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Concert Review – Judas Priest (Dalhalla, Rättvik, Sweden, 07/10/2025)

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Thousands of metalmaniacs heeded the call of the Metal Gods to join them at the Gates of Dalhalla for a perfect night of pure Heavy Metal.

INTRO: At the Gates of Dalhalla

I think before starting the review of the actual concert, we should first talk a little about the venue. By the way, it’s my new favorite venue in the entire world, and I doubt any other place I see a concert in my life will be so beautiful and mesmerizing. Dalhalla or Draggängarna as it was previously called, is the name of a former limestone quarry where mining ceased in 1990, used nowadays as an open air theatre and music venue during the summer. It is located 7km north of Lake Siljan in the municipality of Rättvik in Dalarna, central Sweden. 360 million years ago, a meteor fell from space. It fell over Dalarna and the result was the Siljansringen and the surrounding Siljansbygden. The entire bedrock of the area was affected and formed an exciting composition of colorful vertical stripes that are different soil and rock layers, from which lime has become easy to access.

For about fifty years, they blasted and excavated what has now become the basis for Dalhalla, an acoustically designed arena with dimensions that form a kind of ideal golden ratio, albeit in three dimensions. A stroke of luck, which means that Dalhalla can be compared to famous stages in ancient Greece and Italy. In other words, it was the PERFECT venue for JUDAS PRIEST, with support from PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, to stun us all with their undisputed Shield of Pain Tour 2025. And as soon as we got inside such a phenomenal venue, we were impressed with the entire structure, with not only the stage, the pit and the seats looking awesome, but the whole food and merch court was excellent, with plenty of options for all types of people, lots of spots to sit, and extra space for friends to chat about music and life. I obviously got myself a tour shirt and a set of patches, as I had to register that day not only in my memory, but also in my own fashion.

OPENING ACT: Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons

A Welsh rock band established in 2016 by longtime Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, following the 2015 death of Motörhead iconic frontman Lemmy, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS had the utmost pleasure of warming up the wild Dalhalla crowd on a perfect night, or maybe I should say day, as this time of the year it doesn’t really get dark in Sweden, with a lot of sun, blue skies, no clouds, rain or strong winds, and temperatures around +25oC. Seriously, the weather couldn’t have been better. I have mixed feelings about Phil Campbell and his crew, as sometimes they sound like a badass ensemble, sometimes like a college band with that “crazy drunk uncle” we all know on the guitar. Their setlist was fine, mixing songs form their 2023 album Kings of the Asylum with some Motörhead classics such as Going to Brazil and Born to Raise Hell, the two best songs of their entire show by the way, but there was something “missing” to give it that extra kick. I’m not going to say that extra ingredient would have been Lemmy because that would be daydreaming, but I think you know what I mean. In the end, it was a decent opening act for the Metal Gods, and they all seem to be very nice guys, so it was a good show for what it is.

Setlist
We’re the Bastards
Step Into the Fire
Going to Brazil (Motörhead cover)
Hammer and Dance
High Rule
Born to Raise Hell (Motörhead cover)
Straight Up (Phil Campbell song)
Dark Days
Ace of Spades (Motörhead cover)
Strike the Match

Band members
Joel Peters – lead vocals
Phil Campbell – guitar
Todd Campbell – guitar, harmonica
Tyla Campbell – bass
Dane Campbell – drums

JUDAS PRIEST

Faster than a bullet. Terrifying scream. Enraged and full of anger. They’re half man, half machine, and one hundred percent Metal Gods. Just like the meteor that fell from space hundreds of millions of years ago to form the stunning Dalhalla, the almighty Heavy Metal institution JUDAS PRIEST began ripping out hearts mercilessly with their flawless celebration of pure metal magic. The Hell Patrol showed no mercy for our metallic souls, blending some of their biggest classics like You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ and Breaking the Law with new songs from their 2024 beast Invincible Shield, and of course almost all songs from the most metal album in history, the unparalleled 1990 masterpiece Painkiller. I can’t remember a setlist by the Metal Gods that sounded so powerful, electrifying and heavy, an ode to all things metal that inspired everyone at Dalhalla to keep their horns high throughout their entire set, headbanging and screaming like crazy until the very last second.

