We went back to the organic way of recording where it's all of us in a room and we got to play together."
Priest released an an audio sample of the album's title track late last year and here it is:
'Firepower' tracklisting:
1. Firepower
2. Lightning Strike
3. Evil Never Dies
4. Never The Heroes
5. Necromancer
6. Children Of The Sun
7. Guardians
8. Rising From Ruins
9. Flame Thrower
10. Spectre
11. Traitors Gate
12. No Surrender
13. Lone Wolf
14. Sea Of Red
The British Metal legends will also be hitting the road in 2018. The first tour dates are below and the 'Judas Priest: Firepower 2018 Tour' will kick off on March 13th in Pennsylvania and wrap up on May 1st in Texas.
Confirmed tour dates:
13th March: Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza 15th March: Youngstown, OH Covelli Centre 17th March: Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum 18th March: Washington, DC The Anthem 20th March: Newark, NJ Prudential Center 22nd March: Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena 25th March: Ottawa, ON The Arena at TD Place 27th March: London, ON Budweiser Gardens 28th March: Oshawa, ON Tribute Communities Centre 30th March: Orillia, ON Casino Rama 31th March: Detroit, MI Detroit Masonic Temple 3rd April: Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater 5th April: Green Bay, WI Resch Center 8th April: Bloomington, IL Grossinger Motors Arena 10th April: Casper, WY Casper Events Center 11th April: Loveland, CO Budweiser Events Center 15th April: Kent, WA ShoWare Center 17th April: Portland, OR Veterans Memorial Coliseum 19th April: San Francisco The Warfield 22nd April: Los Angeles, CA Microsoft Theater 24th April: Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre 26th April: Tulsa, OK BOK Center 28th April: Dallas, TX The Bomb Factory 29th April: Sugarland, TX Smart Financial Centre 1st May: San Antonio, TX Freeman Coliseum
Priest have already been announced for both Wacken and Bloodstock festivals for 2018. The Metal icons are one of the most-requested bands by the Bloodstock's loyal fan base and have been hot favourites to play Catton Park for some years now. They will finally make their Bloodstock debut on Friday night, 10th August 2018.
The band commented when their Bloodstock appearance was announced:
"Judas Priest are thrilled, honoured and primed, ready to unleash Priest-style Metal fury into the headbanging heart and home of Heavy Metal at Bloodstock 2018!"
Gojira were previously announced as Saturday night headliners and Nightwish as Sunday headliners.
Tickets for Bloodstock 2018 at great prices (early bird offers at just £125 for four days of Metal fun) are currently available right here.
Priest join Nightwish, Running Wild, Dimmu Borgir, In Extremo, Arch Enemy, Vince Neil, Children Of Bodom, Dirkschneider, Doro, Sepultura, Amorphis, Epica, Amaranthe, Knorkator, Belphegor, Watain, Firewind, Deserted Fear, Bannkreis at Wacken 2018 with many, many more acts still to be announced.
Tickets and travel packages for Wacken 2018 are on sale now right here.