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Never ones to back down from a good fight, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal icons return to the (live) killing fields with Battle Cry, a concert CD/DVD/Blu-ray recorded during their 2014 Redeemer of Souls tour. ROS was a return to form for the group, eschewing the slick production of some of their late-period recordings in favor of a set of songs that wouldn't have sounded out of place on 1976's Sad Wings of Destiny. It was also their first outing not to include K. K. Downing, and Battle Cry is the first Priest concert album not to feature the founding guitarist. It's hardly a deal-breaker though, as Richie Faulkner has settled into the role nicely, and his interplay with the more seasoned Glenn Tipton is both fluid and respectable, with the pair delivering the kind of effortless yet still freewheeling guitar-monies that have come to define the group over the last 47 years. Featuring 15 songs from their August 1, 2015 performance at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, Battle Cry offers up a suitable mix of fan favorites and new material, including "Dragonaut, " "You've Got Another Thing Comin', " "Beyond the Realms of Death, " and "Hell Bent for Leather. " Rob Halford's pipes, while not nearly as elastic as days passed, are still impressive, and the band tears into the set, specifically the newer tunes, with workmanlike vigor, but there's not a ton of fun to be had here for the casual fan. Listeners looking for an audio snapshot of the group at its stage peak would be much better off with 1979's far superior Unleashed in the East. The Blu-ray edition of Battle Cry includes three bonus cuts that were taken from the band's December 10, 2015, show at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland.
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In celebration of the Metal Gods Farewell Epitaph tour, kicking off this fall, the biggest names in rock and metal band together to choose their favorite Priest tracks. Including Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Lemmy (Motorhead), Kerry King (Slayer), Slash (Guns & Roses) and more. The ultimate tribute to the ultimate metal band, this brand new collection includes the hits and fan favorites such as Breaking the Law, The Ripper, Exciter, Living After Midnight and more...GENE SIMMONS. KISSPriest has always meant one thing -- take no prisoners. For decades, across one continent to the next, they have never wavered in their commitment to treating the Stage as Holy Ground. Do not tread lightly there. This is a place reserved for the few. The proud. The mighty. A toast then, to a band that has given its all to the fans.And the magic will continue when the next 15 year old puts on his first Priest record, pumps his fist in the air and is instantly transported to a land where only Metal Gods roam.KERRY KING, SLAYERDELIVERING THE GOODS“I could pick a dozen Judas Priest songs! Favorite band of all time. Picking one is far more difficult. Favorite album - Stained Class. Favorite song...being put on the spot I’d have to say Delivering The Goods off Hell Bent For Leather. Great song for all the reasons I like Priest. Killer riffs, killer lead into my favorite lead break they’ve ever done, straight into taking the song in a complete different direction. Awesome.”RANDY BLYTHE, LAMB OF GODTHE GREEN MANALISHI (WITH THE TWO-PRONGED CROWN)“While the true meaning of the lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s The Green Manalishi are apocryphal, the song has always seemed well, sinister to me. In the hands of The Metal Gods the tune becomes elevated to frightening. I still don’t know exactly what the The Green Manalishi is or what it does with thetwo - pronged crown, but after hearing Halford’s snarling version, I sure as hell don’t want to meetit in a dark alley. Hail Priest!”ALICE COOPERLIVING AFTER MIDNIGHT“For a metal band, Priest has always used tons of melody... when you have a singer as great as Rob Halford, you have to write great riffs WITH great melodies, you can’t just have riffs. Living After Midnight is the perfect example. This is Judas Priest’s most memorable anthem. This is every metal head’s party song, because naturally...the party always starts after midnight. Actually I think Rob has been to most of those parties.” This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.