Speaking of the crowd, I couldn’t have asked for a better one that night. The Swedish metalheads proved you don’t need to push anyone for a concert to be absolutely wild, showing nothing but utmost respect for each other, and leaving enough space for each and every person in the floor section to breathe and actually enjoy the concert to the fullest. Kudos to the Swedes! Furthermore, when the speakers started playing Black Sabbath’s all-time classic War Pigs, and pretty much the entire venue began singing it at the top of their lungs, I knew the whole concert was going to be phenomenal, and as soon as the band took the stage by storm with the hard-hitting anthem All Guns Blazing, followed by the metal hymn Hell Patrol, the whole area turned into the most metal place on earth.

I love the way Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis managed to bring so much stamina, passion and energy to their setlist, going from a total banger like Freewheel Burning to the dark venom of A Touch of Evil, keeping all fans engaged from start to finish. The new songs selected for this tour also brought endless joy to my metal heart, with Gates of Hell putting everyone to dance, the fast and furious The Serpent and the King (which is my favorite song from Invincible Shield) exhaling the essence of pure Heavy Metal, and Giants in the Sky being the most emotional moment of the entire show with its homage to our fallen heroes. The fact Halford added Jill Janus to such a stellar group of rock and metal icons almost made me cry, and if you know nothing about her I highly recommend you go after her music. Halford loved her, her voice and her creations, just to give you an idea of how metal she was.

I was already on cloud 9 at that point, but when Mr. Scott Travis began hammering his drums in the iconic intro to Painkiller (which would certainly be my chosen song to be added to a time capsule to show all future generations the meaning of Heavy Metal), it was a collective metallic orgasm as everyone started screaming its lyrics together with the Metal Gods. I don’t remember seeing such a demented reception to that song ever before, as if it was the musical climax in the life of everyone at Dalhalla. I don’t think there’s a song by Judas Priest that the Swedish fans love more than that, and when the band is onstage playing it to perfection, you know you’re in for a treat.

Once again, I had some hope in my heart that Mr. Glenn Tipton would join them onstage for the encore, in special after they skipped Metal Gods (which was a part of their setlist, and a song Mr. Tipton might still be able to play at a high level), but unfortunately one of the best guitarists in the history of metal wasn’t there to jam with his bandmates during the encore. Well, I can’t complain at all about the work done by Richie and Andy, as those guys were shredding their axes in great fashion nonstop, but Glenn will always have a very special place in our hearts and minds.

Speaking of heart, mind and soul, it’s very hard nowadays to say who’s Rob Halford, and who’s Judas Priest. He’s always been the Metal God, no doubt about it, but it feels like his passion for heavy music has grown even stronger in recent years, adding even more strength and feeling to the band’s undisputed live performances. Rob was on fire as usual, being worshipped by all concert goers and driving the fans in the pit absolutely mental with his high-pitched screams. And when he rode his Harley-Davidson to the stage during the encore for Hell Bent for Leather and Living After Midnight, well, that’s one of those moments when you perfectly understand why you love Heavy Metal so much.

After the show was over, it was time to unfortunately say goodbye to Dalhalla, or maybe I should say farewell as I’m sure I’ll be back to that phenomenal venue, and drive back in almost broad daylight to our cabin not too far from there. I must say it was hard to fall asleep due to the adrenaline flowing through my body before, during and after the show, and of course the next morning I had to listen to the entire setlist again to relive such an unforgettable event, in special songs like Hell Patrol, The Serpent and the King, Giants in the Sky, and Painkiller. The big screen behind the band at the end of the show showed in big letters “THE PRIEST WILL BE BACK”, and I guess I don’t need to say that whenever they announce a new show in Dalhalla, I will be there.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
All Guns Blazing
Hell Patrol
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Freewheel Burning
Breaking the Law
A Touch of Evil
Night Crawler
Solar Angels
Gates of Hell
The Serpent and the King
Battle Hymn
One Shot at Glory
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Giants in the Sky
Painkiller

Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

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Concert Review – Scorpions (Heinz von Heiden Arena, Hannover, Germany, 07/05/2025)

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The city of Hannover welcomed home one of the most important bands in the history of rock music on a night to remember.

OPENING ACTS: Rosy Vista, Bülent Ceylan, Alice Cooper and Judas Priest

They have played all over the world in stadiums and open-air arenas, in La Paz, Bolivia, at 3,636 meters, in Rio de Janeiro in front of 1.3 million fans, in Los Angeles and Moscow, but it was on July 5, 2025 when the unstoppable SCORPIONS, with support from ROSY VISTA, BÜLENT CEYLAN, ALICE COOPER and JUDAS PRIEST, played their most emotional concert in history, in a stadium in their home city of Hannover for the first time ever, the massive Heinz von Heiden Arena. Billed as Scorpions 60 Years Anniversary Concert – Coming Home to Hannover, it was a day and night to remember in the hearts and minds of the almost 50,000 fans who took every single space available at the arena, and when you add to that the perfect weather that was over the city, plus the quality or all merch, food and drinks, it definitely makes me want to go back in time to relive such an amazing celebration of heavy music. Well, to be honest, I will be able to do so, as the show was professionally recorded to be released as a live album titled Coming Home Live later this year.

Due to all attractions in the bill, the event started really early at around 3:30pm, when another band from Hannover, the girls from Melodic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band ROSY VISTA, kicked off the festivities. The band formed of Andrea Schwarz, Anca Graterol, Heike “Bass Sistah” Müller and Marina Hlubek has just released a new album named F.o.r.t.y. this year, celebrating their 40 years on the road (and yes, Scorpions were not the only ones celebrating an important milestone that day), and of course available on most platforms like Spotify, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it to the stadium in time to see the girls. I have no idea how their performance was, but based on the quality of their music it might have been a cool opener for their hometown heroes. Maybe next time I visit Hannover I can catch them live, who knows.

Setlist
I Can’t Live Without My Radio
I Wanna Get You Back
Master of Control
Too Much Feeling
Addicted to Freedom
Poor Rosy

Band members
Andrea Schwarz – vocals
Anca Graterol – guitars
Heike “Bass Sistah” Müller – bass, backing vocals
Marina Hlubek – drums

After the girls from Rosy Vista, it was time for BÜLENT CEYLAN, a German comedian and Cabaret artist who plays several comic roles with frequent themes being the quirks of Germans from Turkish family backgrounds and people from Mannheim (told in the dialect of Mannheim), to hit the stage with his fusion of comedy and music. Once again, due to the early time slot allocated for Bülent Ceylan we couldn’t make it in time to see the band playing, and besides, I guess I wouldn’t have understood any of the jokes from his performance as they might have been all in German. I have no idea how the band sounds like, but I might take a listen at some of their songs on Spotify just out of curiosity.

Setlist
Yallah Hopp
Schmutzige Liebe
Wenn Metaller traurig sind
Rüstung aus Hass
Wohin du gehst
Anders gleich
Ich liebe Menschen
Brüder
Booom

Band members
Bülent Ceylan – vocals
Julia Lange – guitar
Tobi Stulz – guitar, backing vocals
Hannes Merten – bass, keyboards
Marcel Vojvodic – drums

After grabbing the event shirt at the merch booth outdoors, as well as a couple of beers (which included different versions of a Scorpions commemorative cup), we entered the arena about 20 minutes before American Heavy Metal/Hard Rock legend ALICE COOPER kicked off his horror-inspired rock show, increasing the temperature inside the venue with his collection of undisputed hits, including No More Mr. Nice Guy, I’m Eighteen, Under My Wheels, Hey Stoopid, Poison, School’s Out, and as the encore, Feed My Frankenstein. There were no songs from his upcoming new album The Revenge of Alice Cooper, but I don’t think anyone cared about that to be honest. The entire band was on fire, the theatricals during the songs were spot on, and it looked like the cameramen and the crowd were there to worship the stunning guitarist Nita Strauss. Seriously, she appeared on the big screens A LOT more than Mr. Cooper, and when she was introduced by him to the fans, the entire arena trembled. Well, long live Alice Cooper, and long live Nita Strauss.

Setlist
Lock Me Up
Welcome to the Show
No More Mr. Nice Guy
I’m Eighteen
Under My Wheels
Bed of Nails
Billion Dollar Babies
Hey Stoopid
Go to Hell
Poison
The Black Widow
Nita Strauss Guitar Solo
Black Widow Jam
Ballad of Dwight Fry
Killer
I Love the Dead
School’s Out

Encore:
Feed My Frankenstein

Band members
Alice Cooper – lead vocals, harmonica, guitars, percussion, synthesizer
Nita Strauss – guitars, backing vocals
Ryan Roxie – guitars, backing vocals
Tommy Henriksen – guitars, backing vocals
Chuck Garric – bass, backing vocals
Glen Sobel – drums, percussion

When you have as a supporting act the almighty JUDAS PRIEST, you know the whole event is going to be more than special. Add to that the fact the Metal Gods are currently running their phenomenal Shield of Pain Tour 2025, blending their 2024 beast Invincible Shield with the most metal album of all time, the masterpiece Painkiller, and you’re in for an unforgettable night alongside Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis. I had high hopes for Mr. Glenn Tipton to join them during the encore due to the caliber of such a special event, but I think his health has sadly deteriorated to a point he can’t perform live anymore. I love the fact he’s in their official video for their cover version for Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, but unfortunately I believe that’s all we’re going to get from Mr. Tipton from now on.

Anyway, back to the show, despite the fact they had to shorten their current setlist as they were “just” a supporting act, the Metal Gods kicked some serious ass with their avalanche of hits, with of course songs like Breaking the Law and Painkiller getting the wildest reactions from the crowd. It was also clear a lot of people were there only to see Scorpions and knew nothing about Judas Priest, or knew only their classics, showing indifference to their excellent new song Gates of Hell, for example. As mentioned, it was a Scorpions gig, not a Judas Priest one, but several fans like myself had an amazing time with one of the most important bands in the history of Heavy Metal. Add to that the fact Halford wasn’t afraid at all to grab the Ukrainian flag from a fan at the barrier and proudly carrying it onstage at the end of the show, without being afraid at all of any type of backlash or criticism, and you know you’re in front of the one and only Metal God.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
All Guns Blazing
Hell Patrol
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Freewheel Burning
Breaking the Law
A Touch of Evil
Night Crawler
Solar Angels
Gates of Hell
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Painkiller
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

SCORPIONS

It was getting late as apparently SCORPIONS and the entire production were waiting for the skies to get dark to kick off their more-than-special hometown concert, and that was a bit of a bummer as it was a very long day for tons of fans (who are not kids anymore, by the way). When the show finally started, the energy was back to the faces of all concert goers, and I wish I had a professional photographer working with me that night as my crappy cellphone photos do not live up to the visual magic that took over the entire arena. When we were entering the venue, we got a special wristband with a led that would automatically turn on and change colors depending on the song played, and in the end that worked really well, adding an extra special touch to the show as if the whole arena and the band were united as one.

Regarding their setlist, not only it was the same as from their most recent concerts, but also the lack of special guests (like Doro, or maybe even Halford joining them to sing Blackout) took away a bit of the uniqueness of the night. We still got their biggest classics, of course, such as the obvious choice for opening the night, Coming Home, followed by Make It Real, Bad Boys Running Wild, Send Me an Angel, Wind of Change, and so on, but maybe they could have also played a few deep cuts to add an extra kick to the show. I loved all songs, no doubt about that, but as a fan of new music or non-classics, that would have been even better for my personal taste. Furthermore, if there’s one thing that really adds absolute power to the live performances by Scorpions these days, that’s Mikkey Dee. The “motörhead” behind the band’s drums is a true rock and metal beast, filling every single space in the air with his precision, punch and stamina, and even adding hints of progressiveness to each song. The man in unbelievable live, making it worth every penny just to see him playing drums, to be fair. Just to give you an idea, as much as I hate drum solos, his own solo is a thing of beauty and I like the fact it’s part of their setlist.

Time, it waits for no man, and if you’re the frontman of a rock or metal band with very demanding songs, that’s even harder. That’s exactly the case with Klaus Meine, who’s still performing at a high level, but you can notice he’s struggling already in a few songs due to the beyond hectic schedule of singing for almost two hours day in, day out. Don’t get me wrong, his voice is still beautiful, it gives a soul to mesmerizing songs like the undisputed ballad Still Loving You, but the man definitely needs to slow down with the band’s crazy touring schedule. The support he gets from his bandmates is superb, which makes it easier for him to keep moving forward, but the vocals are by far the most difficult instrument to handle after so many decades on the road, and I fear he’s getting to the end of the road regarding his vocal power and reach, unfortunately.

When the whole celebration was coming to its end, it was time for the band’s colossal scorpion mascot to rise behind Mikkey Dee for their encore with the mega hits Blackout and Rock You Like a Hurricane, and oh boy, what a massive, gigantic scorpion! I loved its imposing vibe, just like all giant Eddies from Iron Maiden’s previous tours, and he even moved well for its size, giving the show a nice creepy vibe. Unfortunately, as aforementioned, I don’t have any professional photos of it, but let’s say that’s a good thing as you’ll be able to enjoy it in all of its glory when Coming Home Live is released, right? I can’t wait to watch the full concert again, because it was a night to remember, a night when Hannover welcomed home one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and if they manage to celebrate their 70th anniversary in style like that, I guess I’ll have to pay Hannover a visit again in ten years.

Setlist
Coming Home
Gas in the Tank
Make It Real
The Zoo
Coast to Coast
Top of the Bill / Steamrock Fever / Speedy’s Coming / Catch Your Train
Bad Boys Running Wild
Delicate Dance
Send Me an Angel
Wind of Change
Loving You Sunday Morning
I’m Leaving You
New Vision
Tease Me Please Me
Big City Nights
Still Loving You

Encore:
Blackout
Rock You Like a Hurricane

Band members
Klaus Meine – vocals
Matthias Jabs – guitars
Rudolf Schenker – guitars, backing vocals
Paweł Mąciwoda – bass
Mikkey Dee – drums

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Concert Review – Judas Priest (Casino Rama, Rama, ON, 10/07/2014)

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The Metal Gods descended from the sky to assault all of us with their magnificent Heavy Metal in a land far, far away.

INTRODUCTION: The Lost Civilization of Casino Rama

Judas-Priest-Redeemer-of-Souls-Tour-2014If you want to stay away from any type of civilization in this world, I suggest you go to a place called Casino Rama, located around two and a half ENDLESS hours from Toronto. In theory it should be a lot faster than that, but if you take into account the 5pm traffic to leave the city on a Tuesday (right in the middle of the week, by the way) and an annoying dose of heavy rain, the hassle of getting there is horribly extended and becomes a real torture. Who the hell decided Casino Rama on a tuesday night were the best venue and date for Judas Priest to perform in Ontario? I swear to God, Odin, Buddha and any other deity that I’ll NEVER return to that place again if not for Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. No other band can make me go there again, not even Slayer or Megadeth.

Not only that, I truly hate Heavy Metal concerts with pre-assigned seats. Why not leaving the floor section without those fuckin’ chairs? Just create a general floor area, and whoever wants to sit down while Judas Priest are playing Hell Bent For Leather (if that’s humanly possible), simply take one of the seats at the back. As simple as that, but it seems the very “knowledgeable” organizers were expecting Judas Priest to be as smooth as Kenny G or any other shit like that. Anyway, let’s try to always look on the bright side of life: at least the venue was nice and clean, parking was free, and the sound quality was beyond perfect. And of course, if you’re addicted to gambling, that’s also a good place to be.

OPENING ACT: Steel Panther

IMG_2955When the opening act are Hard Rock/Glam Metal jesters STEEL PANTHER, you know it’s going to be a memorable night. Although they’re truly funny even with 99.9% of their sexist jokes being really stupid, I believe their superb skills as musicians are what make them so awesome to watch, especially vocalist Michael Starr. In my opinion, he’s a much better singer than all hard rockers from the 80’s. Well, maybe only singer Ralph Saenz (ex-L.A. Guns) can be compared to him. Got it?

Their setlist might have been a little shorter than usual, but still full of classics such as Asian Hooker, Gold-Digging Whore, and Death To All But Metal, plus some songs from their new album All You Can Eat like the good Gloryhole, all perfectly complemented by their jokes about the age of the attendees (especially those screaming ladies in their 40’s and 50’s), their debate about Michael Starr being a fat version of Bret Michaels or a skinny version of Vince Neil, among many other “pearls of wisdom”. There couldn’t have been a better warm-up than that for the Metal Gods.

Before I talk about the Priest, I just wanted to say that it might be really cool and a huge honour for Russ Parrish to be on the road with the Metal God Rob Halford once again, even if they’re in different bands now. If you don’t get it, click HERE and you’ll understand why I mentioned that.

Steel Panther Setlist Casino Rama, Orillia, ON, Canada 2014, All You Can Eat (AYCE) Tour

Band members
Michael Starr – lead vocals
Satchel – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Lexxi Foxxx – bass guitar
Stix Zadinia – drums, percussion, piano

JUDAS PRIEST

IMG_2973It was around 9:30pm when Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton & Co. hit the Casino Rama stage for another flawless performance. Right after Black Sabbath’s War Pigs and the intro for Priest’s own new song Battle Cry, thunders roared, the curtain was dropped and there they were with the excellent new song Dragonaut assaulting our bodies and souls with the purest Heavy Metal in the whole universe. What can I say about those guys that hasn’t been said yet? Rob Halford is not human: he is and will always be the METAL GOD, with his unique voice being absolutely perfect for both heavy stuff and smoother ballads; Scott and Glenn were as precise and heavy as usual; Richie injected some new oxygen to the band and proves with each concert why he was an amazing choice to replace K. K. Downing; and for the first time in my life, due to the sound quality of the venue, I could listen to Ian Hill’s bass lines.

Perhaps the most curious detail of their performance at Casino Rama (and during this whole tour so far) is the total absence of any songs from the masterpiece Painkiller, including its title-track, as well as other classics like “Electric Eye” and “Rapid Fire”, from the setlist. Instead, they opted for other types of classics, a little bit more underground but just as great as any of those songs, such as Devil’s Child, Jawbreaker, Love Bites, and Defenders of the Faith (which could have been complemented with “Heavy Duty” right before it like in the studio album, but that was awesome anyway), kind of celebrating 30 years of their classic album Defenders of the Faith.

And as we’re talking about the mighty Judas Priest, there’s a lot more to enjoy than “just” their unparalleled Heavy Metal: each and every song had a different background, with highlights to the fun and exciting images of the cult movie Nosferatu (1922) during Love Bites; Halford’s famous “robot walk” during Metal Gods; their badass Harley-Davidson in Hell Bent For Leather; and Halford letting the crowd sing Breaking the Law on their own, just like he did with his solo band during his Rock In Rio III concert in 1999.

IMG_2967One thing I truly loved during this concert was the fact that all new songs from Redeemer Of Souls sounded awesome live and were perfectly blended with their old classics, especially the magnificent Halls Of Valhalla. What an outstanding performance by the whole band during this powerful song, especially, of course, Mr. Rob Halford. Just as I mentioned in my review of the new album in regards to this song, “… which I’m sure will become a fan-favourite especially due to its lyrics and chorus and will also sound superb when played live”, and I was totally right!

The encore, with anthems like You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ and Living After Midnight, was a sonic orgasm to all Heavy Metal lovers that attended the show, but in my opinion the most memorable moment of their entire performance happened a little before that, when they played the all-time classic Beyond The Realms Of Death. Honestly, Rob Halford almost made me cry so beautiful and emotive his performance was. It was one of those moments you know why you love heavy music so much, and fully understand why he is entitled the Metal God.

I must admit the long and boring journey back from Casino Rama to Toronto on the same night (I got home at around 2am) was a lot easier thanks to the adrenaline running through my veins after such a stunning concert by the Priest. Although the band members are visibly aging (Rob, Glenn and Ian are all in their mid-60’s already), does that mean it’s the “beginning of the end” for the band? I don’t think so. As far as I could see, they’re better than ever, very excited to craft new powerful music, and playing their old classics with so much passion they look like they’re just starting their careers. And, of course, I cannot wait to see the Metal Gods kicking some serious ass live again with their unique jaw-dropping Heavy Metal. JUDAS FUCKIN’ PRIEST!

Judas Priest Setlist Casino Rama, Orillia, ON, Canada 2014, Redeemer of Souls Tour

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Glenn Tipton – guitar
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

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Album Review – Judas Priest / Redeemer of Souls (2014)

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The Metal Gods are finally back with another marvellous sonic storm forged in the fires of pure Heavy Metal.

Rating1

Redeemer-of-souls-album-cover-art-1280Take a look at the imposing album art of the awesome Redeemer of Souls, the highly anticipated brand new album by the unbeatable English Metal Gods Judas Priest, and there’s only one word that will come to your mind: METAL. That’s it, pure Heavy Metal. No experimentations, no synths, no electronic shenanigans, nor any other non-traditional Heavy Metal stuff. Even the production of the album sounds fresher and rawer than usual, despite many people complaining about it. After six long years since the good but controversial Nostradamus, the Priest is finally back to their basics, and this time it looks like it’s for good.

First of all, Redeemer of Souls, their seventeenth studio album in over 40 years of history (an impressive milestone, by the way), perspires Heavy Metal. As aforementioned, the band “abandoned” all the experimental stuff of the past two decades and opted for a 100% direct sonority, selecting what’s best in some of their classic albums such as Painkiller, Ram It Down and Sin After Sin, blending it with some interesting elements from Halford’s solo career, and adding an extra dose of energy to all songs, which is astonishing given the fact all band members, except for Richie Faulkner, are over 50 or 60 years old. And secondly, although I miss K.K. Downing and his phenomenal razing guitar duos with Glenn Tipton, Richie is indeed a pretty decent replacement for him and this is proven with his excellent contribution to this album.

But it’s when the music actually starts that you remember why they’re called the Metal Gods: it’s impossible not to fall in love for the opening track, the fantastic Dragonaut, with its “stormy” intro, heavy riffs, straight-forward lyrics and catchy chorus (“Fire in the sky paralyzed with fear / You know you´re gonna die / Dragonaut is near”), and everything else! If this song had been recorded back in the 80’s  or 90’s, it would have become one of Priest’s all-time classics without a shadow of a doubt. Then comes the title-track, Redeemer of Souls, a mix of “Dissident Aggressor” and “Hell Patrol” that is everything old Priest fans wanted to hear again. The lyrics couldn’t sound more Priest than this (“Count down coming your way / He’s the last to obey / Watch him seizing the day / Redeemer – redeemer of souls”),  and I can’t wait to do some air guitar with this song when Judas Priest come to town.

Judas PriestWithout a single second of boredom, the band keeps the energy level really high with the epic Halls of Valhalla (or maybe I should say “VALHALLAAAAAA!”), which I’m sure will become a fan-favourite especially due to its lyrics and chorus and will also sound superb when played live, followed by Sword of Damocles, another mighty track with a great initial riff blended with heavy and melodic drumming (with Mr. Scott Travis sounding as awesome as usual). Moreover, even after 40 years I’m still impressed with how metallic and captivating Halford’s voice always sounds, and it’s a pure delight to follow him declaiming the lyrics for this song so intensely. The next track, March of the Damned, has a very Hard Rock sonority with highlights to another great work done by Richie and Glenn, while Down in Flames can be considered the most “Halford” song of the entire album (it could have easily been part of his latest solo album Made of Metal).

Then we have another of the top songs of the album, Hell & Back, with a beautiful smooth intro followed by Ian Hill’s strong bass lines, more excellent heavy riffs perfect for that slow headbanging while having a cold beer, and an awesome fast ending; and Cold Blooded, which despite it’s nice rhythm, lacks more feeling an ends up being just an average song. And what can I say about a song called Metalizer? It’s as heavy as it can be, from the riffs to the drumming, from Halford’s voice to the strong chorus, with lots of similarities to “Demonizer” and “Hellrider” from Angel of Retribution.

I simply love the fact that Redeemer of souls doesn’t have only 9 or 10 songs and basically no intros or bridges, because there’s still a lot more to come. Crossfire seems to be some kind of tribute to Dio and Black Sabbath, with its intro and many other parts sounding like “I” from the excellent album Dehumanizer; while Secrets of the Dead is a slow and dark tune, one of the most melodic of the entire album, with its nice guitar solos and interesting narration in the middle enhancing its overall quality.

And lastly, the final two songs of the regular version of the album showcase a truly inspired band and leave us fans avid for more Priest: the mighty Battle Cry, with its epic guitar intro followed by pure Heavy Metal riffs and vocals, has one of those rising chorus tailored to be sung at full force by all fans at their live performances (and Halford might not reach the same notes from the past, but he’s still the Metal God); and the passionate ballad Beginning of the End, with its melancholic intro, has a really nice touch of some very old Priest classics like “Last Rose of Summer” and “Before the Dawn” highlights to Halford’s voice once again, closing the album in a very pleasant way. And don’t miss the deluxe edition, which comes with five extra brand new tracks by the Metal Gods to make things even better.

Judas Priest With Special Guests Black Label Society & Thin Lizzy In ConcertIn summary, the beautiful name of the album, just like the band did many times in the past as in Sad Wings of Destiny (the most beautiful name ever), Angel of Retribution and Defenders of the Faith, together with Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and Scott Travis kicking some serious ass and the fiery and metallic album art, make Redeemer of Souls a must-have album for any fan of good music – second to none I should say if compared to most releases from any band in the past 10 or 15 years. I hate comparing what a band is currently doing with what they did in the past as I understand time goes by and people inevitably change, but in this case it’s amazing how the Metal Gods were able to “go back in time” without sounding cheesy, repetitive or outdated. Judas Priest might be celebrating 40 years of their debut album Rocka Rolla, released in 1974, but it looks like it’s the fans who are being presented with another great album forged in the fires of true Heavy Metal.

Best moments of the album: Dragonaut, Halls of Valhalla, Sword of Damocles, Hell & Back and Battle Cry.

Worst moments of the album: Cold Blooded might not be bad, but it ends up being the only song not as powerful as the rest of the album.

Released in 2014 Epic Records/Columbia Records

Track listing
1. Dragonaut 4:26
2. Redeemer of Souls 3:58
3. Halls of Valhalla 6:04
4. Sword of Damocles 4:54
5. March of the Damned 3:55
6. Down in Flames 3:56
7. Hell & Back 4:46
8. Cold Blooded 5:25
9. Metalizer 4:37
10. Crossfire 3:51
11. Secrets of the Dead 5:41
12. Battle Cry 5:18
13. Beginning of the End 5:07

Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
14. Snakebite 3:14
15. Tears Of Blood 4:19
16. Creatures 4:25
17. Bring It On 3:18
18. Never Forget 6:25

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Glenn Tipton – guitar
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums