As they prepare for the release of their 19th album, Invincible Shield, Judas Priest are still pondering the randomness of life and the frailty of the human condition.

Since the release of their 2018’s blowtorch-to-the-face record, Firepower, most of the guys in the band have been anything but invincible. Vocalist Rob Halford has battled and seems to have beaten prostate cancer; guitarist Glenn Tipton continues to struggle with a debilitating case of Parkinson’s disease, which six years ago ended his ability to tour.

And lead guitarist Richie Faulkner vividly remembers suffering an aortic aneurysm on September 26, 2021, while Priest were playing the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

“It’s crazy to think I easily could have died then and there,” says Faulkner, who assumed pole position for the writing and recording of Invincible Shield and worked closely with Tipton to voice guitar ideas the guitar hero can no longer play. “If the hospital wasn’t so close to the venue and they didn’t have one of the leading heart surgery teams in the country, I definitely wouldn’t have made it.”

Faulkner’s survival and rapid recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, even with the intensive follow-up procedures he underwent and the continued precautions he has to undertake.

“Overall, my chest and everything is all fine,” Faulkner says. “I had to go back in again in 2022 to have another open-heart procedure, but that’s all fine and cleared up. 

“One of the only side effects now is I have to play a bit more regularly. I’m not a young man anymore. I can’t leave the guitar for two weeks and then come back and be right up to speed. I have to stay on top of my playing, and some of that is a result of what happened.

“But as far as heart damage and the aorta stuff around it, it’s all fixed. And everything is kept at bay with medication. So, you never know what’s around the corner, but hopefully I’m okay now.”

From the opening riff of the fast, urgent album opener Panic Attack to the pounding, riff-saturated Giants in the Sky, a reference to deceased metal pioneers Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy Kilmister, Invincible Shield is a burst of energy, perseverance and defiance.

Reminiscent of Judas Priest’s classic ’80s albums Screaming for Vengeance and Defenders of the Faith, but with the contemporary production of Firepower, the new album is all volume, aggression and sonic acrobatics, ranging from the triumphant melodies of Crown of Horns to the barreling, full-blown and rhythmically complex The Serpent and the King.

While Invincible Shield is a powerful celebration of pure metal, it’s also a relentless, brazen middle finger to mortality and severe illness.

“Sometimes, mortality brings out the best in people,” says Halford, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer during the pandemic, underwent a prostatectomy and radiation therapy and has been cancer-free for two years.

“That kind of struggle with mortality is all over this record because the instinct to survive is something you channel into yourself as a person, and the things you’ve been through and witnessed come across in your music.

“These songs are on fire. They’re absolutely blazing because no matter what we’re up against, the Priest will never curl up into a ball. We’re kicking and screaming, horns up and legs out – metal boots stomping all over the place.”

During separate revealing Zoom interviews with Faulkner and Halford, and an email exchange with Tipton, the songwriting trio of Judas Priest addressed the obstacles they faced forging Invincible Shield, the way they had to modify their creative process, how their undying support for one another has brought them closer, and Faulkner’s constant battle to evolve as a player and composer and his unwillingness to settle for anything short of topping his last great achievement.

Where do you see Invincible Shield in relation to the rest of the band’s catalog?

Richie Faulkner: “People keep comparing this to other things we’ve done, and I understand their desire to do that, but I think Invincible Shield is very much Priest today. That classic sound is ingrained in everyone, including me, but we always try to do something a little bit different than what we’ve done before. And that doesn’t come from some need to do something different; it comes naturally.

“I think creative people naturally try to do things that are new and inspiring to them. As a musician, you have to scratch that creative itch and do stuff that satisfies you.”

Rob Halford: “This is probably one of the most definitive Priest metal albums we’ve done. I think it’s a reflection of where we’re at now, and a continuation from where we were with Firepower while making references to other places in Priest’s history.”

Richie, how do you see Invincible Shield as a development of your contributions to the band?

Faulkner: “As a guitar player, I’m always thinking of how I can make what I’m doing better than what I did the last time. I focus a lot on how I can make what I wrote more appropriate and more valuable as a musical statement. So maybe I’ll construct the solos before recording them. That’s something different for me.”

Is that what you did for Invincible Shield?

Faulkner: “I constructed a few of my leads early and brought them into the studio. That gave me a foundation to work from. I still did about 70 percent of my solos in the studio, but what I did was run through one that’s improvised, and then run through another I wrote. After a couple takes, there are motifs that become prominent, and that’s what I build the whole solo around.”

You’ve established yourself as the lead guitarist for Judas Priest without altering the band’s core sound. 

Faulkner: “After 13 years in Priest playing both Glenn’s and K.K. [Downing, former Priest guitarist]’s stuff, everything they’ve done has become a part of my style as well. On a very intimate level, I’m playing the Painkiller solo every night, so that’s become a part of my vocabulary. So, I’m doing things like sweep picking and some tapping, which is new for me.”

Did you want to write differently than you have in the past?

Faulkner: “I’ve always been attracted to slightly progressive elements, and I think we’re all into that, so I introduced some parts that were a bit unconventional in that sense this time. And if they didn’t tick the right boxes, we left them on the shelf and found something else that worked better.

”But a lot of those parts stayed in, which was exciting. Maybe they were a little more progressive, maybe they weren’t. The only rule was that it had to sound like Judas Priest, and that left a lot of room to explore.”

Did you feel more comfortable writing with the guys on Invincible Shield than you did on Firepower?

Faulkner: “It was just a little different. I went in thinking, ‘Okay, you’ve got a bit of history with the band now. You co-wrote two records with them. How can you make this one better?’ I know better is a nebulous term, but for me, it’s got to be better. I’m representing one of the biggest and most influential heavy metal bands in the world, and the bar is higher. But that’s nothing new.

“What’s different, obviously, is Glenn’s situation is different now than it was for the first two albums I did with Priest. I knew I was going to have to take on more of the guitar load.”

Did you work more with Rob than you did before? 

Faulkner: “We did a lot together. Rob and I would put ideas together in the studio. Rob would usually come in with a vocal idea and I’d find something that worked with it on guitar.

“At first, you might not know what you’ve got, but a little way into the creative process, the album takes on its own character. And once you recognize that character, you start to embellish it. At the end, hopefully you’ve got this monster that you can unleash on the world. It’s exciting. It’s scary, though.”

What was scary about making Invincible Shield? 

Faulkner: “Firepower was a really well-received record. It was a big success. Now, how do you follow that? They’ve done it before, but this was my first rodeo with that kind of situation – following up something that’s been really well received. That was a challenge, but it’s a good challenge to have because you have to up the bar on yourself.”

Can’t you make yourself crazy constantly trying to better yourself?

Faulkner: “Challenges are what make albums unique, and there’s always a unique challenge for every album. When I was younger, maybe it was financial constraints. You didn’t have enough time in the studio, or the studio wasn’t big enough, or didn’t work the way you wanted it to. There are always challenges you have to work around.

“With Angel of Retribution, I was getting my studio bearings. And then we couldn’t record during a pandemic. And then we had a tour, so we had to record during the gaps in the tour. That was another challenge. But the challenges always happen right up until the album is complete and you’re satisfied. Before that, you’re always thinking it could be better or it’s not quite right, so you work on it to embellish it or make it more interesting.”

Can you think of a particular challenge you faced with a song on Invincible Shield?

Faulkner: “The original version of Panic Attack had another slower part before the guitar solo. It was too long. It didn’t feel right, so we took it out. When it’s right, you know it’s right, but sometimes it’s hard to tell why it’s not right. One thing I always think about is if it’s not grooving, it’s not right. When it’s vibing, that’s when you know you’ve finally gotten it.”

Glenn, you’ve been upfront about how you can’t play the way you used to because of Parkinson’s disease, which must be terribly frustrating. Did you change the way you worked as a band to accommodate your condition?

Glenn Tipton: “No, the three of us all worked together the same as normal. However, it is hard for me to give 100 percent now due to my Parkinson’s so Richie took more of the load. But I always try to look forward and ahead and be optimistic – that’s how I go about my guitar playing.”

Faulkner: “Writing-wise, when we were in the room together, and when Glenn had an idea, but he couldn’t play it, he would communicate the idea to me and tell me what to do. That might trigger a new idea from me, so there was a lot of back and forth. There were other ideas he had that he could play, and he played those.”

Tipton: “I have to take each day as it comes. Some days I feel strong, so I have a good day and I can play more. And others I feel weak so I can’t really play much.”

Halford: “Yes, but Glenn – his input, his validity, the reference points that he makes with his hands – are all over this album. So, as far as what this man stands for in the life of Judas Priest, the relationship hasn’t changed a bit. The only thing that’s changed is the way Parkinson’s has robbed him of his articulation on the guitar.

“So, he has very, very carefully passed over certain feelings toward the guitar passages to Richie. You’re hearing guitars that make you think of Glenn because that’s the way Glenn would perform. But it’s Richie playing a lot of it. So Glenn is all over this album. He’s playing on a lot of the songs, but those moments where he wasn’t able to, Richie is picking up and carrying that metal torch for Glenn.”

Glenn, do you sit or hold the guitar differently when you play, or play a lighter guitar?

Tipton: “No, I do everything the same and I still use my same guitars – the Hamer Phantom Signature Model and my Hamer Signature GTX. But I have to work very hard to get the sounds I want these days. I did come up with some guitar parts on my own, but when Richie was involved, he took the ideas I put forward and improved on them.”

Richie, when you came in with a song, did Glenn work with you on it or did you just record what you wrote? 

Faulkner: “Glenn knows exactly how to make something sound like Priest. I might come in with an almost complete song, and Glenn would suggest a little turnaround that was totally out of my school of thinking, and it made the song better. And then there are a couple of songs on the record, Sons of Thunder and Escape From Reality, and those were primarily Glenn’s ideas, and he had more to do with them.

“Obviously, it was a challenge to make everything work, but I think we knew how to handle it and we all worked together in a way that was really rewarding.”

Halford: “What’s interesting about Richie is the way I’ve watched him transform from the guitar player that he was when he first became the lead guitarist for Judas Priest for Redeemer of Souls, to the creative and empathetic musician he is today.

“Glenn mentored Richie, and Richie loves Glenn so much that the understanding of everything Glenn has done with Priest has become a part of who Richie is. And that understanding has been very profound.

“Over the past 10 or so years, Richie has matured and blossomed as a guitarist so he has his own identity ­– his own distinctive way of playing – and at the same time, he’s been able to move to another place to pick up for another guitar player.

“There are very few people that can do that and do it so well and with such love and such care and understanding, so that you get an extraordinary performance whether Richie is playing something he wrote or playing something for Glenn.”

Richie, did you play all the leads on the album?

Faulkner: “Not all of them. Glenn could manage Sons of Thunder, Vicious Circle and a couple others. But if he couldn’t play something, I took the helm.”

Did you try to play those leads in Glenn’s style?

Faulkner: “As a player, I’m so heavily influenced by Glenn anyway, but I don’t play as much legato as him. I come from the Zakk Wylde school of picking, and Zakk picks every note. I can’t do that, but I pick most of the notes. There’s a little bit of legato in my style, but there was definitely more legato going on before.

“But having said that, I did kind of take on that role of playing a lot of Glenn’s parts. If he couldn’t do it, I’d take on that role. There’s stuff I played on that’s unmistakably Tipton, both in the composition and guitar technique. But that’s why he’s such a vital and important part of Priest.”

What guitar sound were you shooting for on Invincible Shield? It sounds very Priest, but as you said, there’s something about the sound that makes it very relevant today.

Faulkner: “Well, it’s a good old Marshall JCM800 with a Tube Screamer-type pedal in the front. It’s a tried and tested approach when it comes to the way we EQ my sound. I’m quite a mid-heavy player, anyway. I think it gives the guitar extra presence and character.

“But after I recorded everything with my setup, I sent the tracks to producer Andy Sneap, and he re-amped them in his studio because I’ve got no time for microphone placement, and Andy is a real authority on that. So I sent him the DI tracks and he put them through cabinets and amplifiers that he’s got. He was using 800s and plexis to find that good, old Priest sound.

“There aren’t many effects there, but there’s a bit of reverb and delay that was done post-production. But at the heart of it, it’s that Marshall sound through a Gibson Explorer and one of my Flying Vs.”

An Ibanez Tube Screamer is a go-to for blues and other kinds of rock, but when you play it through a tube amp it tightens up the low-end and provides extra texture. 

Faulkner: “You ramp up the distortion on the JCM800 and that’s the main sound. The Tube Screamer wasn’t an Ibanez – it was a clone of a clone, a [Wampler] Tumnus [overdrive] that I have in front of my amps on stage.”

Would Invincible Shield be a good swan song for Judas Priest, or will there be another album?

Faulkner: “Who knows? If this one’s well received and there are enough ideas creatively to do another one, then it’s possible. We’ll have to wait and see, really. At this moment, I’m out of ideas. I’ve got nothing left. That always happens with me, and then I start coming up with things. But where are these ideas going to come from? I don’t know.

“But somehow, somewhere along the line, you start building up ideas and songs. They come from somewhere. After Firepower I was out of ideas and then we somehow created Invincible Shield. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Halford: “I think Richie is an endless well of guitar ideas, and Glenn has vaults of riffs we’ve never used, and a good riff will last forever. It’s all about perspective and presentation. When you’ve got all that sorted out, why stop? There’s a fire that’s really burning right now and it has been even before Invincible Shield left the launch pad. Right now, we’re focused on touring for the album, but when we finish touring, what are we going to do?

“Well, Priest has always maintained its relevance and importance in metal by showing you what we can do next. And the other thing is, I don’t like 19. It’s an odd number. I’m an ‘even number’ kind of guy. I like 20.

“But the bottom line is it’s absolutely glorious that we’re still out there. Glenn’s still thriving as a musician, and so is Richie after what he went through with his heart condition. I’m thriving after what I went through with my cancer condition. If that isn’t the embodiment of metal never dying and metal never surrendering, then I don’t know what is.

“There’s this importance in our lives as musicians to never give up and never give in, to also keep pushing ahead and going toward the metal torch on the horizon. That’s what drives us.”

• Invincible Shield is out now via Epic.

Before hooking up with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson in 1994 for Balls to Picasso, SoCal native Roy Ramirez – aka Roy Z – was known for his bands Seventh Thunder, Gypsy Moreno, and Royal Flush. His time with the group Tribe of Gypsies, though, would prove especially important. 

Through a chance meeting with Dickinson in 1993, Roy Z and his bandmates became his backing band as he embarked on a solo career after leaving Iron Maiden.

“It started in July ’93,” Z tells Guitar World. “And it was by mistake. I was working on a Tribe of Gypsies album in LA and Bruce was working there too. One day he came in, and I found out that he had stopped to listen to what I was doing. I was like, ‘My God, he's listening to my album?’ 

“I was introduced to him and he said, ‘I love your band – I’d like to use you guys.’ Before I knew it, I was on a plane to London – and we’ve been working together ever since.”

While supporting Dickinson on six solo records – and a seventh, The Mandrake Project, on the way – Z continued to release albums with Tribe of Gypsies, dabbled in production, and, notably, joined Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford’s solo band.

As heavy metal titans seemingly cut from the same cloth, you might assume that working with Dickinson and Halford would be similar experiences; but Z insists: “It’s completely different.

“How they individually go about their creative processes are different. That said, Bruce and Rob are both working-class people, meaning they’re hardworking. And they’re both gifted and have been the top guys for so long. It’s amazing to watch what they do and how they uniquely utilize their similar talents.”

Meanwhile, Z’s approach and mindset have mostly stayed the same over the last 30 years – he says he keeps it simple, focuses on the song, and doesn’t overthink it.

“I’m a producer too, and putting that hat on forces me to really think about the song,” he explains. “So when I switch back to being just a guitarist, it’s about what’s necessary for the song.

“I find myself just going for my identity versus trying to sound like I’m trying to keep up with trends. So that’s my focus – to keep allowing that to happen, letting it come to me, and using that as a base to do what I do from there.”

Your style differs from Bruce's approach with Iron Maiden in that you incorporate a lot of Latin influences, but there’s some overlap. Have you ever felt beholden to his established approach, or do you have free rein?

“It’s a bit of both. I have a lot of different influences, ranging from blues to hard rock, heavy metal and Latin stuff. That allows me to play whatever Bruce needs for a particular song; it’s not like I have to learn something new.

“I’ll pull from my repertoire and say, ‘Oh, it would be cool to try something like that.’ It’s a mishmash of everything I’ve studied and like to jam along with.”

How did things shake out regarding your riffs and solos for The Mandrake Project?

“I come in with an old-school approach where I start with a song and keep my focus there – I try to do whatever is needed for the artist to make their vision happen.

“I go to different spaces in my head and heart and come up with riffs. It’s the same with solos – I try to play whatever is appropriate for the song’s mood; capture the vibe. But I try to avoid being selfish and having too much self-indulgence.”

Are you an off-the-cuff player, or do you map things out beforehand?

“90-plus percent of my playing is off the cuff. With this record, I did have a couple of solos mapped out, but for the most part I go for it. I don't overthink it – I have a theory that you'll lose all the soul if you think about it too much.”

Did any of the songs from The Mandrake Project prove to be especially challenging for you to work through?

“Believe it or not, not really. But I was going through some physical stuff with the finger on my right hand, making things difficult. I remember it took me a long time to get the solo on Sonata (Immortal Beloved) right because of that. But Bruce coached me through it, and we finally got it after many attempts. After all that, it felt good when we finally nailed it.”

Do you feel especially close to any songs from a guitar perspective?

“It’s hard to pick one, but I’d say Afterglow of Ragnarok was pretty cool. I’m thrilled with that riff because it’s memorable. Another is Resurrection Men, which has a beefy middle section that sounds pretty sinister. But this wasn’t a huge riff album; it’s more about the tunes.”

What gear did you rely on to shape your tone while recording?

“I’ve got an old EVH 5150 from back in the day that I always use with Bruce, and I’m using mostly Gibson guitars and a lot of my homemade pedals. It’s an array of random stuff – different pedals, amps and even guitars. I don’t go into anything fixated on a specific thing – it’s not like a factory assembly line, you know?”

What will your live rig look like when you head out on tour with Bruce?

“I’m going with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex for a lot of my sounds. And I’ll be using a Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700, which is basically a power amp that I like. I also have a Laney power speaker, which is pretty cool. 

“I just got this new pedal by TWA, which is an overdrive. It’s made by the same guy who invented the Tube Screamer in 1979, so I’m excited about that. I’m sure I'll have some wah, too, but that’s about it.”

Where do things stand with your other projects?

“As far as my own music goes, I’ve got a lot recorded, but I’m searching for the right outlet to put it out. I’m not too happy with the current outlets available, so I’m putting together an outlet that’s more favorable to being an artist.

“Right now, I’m just concentrating on getting ready to tour with Bruce, learning the set and getting my gear together.”

• The Mandrake Project is set for release on March 1 and it’s available for pre-order now. Check here for Dickinson and Z’s tour dates.

Last March, Dolly Parton announced that she was withdrawing her nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the time, the country legend said that she didn't feel she had “earned [the] right“ to be inducted. 

Parton later backtracked though, and even performed – with a $99 mini electric guitar – at that year's induction ceremony, but also noted even as she initially withdrew from consideration that the nomination had inspired her to “put out a hopefully great rock 'n' roll record at some point in the future,“ adding that a more rock-oriented project was something she had “always wanted to do.“

Given how often prominent musicians talk publicly about bucket-list projects without following through in any way, we'd like to tip our cap to Parton, who on November 17 will indeed release an album aptly titled Rockstar.

One of its latest singles, Bygones, teams Parton with an incredible supporting cast that includes Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, and two members of Mötley Crüe – guitar hero John 5 and bass guitar player Nikki Sixx. 

Now, before you write all this off, keep in mind that John 5 was raised on country. He gives Bygones a snarling rhythm guitar pulse that's 1/3 Eddie Van Halen, 1/3 Mötley Crüe and 1/3 Grand Ole Opry, and works as a brilliant backdrop for Parton, who sounds just as at home here as she would with fiddles and mandolins.

In a statement, Parton described the song as “one of my very favorites on the whole album. 

“The song fits with so many couples,“ Parton says, “and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special.”

Parton also, earlier this year, spoke positively of Sixx's playing on the album, in a letter to the bassist's wife, Courtney Bingham. “Hey Courtney,“ Parton wrote in the letter, which Bingham later shared on social media. “Your hubby played his butt off on my album! Maybe someday I can meet you both. Love, Dolly.”

To preorder Rockstar, visit Parton's website. 

Glenn Tipton joined Judas Priest for the encores of two shows last weekend at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California on Saturday (March 12) and the Zappos Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday (March 13).

Having previously suggested that Tipton would join the band for select dates on their ongoing 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour, frontman Rob Halford brought Tipton out to roaring crowds on both dates to play through Metal Gods, Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight.

Tipton stepped back from touring duties with Judas Priest in 2018 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but remains hellbent on not letting the condition stop him from playing. Watch as he blazes through three Priest classics, and serves up the solo in Living After Midnight, in the footage below.

Despite taking a step back from official touring duties, Tipton is set to play guitar on the next Judas Priest album, Halford confirmed late last year.

“He can play, so he'll be on this next album,” Halford told Spain's Mariskal Rock. “Whatever work he does, he's valuable – really important.”

“He's a member of Judas Priest,” the frontman continued. “He's still there. He's still an important component of this band and what this band represents, particularly in the writing sense. He made a massive contribution to the songs that we have so far. And we'll still keep writing – we'll still keep putting together the ideas. Because you can never stop writing.”

"So, yeah, he's good, man," Halford added. "He's still a fighter. He never lets anything stop him. He's a great force for people that are living their lives actively and productively with Parkinson's. So he's still very much [like] that No Surrender song – a heavy metal hero."

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner appears to be back into the swing of things, too, after suffering an aortic aneurysm onstage with the band at Louder Than Life in September last year.

In a remarkable recovery following the incident, Faulkner was shredding on Instagram Live just 10 weeks afterwards, and back in December, he revealed he was back in the studio recording a guest solo for Demon Hunter's next album.

Priest's full-time guitar tandem is currently completed by Andy Sneap, who produced their 2018 album Firepower, and has filled in for Tipton ever since. Back in January, the band announced that they would go forth touring without Sneap, but following fan backlash, his place in the group's touring lineup was reinstated.

The band's setlist was the same in both Oakland and Las Vegas. Check it out below.

1. One Shot at Glory
2. Lightning Strike
3. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
4. Freewheel Burning
5. Turbo Lover
6. Hell Patrol
7. The Sentinel
8. A Touch of Evil
9. Rocka Rolla
10. Victim of Changes
11. Desert Plains
12. Blood Red Skies
13. Diamonds & Rust (Joan Baez cover)
14. Painkiller
15. Electric Eye
16. Hell Bent for Leather
17. Metal Gods
18. Breaking the Law
19. Living After Midnight

Judas Priest's 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour continues tomorrow (March 15) at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

Back in 2018, Judas Priest electric guitar legend Glenn Tipton retired from touring with the group due to his battle with Parkinson’s disease, which he was first diagnosed with in 2008.

Tipton is still active though, and has made periodic live guest appearances with the band in the years since his retirement from touring, in addition to extensive contributions to the band's last studio album, 2018's Firepower.

According to Priest frontman Rob Halford, Tipton will also contribute to, and play on, the band's as-yet-untitled, in-progress 19th studio LP. 

"There's ways of doing this. Glenn can still play the guitar. He plays it differently, but he can still play," Halford told Spain's Mariskal Rock in an interview. "He walked out with us on Bloodstock recently [and played] Metal Gods, Breaking The Law and Living After Midnight, I think it was. He can play. So he'll be on this next album. Whatever work he does, he's valuable – really important. 

"He's a member of Judas Priest," Halford continued. "He's still there. He's still an important component of this band and what this band represents, particularly in the writing sense. He made a massive contribution to the songs that we have so far. And we'll still keep writing – we'll still keep putting together the ideas. Because you can never not stop writing. 

"The calendar tells you, the label says, 'We would like a record blah blah,' because it takes months to prepare and then months of promotion. And the clock is ticking.

"So, yeah, he's good, man," Halford added. "He's still a fighter. He never lets anything stop him. He's a great force for people that are living their lives actively and productively with Parkinson's. So he's still very much [like] that No Surrender song – a heavy metal hero."

Of the new album in general, Halford said, "It's sounding good, man. It's sounding really strong. I'm very excited for our fans again. I think it's gonna be another great display of the passion that we still have as writers and as players to get this down and to unleash some new metal.

"We've got a bunch of stuff," Halford continued. "I don't know when you and I talked last, but since then, we did have that one big writing session – March, whatever year that was; not this year, but last year I think it was. And then another one before the Bloodstock festival [in August]. So we've got a strong, strong bunch of id[eas]… Well, they're more than ideas – they're completed songs. We haven't gone into full production yet.

"It's gonna be great," Halford said. "It's gonna be a really, really good moment."

Back in September, Judas Priest postponed the remainder of their 50 Heavy Metal Years tour, after the band's guitarist, Richie Faulkner, suffered an aortic aneurysm while performing onstage with the group at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 26. Faulkner recently said that he was feeling “very strong and positive,” and was “playing guitar everyday” as part of his recovery.

Halford also suffered a recent health scare, having undergone surgery and radiation for prostate cancer in 2020 and 2021, respectively. He is now in remission. 

Judas Priest’s Rob Halford has revealed that he has been treated for prostate cancer, and that he is now in remission.

The vocalist made the announcement rather candidly while in conversation with Heavy Consequence, having never previously spoken about his battle before. 

During the interview, he said his symptoms began back in 2017, and reassured fans that he is now – after receiving surgery last year and a stint of radiation therapy earlier this year – in remission.

“I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that’s in remission now, thank God,” began Halford. “That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events.

“I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most.”

The 70-year-singer delved deeper into his battle with cancer in a newly released chapter of his 2020 memoir, Confess, saying that he underwent extensive testing before receiving his diagnosis.

“I felt a combination of shock, horror, and oddly, relief – at least now I know!” he wrote. “‘Am I going to die?’ It was all I could think of. I know blokes who’ve died of prostate cancer. ‘No, you’re not going to die, Rob,’ said Dr. Ali.”

After his diagnosis, Halford underwent prostatectomy surgery in 2020, though was forced to follow it up with further radiation treatment in April and May this year after more cancer was discovered at the start of 2021. By June, the cancer was in remission.

“It’s been a draining year, I can’t deny it,” he continued, “but I’m delighted to have come through it. I feel like I’ve had the most thorough MOT that a Metal God can have.”

He also wrote that he "told hardly anyone I had cancer," apart from his partner and his close family, and reveals he had Judas Priest management break the news to his fellow bandmates.

Halford and Judas Priest were forced to postpone the remainder of their 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour last month after guitarist Richie Faulkner was hospitalized due to major heart condition issues.

In an update, Faulkner revealed he had suffered an aortic aneurysm onstage during the band’s set at Louder Than Life Festival in Kentucky on September 26, and that doctors had informed him that “people with this don’t usually make it to the hospital alive."

Rob Halford has confirmed that Andy Sneap will continue electric guitar and acoustic guitar duties for Judas Priest during their upcoming 50th anniversary tour.

Sneap, who produced Priest's 2018 album Firepower, joined Richie Faulkner on six-string duties for the record's run of live dates, after the band's longtime guitarist Glenn Tipton had to step back from the group following his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. 

While discussing the forthcoming tour, Halford told Metal Pilgrim, “Andy Sneap is still standing in that spot for Glenn with Glenn’s blessing… it’s pretty much a given that [Sneap will join the tour]. 

"And my gratitude to Andy. It couldn’t have happened in a better way if you wanna try and make something good out of it," he continued. "It was a really important day when Glenn said, ‘I think It’s probably best if I step to the side and maybe should let Andy come in.’ That was just a really beautiful act of selflessness.”

Halford also revealed that Tipton is still involved in the songwriting process for the band’s next album, and teased a possible cameo from the guitarist on tour, saying, "I’ve got a feeling that Glenn’s gonna be making the occasional appearance on this 50th anniversary tour.”

Tipton previously spoke to Guitar World about what went through his head when he was first diagnosed: “It was upsetting, but I wasn’t really shocked because I sort of thought it was Parkinson’s. I probably hoped it wasn’t, but the doctor said it was.”

While initially Tipton was determined to carry on touring and writing, eventually he determined he would be unable to continue, saying, “I decided that it was really going to be too much for me. 

"With the medication and the time zone changes and everything else, I realized it was time to retire, from touring at least. I don’t ever want to compromise Judas Priest. It’s too big a part of my life.”

Judas Priest will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a huge world tour, starting in September and running until summer 2022, featuring Swedish metalheads Sabaton in support across the US, while Priest will support Ozzy Osbourne in Europe and the UK. Full dates can be found on the band's website. 

In other Priest news, the group's former guitarist K.K. Downing recently revealed the remaining band members had threatened him with legal action over the name of his new project, KK's Priest.

Former Judas Priest electric guitar star K.K. Downing has claimed he was threatened with legal action from the remaining members of the band over the name of his new project, KK’s Priest.

Downing was a founding member of Judas Priest in 1968 but left in 2011 amid claims of band conflict and problems with management, being quickly replaced by Ritchie Faulkner. 

He had been on a hiatus from the industry until earlier this year, when he unveiled new supergroup KK’s Priest, featuring former Judas Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens alongside A.J. Mills (Hostile), Tony Newton (Voodoo Six) and Sean Elg (Deathriders, Cage).

Speaking to Rock Hard Greece, Downing revealed, "Their lawyers sent a letter to my record company making threats of legal action if I went forward with KK’s Priest. But for the moment, nothing happened. I think they made the threat but decided not to follow through. They made the threat to stop me making the band.”

Defending his choice of name for the new five-piece, the 69-year axeman continued, “I think a lot of fans will understand that I have been a Priest since 1968. I’ve wanted to be a Priest since. I’ve traversed the road of the evolution of music as we know it today. 

"We went from blues, when I was young, to progressive blues to rock to hard rock to heavy rock to heavy metal," he added. "I’ve been on that journey. So, I believe that I have a right to continue as a Priest, because some of the guys in Priest now, I haven’t met them, and they’re playing my songs, which is fine. But if they have a right to be a Priest then I have a right. 

"I can’t write like a new guitar player. So, everything I do is gonna be reminiscent of the past to the fans. I think it’s gonna be absolutely fine; I really do. The face of KK’s Priest, that will evolve, and that will be on the journey with us.”

Downing also gave away that, shortly after his departure in 2011, his former bandmate Rob Halford got in touch about starting a new project with Arch Enemy's Jeff Loomis, formerly of Nevermore.

“A couple of weeks after I walked out, Rob and his manager wrote me a letter. They wanted me to form a band with Rob and some other musicians,” he reveals. “Jeff Loomis was one. I can’t remember the names. But I got the email… I just ignored it.”

KK’s Priest have already unveiled two tracks from their upcoming debut album, lead single Hellfire Thunderbolt and follow-up offering Sermons of the Sinner.

The band's debut album, Sermons of the Sinner, which will be released via Explorer1 Music Group/Ex 1 Records, is available to preorder now ahead of its August 20 release date.

Judas Priest’s latest album, Firepower, has been a critical and commercial success, even as the band has struggled internally with guitarist Glenn Tipton's ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease. Onstage, the 70-year-old guitarist’s spot has been filled by producer Andy Sneap, though Tipton has also made a few surprise live appearances with the band. 

In a new interview with Musik Universe, Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill—the band’s sole original member—was asked if Firepower might turn out to be the legendary metal act’s final album. 

Hill responded: “We're not planning on that. There's no reason why there shouldn't be anything. Glenn can play for short periods of time—even on a bad day, he can do that. It's just that he can't handle a full set at the moment. That may change—there may be procedures coming along that will help him along—but there's no reason why he shouldn't be able to write new songs. And he's capable of playing for short periods of time on the album as well. So we're not planning on Firepower being the last album."

He added: "I think the Firepower tour is now booked through until next summer. So we'll take some time off and stand back and then see where we're gonna go from there—whether we're gonna carry on with Firepower or whether we're gonna do something else."

Whether or not there will be more studio albums, Priest will certainly be active for the foreseeable future. Frontman Rob Halford recently revealed that plans are underway to celebrate Priest’s 50th anniversary in 2019. 

As for how long Andy Sneap will remain in the guitar slot, Halford said in an interview on Rock Talk with Mitch Lafon, “He's committed to this band for as long as we need him.”

"I think I can safely say that Andy will be with us through what's left of the Firepower tour, which is gonna be [going] through the rest of this year and most of next year as well,” Halford continued. “Where we go from that, we can't even look and see. We're just very happy to have Andy with us. Glenn's happy to have Andy doing his parts on stage for him. Andy's carved out his own little kind of way of expressing himself, he plays the songs really well, and the fans have accepted him for doing something very generous. So it's a feel-good story, definitely."

Judas Priest closed their show last night at the Bilbao Exhibiton Centre by bringing out Glenn Tipton for a four-song encore that included "Victim of Changes." You can watch their performance of "Victim of Changes" above.

This was the first time that Judas Priest had performed the Sad Wings of Destiny track during this year's Firepower tour. It also deviated from the band's usual performances with Tipton, who has been limited making only occasional onstage appearances with the band since retiring from touring due to his battle with Parkinson's. Throughout the Firepower tour, Tipton has typically only joined the band for three songs, usually "Metal Gods," "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight."

“I decided that it was really going to be too much for me,” Tipton told Guitar World back in March about his decision to step down from the Firepower tour. “With the medication and the time zone changes and everything else, I realized it was time to retire—from touring at least."

"I don’t ever want to compromise Judas Priest. It’s too big a part of my life.”

You can read our full interview with Tipton, in which he opens up about his struggle with Parkinson's, right here.

During their show Tuesday night, June 5, at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway, Judas Priest decided to bring out a deep cut that they hadn't performed live in a very long time. Deep into their set, the band played "Night Comes Down"—from their 1984 album, Defenders of the Faith—for the first time in 34 years. You can watch the performance above.

This isn't the first time on the Firepower tour that Judas Priest have resurrected a long-dormant track from deep in their back catalog. Last month, at a show in San Antonio, they played "Tyrant"—a fan favorite from their 1976 album, Sad Wings of Destiny—live for the first time in 35 years.

Judas Priest are currently on the European leg of their Firepower tour. Later this summer though, they will return to the United States for a co-headlining trek with Deep Purple. You can check out the dates for that tour below.

For more on Judas Priest, head on over to judaspriest.com.

Deep Purple and Judas Priest North American Tour Dates:

8/21 — Cincinnati, OH — Riverbend Music Center

8/22 — Chicago, IL — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

8/24 — Detroit, MI — Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

8/25 — Mt. Pleasant, MI — Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort

8/27 — Hamilton, ON — FirstOntario Centre

8/29 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre

8/30 — Quebec City, QC — Centre Videotron

9/1 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

9/2 — Bethel Woods, NY — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

9/5 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater

9/6 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center

9/8 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

9/9 — Camden, NJ — BB&T Pavilion

9/11 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion

9/12 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily's Place

9/14 — Atlanta, GA — Verizon Amphitheatre

9/16 — Biloxi, MS — Mississippi Coast Coliseum

9/18 — Kansas City, MO — Starlight Theatre

9/20 — Welch, MN — Treasure Island Casino

9/21 — Council Bluffs, IA — Harrah's Council Bluffs

9/23 — Denver, CO — Pepsi Center

9/26 — San Diego, CA — Mattress Firm Amphitheatre

9/27 — Irvine, CA — FivePoint Amphitheatre

9/29 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheatre

9/30 — Wheatland, CA — Toyota Amphitheatre

During their show Tuesday night, May 1, at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Judas Priest decided to change things up a bit. Deep into their set, the band played the fan favorite "Tyrant" for the first time in 35 years. You can watch the performance above.

According to setlist.fm, the track—taken from the band's 1976 album, Sad Wings of Destiny—had not been performed live since 1983. The band also closed the concert by performing three songs with former guitarist Glenn Tipton, who has been making occasional onstage appearances with the band since retiring from touring due to his battle with Parkinson's.

The group performed "Metal Gods," "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" with Tipton, according to setlist.fm.

You can watch the performance of "Metal Gods" below.

Judas Priest and Deep Purple will embark on a joint North American tour this summer. The month-long jaunt through North America will take place from late August through late September.

Tickets for the 25-show jaunt are set to go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 27 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com. You can check out the full itinerary below.

Deep Purple's latest album is 2017's inFinite, while Judas Priest's latest album, Firepower, was released last month. You can read our interview with the band about the album—taken from our May 2018 issue—right here.

For more tickets and information, head on over to judaspriest.com or deeppurple.com.

Deep Purple and Judas Priest North American Tour Dates:

8/21 — Cincinnati, OH — Riverbend Music Center

8/22 — Chicago, IL — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

8/24 — Detroit, MI — Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

8/25 — Mt. Pleasant, MI — Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort

8/27 — Hamilton, ON — FirstOntario Centre

8/29 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre

8/30 — Quebec City, QC — Centre Videotron

9/1 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

9/2 — Bethel Woods, NY — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

9/5 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater

9/6 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center

9/8 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

9/9 — Camden, NJ — BB&T Pavilion

9/11 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion

9/12 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily's Place

9/14 — Atlanta, GA — Verizon Amphitheatre

9/16 — Biloxi, MS — Mississippi Coast Coliseum

9/18 — Kansas City, MO — Starlight Theatre

9/20 — Welch, MN — Treasure Island Casino

9/21 — Council Bluffs, IA — Harrah's Council Bluffs

9/23 — Denver, CO — Pepsi Center

9/26 — San Diego, CA — Mattress Firm Amphitheatre

9/27 — Irvine, CA — FivePoint Amphitheatre

9/29 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheatre

9/30 — Wheatland, CA — Toyota Amphitheatre

It was supposed to be a period of celebration, not turmoil, and Judas Priest seemed to be having a great time.

Vocalist Rob Halford and guitarist Richie Faulkner had flown to New York to plug their newly completed album, Firepower, the first in which Faulkner played a major songwriting role. The band’s other guitarist, Glenn Tipton—who had not yet announced that he had been suffering for years with Parkinson’s disease and would not be joining Priest on the Firepower tour—was apparently still in England working on the final mixes with recording engineer Mike Exeter.

Whether they were ecstatic to finally be out of the studio or were simply holding their cards close to the vest, Halford and Faulkner didn’t give any indication that something was amiss. They were both upbeat and filled with enthusiasm, joking with label staff and reveling in the afterglow of their latest creation.

“I really love the song ‘Spectre,’ which has a real ‘Ripper’-esque breakdown that’s great!” Faulkner exclaims from a black couch in his record label conference room shortly after a press screening of the album. “From there, it goes into a guitar solo, and then another guitar solo and then a harmony solo. We weren’t shooting for radio play, so we weren’t bound by any formula. We just had fun with it and went where the songs took us.”

Unlike Faulkner’s recording debut, 2014’s Redeemer of Souls, nothing on Firepower feels formulaic. There’s an element of excitement and discovery throughout that Priest haven’t displayed in more than 10 years.

Faulkner admits he wrote his parts on Redeemer of Souls to fit a band template, and it’s noticeable. By contrast, on Firepower he just sounds like a skilled guitarist influenced by Priest, but also by numerous other hard rock and metal players.

From the muted, power-chord riffage and double-bass drumming of the title track to the delicate, atmospheric arpeggios and countermelodies of the cinematic near-ballad “Sea of Red,” Firepower is epic and enthralling—riddled with metal turmoil yet resounding with optimism.

“That’s the thing with Priest,” interjects Halford from an adjacent chair, unconsciously rubbing his well-groomed beard. “There’s always an element of hope within the chaos. It’s like with most great, passionate art. Whether you’re talking about Star Wars or Priest, in the end, hope wins. Love wins. In the end, the true core and essence of humanity survives, no matter how much shit you throw at it or how much you think it’s been destroyed. We emerge triumphant.”

Equal parts battle cry and victory march, Firepower resonates with the spirit of some of Priest’s most anthemic albums, including 1978’s Hell Bent for Leather, 1982’s Screaming for Vengeance and 1984’s Defenders of the Faith.

“We knew we had to record a very powerful album, and I think we achieved it,” Tipton says over the phone from his home in the Midlands, England. “We wanted to do a no-nonsense, heavy metal album that was very much Judas Priest.”

“The mantra we had was ‘classic heavy fucking metal,’ ” Halford adds, pounding a fist on the table for dramatic effect. “There’d be days when the guys would go, ‘Oh, this is a great riff,’ and I’d say, ‘No, it’s not heavy enough.’ With every song, we had to keep coming back to that pillar of dedication.”

That doesn’t mean Firepower is all power and no finesse. “Lightning Strikes,” “Firepower,” “Evil Never Dies” and “Flamethrower” go straight for the jugular, but the slow, doomy “Children of the Sun,” the spectral, balladic “Sea of Red” and the singalong rocker “Never the Heroes” showcase a less aggressive side of the band.

“There was a definite consensus to be heavy,” explains Faulkner, who was born in London and played in Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris’ daughter Lauren’s solo band before joining Priest. “But heavy means so many different things. It could be heavy lyrical content. It could have a heavy vibe. It could be something detuned and dissonant. And it was interesting to see things that maybe weren’t heavy in the beginning progress into these heavier songs.”

Back when Faulkner worked with Priest on Redeemer of Souls, he had only been in the band a few years and working with his childhood heroes still felt like winning a contest. On Firepower, Faulkner had an urgent need to prove himself—to show that he deserved to work alongside Tipton and Halford—and could inject his own style into the band as well as play note-perfect versions of their classics.

“This one definitely felt more serious for me,” he explains. “I felt a bit more, ‘Right, stop fanboying. You’ve been in the band seven years. Now, show ’em what you’ve got.’ ”

Over a six-month period, Faulkner spent many long nights with his white 1976 Les Paul Custom, laying down different riffs, licks and arpeggios. Many were brand new, but some came from other projects. “Sea of Red” started with a passage he wrote for a band he was in when he was 17, the foundation of “Guardians” was composed in 2008 but never used and part of “Spectre” came from the extended solo spot he played onstage when the band toured in 2011. While Faulkner composed at his home in South Florida, Tipton wrote in his own studio. The guitarists didn’t share any ideas until mid-2016 when Faulkner and Halford traveled to the Midlands, England, for the first of several writing sessions.

Even though he was well-prepared when he arrived, Faulkner was fidgety and anxious. When Tipton connected a pair of speakers to his mixing desk and switched on a hard drive filled with Faulkner’s new ideas, his anxiety turned to near-panic.

“I see Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton sitting there listening to my demos and I’m looking at the knobs thinking, What have I done? What have I done?!? What was I thinking!?! Faulkner admits, then smiles. “You’re stepping into uncharted territory and the amygdala in your brain kicks in, telling you, ‘No, stop!’ because you’re in fight-or-flight mode, but you’ve got to push through it. And dude, it’s the most intimidating thing.”

He needn’t have worried. Not only were Tipton and Halford receptive to his ideas, they were galvanized by his enthusiasm and amazed by his knack for writing parts that complimented Tipton’s riffs. “I find all of Richie’s ideas to be very in tune with my own, and that makes it a real pleasure to work together,” Tipton says. “And it was refreshing because I get to work with parts that I didn’t write and I wasn’t familiar with.”

“There was so much excitement going on in the room when we were writing,” Halford adds. “There were so many ideas and the chemistry was so good that I’d wake up in the morning and go, ‘I can’t wait to get to the studio today.” And that feeling was very prominent in all of us.”

With all the demos completed, Judas Priest returned to the Midlands in March 2017 to start recording. They wanted Firepower to have a vintage sound, so they recruited producer Tom Allom, who worked on every Priest album between 1980’s British Steel and 1988’s Ram It Down. They also wanted to work with a more contemporary producer, so they invited Andy Sneap (who is now filling in for Tipton for the Firepower tour). Finally, the band hired Mark Exeter—who produced Redeemer of Souls with Tipton—to engineer.

“We were struggling with who to use, and I think it was Glenn who said, ‘Let’s get them all,’ Faulkner says. “They each brought something great to the record and there were no ego battles at all.”

To track his rhythms, Faulkner used the same Les Paul he wrote with and played on the last two Judas Priest tours. He played the distorted passages through a combination of a Marshall JCM800, Marshall JVM, Peavey EVH 5150 and Engl Powerball. For clean segments and layering, he played a Telecaster through a Roland JC-120.

“I know a lot of people don’t consider that a metal guitar, but neither was a Stratocaster until Hendrix picked it up,” Falkner says.

Tipton mostly used a combination of his Custom ESP LTD GT-600 Viper signature series guitar in the shape of an SG, and his old Hamer customized guitars. He also used a variety of Fenders.

“You’re going to use a different guitar for a very slow and powerful song like ‘Children of the Sun’ than you’re going to use for ‘Lightning Strikes’ or ‘Firepower,’ which are much fiercer,” he says. “So, it’s just a case of hunting around like a mad professor in the studio trying different leads, guitars, amps until you get the sound you want.”

For amps, Tipton used an Engl Invader, but he also experimented with Marshalls and EVHs. “You’d think after 40 years it would be easy for us to get a guitar sound, but that’s not necessarily the case,” he says. “You can use the same guitar in the same room with the same amps, but if it’s a different song you might go, ‘Well, this isn’t quite right.’ You have to work at it again. And we worked very hard to get the right guitar sounds for this album.”

For Tipton, tracking his leads was simply a matter of following his instincts and loosely adhering to the formula that’s worked for years. He composed everything on the spot on his ESPs and sometimes his Hamers. “I always enjoy recording the solos more than any other part of the process,” he said. “It’s where the album takes on its final identity and shifts into place.”

Faulkner pre-wrote some of his solos but improvised others. He used his go-to Marshalls and Les Paul, as well as a ’79 Flying V and a ’63 Strat to provide extra tone.

It’s understandable that Tipton didn’t mention Parkinson’s when Priest were promoting Firepower. At the time, he still seemed to be managing his condition. He was far more affected by it than he had been when he contracted Parkinson’s 15 years or so earlier, but he played an abundance of fleet-fingered leads throughout Firepower and was planning to tour with the band until about a month before the first show.

Tipton’s inability to tour with Priest likely won’t prevent the band from playing exciting sets with Faulkner and Sneap (ex-Sabbat, Hell)—but it effectively marks the end of an era. When longtime Priest guitarist K.K. Downing quit in 2011, the band stumbled for a moment, then regained its footing after discovering Faulkner, who literally saved the group.

“Richie came in at a time that was very shaky,” Halford admits. “We really didn’t have a band to speak of as we went out on the Epitaph tour. None of us knew if this was going to work, Richie included. But of course, it did. And we’ve moved on ever since.”

For the next six years, Faulkner capably took the second guitar slot and Downing’s absence was hardly crippling. It didn’t hurt that Faulkner’s flowing blonde tresses, leather attire and natural showmanship resembled a young Downing. But now that Tipton is unable to tour, it’s clear that the team that pioneered the twin-guitar attack and harmony leads in metal is a piece of history. If, as Tipton hopes, Priest returns to the studio when they finish touring for Firepower, they certainly have the skill to create another bracing album. But those who view the glass as half-empty will point out that Parkinson’s gets worse over time, and in two years from now—about the time Priest could record another record—Halford will be 68 and bassist Ian Hill will be 69.

If age is genuinely a state of mind, hopefully Judas Priest have a few good years left in the tank, but, as they’ve pointed out repeatedly in lyrics and artwork, no one escapes the hands of time. “Until you actually get into the routine of writing for the next album, you can’t say how difficult it’s gonna be,” Tipton concludes. “But, certainly, Firepower has got so much energy and diversity, it’s looking good, you know? It does make us ready to try to promote some more Priest classics. So we’ve definitely got a lot of enthusiasm at the moment.”

Last night—during their show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey—Judas Priest were joined by Glenn Tipton for the first time since he stepped down from the band due to his battle with Parkinson's disease.

Tipton joined the group for their three-song encore, playing blistering versions of "Metal Gods," "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight," much to the delight of the thousands of fans in attendance. You can watch the full encore above.

“I decided that it was really going to be too much for me,” Tipton recently told Guitar World about his decision to step down from the Firepower tour. “With the medication and the time zone changes and everything else, I realized it was time to retire—from touring at least."

"I don’t ever want to compromise Judas Priest. It’s too big a part of my life.”

You can read our full interview with Tipton, in which he opens up about his struggle with Parkinson's, right here.

Judas Priest have achieved their highest-ever U.S. chart debut with their new album, Firepower. The metal legends' 18th album debuted at Number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Billboard, edging out 2014's Redeemer of Souls—which debuted and peaked at Number 6—for the band's best-ever position on that chart. It sold 49,000 copies in its first week of availability.

“We knew we had to record a very powerful album, and I think we achieved it,” Glenn Tipton—who played guitar on the album, before bowing out of full-time membership of the band due to his struggle with Parkinson's disease—recently told Guitar World. “We wanted to do a no-nonsense, heavy metal album that was very much Judas Priest.”

“The mantra we had was ‘classic heavy fucking metal’,” frontman Rob Halford added. “There’d be days when the guys would go, ‘Oh, this is a great riff,’ and I’d say, ‘No, it’s not heavy enough.’ With every song, we had to keep coming back to that pillar of dedication.”

You can read our full feature on Firepower—from our brand-new, May 2018 issue—right here.

Judas Priest have premiered the music video for "Spectre," the latest single from their new album, Firepower. You can watch it above.

Firepower—the band's eighteenth studio album—is out today. It was recorded with longtime collaborator Tom Allom and Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Accept). You can pick up a copy for yourself right here.

“Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing,” Halford said in a press release about the album. “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.”

The metal legends are also set to head out on a North American tour next week. You can check out their full itinerary below, and be sure to stay tuned for some coverage of Judas Priest in the pages of Guitar World in the coming weeks....

For more on Judas Priest, step right this way.

Judas Priest: 2018 North American Tour

• Mar. 13 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
• Mar. 15 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
• Mar. 17 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
• Mar. 18 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
• Mar. 20 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
• Mar. 22 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
• Mar. 25 - Ottawa, ON - The Arena at TD Place
• Mar. 27 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
• Mar. 28 - Oshawa, ON - Tribute Communities Centre
• Mar. 30 - Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
• Mar. 31 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Masonic Temple
• Apr. 03 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
• Apr. 05 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
• Apr. 08 - Bloomington, IL - Grossinger Motors Arena
• Apr. 10 - Casper, WY - Casper Events Center
• Apr. 11 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center
• Apr. 15 - Kent, WA - ShoWare Center
• Apr. 17 - Portland, OR - Veterans Memorial Coliseum
• Apr. 19 - San Francisco - The Warfield
• Apr. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theater
• Apr. 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
• Apr. 26 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
• Apr. 28 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory
• Apr. 29 - Sugarland, TX - Smart Financial Centre
• May 01 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum

Judas Priest have premiered the lyric video for "Never the Heroes," the latest single from their new album, Firepower. You can watch it above.

"Never the Heroes" follows the title track from Firepower—the band's eighteenth studio album—and "Lightning Strike."

"'Never the Heroes' is about the courageous men and women that enter war," the band told Loudwire. "Never trained to be heroes, but becoming heroic due to their actions and sacrifices doing their duty for their people and country. It resonates, as there is a hero in all of us, and in times of struggle we can be strong and united, conquering our own challenges and helping others."

You can preorder Firepower—which is set for a March 9 release—here, and you can also stop by the band's PledgeMusic page to get your hands on limited-edition collectibles related to the album—such as a metallic silver-colored cassette version of Firepower—which are available now.

For more on Judas Priest, step right this way.

Back in October, Judas Priest made their return, announcing a new album—Firepower—and a North American tour to accompany it. The metal legends, though, took their time before giving us a full preview of the album. Today, that long wait has finally come to an end.

You can watch the music video for Firepower's blistering first single, "Lightning Strike," above.

Firepower—the band's eighteenth studio album—was recorded with longtime collaborator Tom Allom and Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Accept). It is set for release March 9.

“Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing,” Halford said in a press release. “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.”

You can see if Judas Priest will be heading your way with a look at their itinerary below.

For more on Judas Priest, step right this way.

Judas Priest: 2018 North American Tour

• Mar. 13 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
• Mar. 15 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
• Mar. 17 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
• Mar. 18 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
• Mar. 20 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
• Mar. 22 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
• Mar. 25 - Ottawa, ON - The Arena at TD Place
• Mar. 27 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
• Mar. 28 - Oshawa, ON - Tribute Communities Centre
• Mar. 30 - Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
• Mar. 31 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Masonic Temple
• Apr. 03 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
• Apr. 05 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
• Apr. 08 - Bloomington, IL - Grossinger Motors Arena
• Apr. 10 - Casper, WY - Casper Events Center
• Apr. 11 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center
• Apr. 15 - Kent, WA - ShoWare Center
• Apr. 17 - Portland, OR - Veterans Memorial Coliseum
• Apr. 19 - San Francisco - The Warfield
• Apr. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theater
• Apr. 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
• Apr. 26 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
• Apr. 28 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory
• Apr. 29 - Sugarland, TX - Smart Financial Centre
• May 01 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum

British heavy metal band Judas Priest have announced a new album—Firepower—and a 2018 North American tour.

Firepower—the band's eighteenth studio album—was recorded with longtime collaborator Tom Allom and Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Accept). It is set for release in early 2018.

The band's 2018 tour will take the legendary band across the United States (with a few dates in Canada for good measure). It begins in mid-March, and will run throughout the spring, before coming to an end on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

Judas Priest—along with Radiohead, Nina Simone, the Moody Blues, Link Wray, the Zombies, the Cars, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, MC5 and the J. Geils Band—are one of around 20 acts currently nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fans can caste their vote at rockhall.com/vote through December 5.

You can check out the band's full North American itinerary below.

For more on Judas Priest, step right this way.

Judas Priest: 2018 North American Tour

• Mar. 13 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
• Mar. 15 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
• Mar. 17 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
• Mar. 18 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
• Mar. 20 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
• Mar. 22 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
• Mar. 25 - Ottawa, ON - The Arena at TD Place
• Mar. 27 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
• Mar. 28 - Oshawa, ON - Tribute Communities Centre
• Mar. 30 - Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
• Mar. 31 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Masonic Temple
• Apr. 03 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
• Apr. 05 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
• Apr. 08 - Bloomington, IL - Grossinger Motors Arena
• Apr. 10 - Casper, WY - Casper Events Center
• Apr. 11 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center
• Apr. 15 - Kent, WA - ShoWare Center
• Apr. 17 - Portland, OR - Veterans Memorial Coliseum
• Apr. 19 - San Francisco - The Warfield
• Apr. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theater
• Apr. 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
• Apr. 26 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
• Apr. 28 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory
• Apr. 29 - Sugarland, TX - Smart Financial Centre
• May 01 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum

Why should guitarists have all the fun?

Today, GuitarWorld.com is launching a new poll in partnership with Samson — the Greatest Rock Singers of All Time!

We're certain that, even though our core readership is mainly made up of guitarists from different genres, locations and age groups, you — like us — have strong opinions about the skills (or lack thereof) of some of rock's most legendary singers.

And although we had hundreds of rock singers to choose from, we decided to narrow things down to a mere 16 names, all of which were carefully chosen by Guitar World's editorial staff. We took great care in choosing what's essentially a Sweet 16 starting point. Rock singers from every decade, starting with the 1960s, are represented, as are several rock sub-genres.

Here are our 16 rock singers in alphabetical order:

Phil Anselmo, Randy Blythe, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Bruce Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, James Hetfield, Mick Jagger, Maynard James Keenan, Freddie Mercury, Jim Morrison, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, Axl Rose and Bon Scott.

From there, we drew singers' names out of a hat (It was, in fact, a Black Sabbath baseball cap) to help us create our opening 16-singer bracket, which is available for your viewing pleasure below. Obviously, none of these of singers are ranked or coming from a previously compiled list, so we chose purely random matchups to have as little impact as possible on the final outcome. We're actually pretty pleased with the way the bracket turned out, because, let's face it, our inaugural matchup is a good one.

Remember that, as with any poll, sub-genre might occasionally clash against sub-genre, so you'll just need to decide which singer has or had the most to offer within his genre and time period, which one has or had more natural talent or technical skill, which one had the biggest influence on other singers or rock in general — maybe which one was the strongest frontman.

Let's get started! As always, you can vote only once per matchup (once per device, that is), and we'll post two matchups per week, starting with today's shootout, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden against "the rock god," Rob Halford of Judas Priest.

Today's Samson Greatest Rock Singers Round 1 Matchup (1 of 8)
Bruce Dickinson Vs. Rob Halford

BRUCE DICKINSON

Born: August 7, 1958, Nottinghamshire, England
Associated Acts: Iron Maiden, Samson, Tribe of Gypsies, Ayreon
Website:screamforme.com
Quote: "I got into trouble for saying we're better than Metallica … and it's true! They might be bigger than us and they might sell more tickets than us and they might get more gold-plated middle-class bourgeoisie turning up to their shows but they're not Maiden. I did say it's a bit of a wind-up. I thought, if I'm going to turn into an asshole, I might as well, you know, go for it!"

ROB HALFORD

Born: August 25, 1951, Sutton Coldfield, England
Associated Acts: Judas Priest, Fight, 2wo, Halford, Bullring Brummies
Website:robhalford.com
Quote: "Even now, we've always got our eyes and ears out to what's going on around us in the music scene. You're a fool if you ignore all the great things that are happening in your world. But having said all that, I suppose in the chemistry of what makes a great writing team, we just bumped into each other in life and that magic started happening. And it still does even to this day."

Voting Closed!

Winner: Bruce Dickinson (59.14 percent)
Loser: Rob Halford (40.86 percent)

Thanks for voting! Check out our current matchup (and every matchup that has taken place so far) right HERE.

The BracketCheck out the latest version of the 16-singer bracket below. We'll update it after each Samson Greatest Rock Singer of All Time matchup.GW Samson Singers 2013

The folks over at Metallica TV (the band's YouTube page) just posted an official video recap of their 2013 Golden Gods experience. The fifth Annual Golden Gods Awards, which featured Metallica as the headliners, took place May 2 in Los Angeles.

The video, which you can check out below, shows the band soundchecking and rehearsing "Disposable Heroes" and "Rapid Fire," which the band performed with Rob Halford of Judas Priest.

Here's a mini-index of the video:

• "Rapid Fire" at soundcheck (0:09)
• "Disposable Heroes" at soundcheck (4:07)
• "Rapid Fire" in the tuning room with Rob Halford (12:03).

Stay tuned for the next MetOnTour video!

When Judas Priest convened at Ibiza Sound Studios in Ibiza, Spain, to record the follow-up to the previous year's Point of Entry in early 1982, the band were not yet the heavy metal juggernaut that would play to more than 300,000 fans just over a year later in San Bernadino, California.

In fact, in spite of releasing fan-favorite British Steel in 1980 and building a massive cult following in the States through more than a decade of hard touring, the band had yet to really break in America.

It would take a hit to make Judas Priest a household name, but pandering to radio was the furthest thing from the minds of Halford, Downing, Tipton and Co. when they began work on what would become Screaming for Vengeance. Indeed the hedonistic atmosphere of Spain's beach-party capital would offer much in the way of distractions for the band, who didn't shy away from enjoying the excesses of the dawning 1980s.

"I think every band has to hit that moment where you get so enraged and get so crazy and fucked up," says Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford. "It's an important moment to do, because after it's all over, you're either able to hold it all together or things start to get acrimonious and the difficulties start to set in."

Thankfully, in the midst of perpetual partying and wanton vehicular destruction, Priest were able to not only hold it together, but deliver the album that would finally break them in America, thanks in large part to a catchy little tune toward the end of the album.

"Who knew that the eighth track was going to be the song that would catapult the song into such success in America?," says Halford of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'," the album's surprise hit. "Cause that track was buried. Normally the tracks you think are going to do stuff are at the front end of the release. But our friends at Sony said, 'We're going to go for this song.' And we didn't really know what was going on."

As it turns out, the label was on to something. A little bit of buzz around the song quickly turned into a full-on fever, rocketing Screaming for Vengeance to No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart and ensuring that fans on both sides of the Atlantic knew just who the Metal Gods really were.

With a deluxe 30th-anniversary edition of Priest's best-selling album on the way, we recently spoke to Halford about the trials and tribulations of success and what's next for Judas Priest.

GUITAR WORLD: How does it feel looking back on Screaming for Vengeance as something that happened three decades ago?

It was a different time when we were making Screaming for Vengeance. In the '80s, there was just money all over the place. Great things were coming from it; it was lavish but the results were good.

Man, some of those crazy times we had during the making of Screaming for Vengeance ... it's a wonder we got it made, you know? The cars being destroyed, the cross-track motorcycles we just smashed into walls through the weeks we were there, the absolutely insane partying the crew was doing at places like the Zoo Club, where K.K. got run over by a taxi.

Put all that together and we were still able to make a good record at the end of the day.

In retrospect, how do you think the band handled that sudden success? Did it help that you were on your eighth album and had been struggling hard to get to that point for more than a decade?

I think that's important. If you can go through, again, that apprenticeship, when you do finally get success. You say "struggle" — the sleeping in the van, everyone crammed into the back in the winter somewhere in Germany and you've got no money for a hotel and barely enough cash for gas. Is that useful? Is that helpful for you to deal with when you get to the success part of it? Yeah, that's important. But I think maybe the reason bands kind of blow up for a bit, it's like, "Oh, thank God, it's all paying off." You get the feeling that this is the magic moment. You've reached the land of Oz, and everything's going to be great from now on — which is a misguided thought. But at the time, you're king of the world, man, and that's a great feeling.

But putting all that work into it before you get any modicum of success, that's got to be really important. In today's world, when you can be suddenly launched into the stratosphere from YouTube or whatever, that's got to be very, very difficult to deal with. I don't know how the artists who've had the launch have been able to cope, quite frankly. Some of them do, some of them don't.

For a band, and a metal band especially, to achieve success the way we did with a slow and steady climb is the best way to go, I feel like.

What do you recall of the songwriting process for Screaming for Vengeance?

We were just going from the gut, and I think we still do, even until today. The only record where I think we can say we had a full-on focus on was the Nostradamus album. Everything else has been, "This is who we are in 1980," or "1985." It's just the way Priest has put material together.

There hasn't been a moment aside from Nostradamus where we've sat down and said, "OK, we're going to make this kind of record." We've always had a very open kind of forum when it comes to ideas.

My favorite track will always be the title track, just because it's so in-your-face. It's just a very intense song with a very intense message.

And let's not forget the breakout success of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Who knew that the eighth track was going to be the song that would catapult the band into such success in America? 'Cause that track was buried. Normally the tracks you think are going to do stuff are at the front end of the release. But our friends at Sony said, "We're going to go for this song." And we didn't really know what was going on. But then the feedback was coming over: "Hey, the record's buzzing in this town and that town," and it just took off.

When you were writing the song, was there ever an inkling that this would be a song you would be playing 30 years later?

No, we had no idea. I think that's why we buried it. When we were putting the track listing together, we knew we loved the song. We loved that grove. Even now, when it comes on — it popped into a Honda commercial last night while I was eating dinner. [laughs] I knew that our management had put that together for us, but the guy's driving off into the sunset and the beginning of the song is playing, and it's just got that amazing rhythm that jumps into your system right away.

But at the time, we thought it was a good track, but we didn't think it was that valid where we were going to stick it in the first three or four tracks of the release, which is what bands do even now. Your label will ask you to put the radio tracks at the front end, and, of course, on Screaming For Vengeance it was track eight. So we didn't think it was anything special, we just thought it was a good tune.

After its blowup success, was there ever any pressure from your label to do more tracks in the same vein?

No, they've been great. We've been with the Sony family in one way or another pretty much since the band's been together. There's been tremendous support. Even now, the attitude is just, "Let them do what they want. They know what they're about." And at the same time, we have been and always will be open to everybody's feelings.

I know at the moment, as we're writing this new record, there's a very strong support line coming from the U.K.-based Sony people and the people in New York. They want this record to be another good, strong moment for the band. So we're always listening to what can be said. And I think you need to do that. You can't just put the blinders on. That's silly.

Even now, we've always got our eyes and ears out to what's going on around us in the music scene. You're a fool if you ignore all the great things that are happening in your world. But having said all that, I suppose in the chemistry of what makes a great writing team, we just bumped into each other in life and that magic started happening. And it still does even to this day.

Speaking of the new album, I think a lot of your fans are relieved to know you're not done making music. Was there ever a time when you thought Nostradamus might be your last album?

I don't recall us ever feeling that way. I personally remember us making Nostradamus and thinking, "We need to do something else after this one, whatever it might be, because to leave it at this place" — as wonderful as that album was in the sense of an achievement for the band musically, because it is an enormous body of work, and is slowly gaining more and more attention and focus and critical approval.

Priest is a metal band, plain and simple, and we need to make another heavy metal record. And that's what we're doing right now.

If you knew going in that a record would be your last as a band, would that add any extra pressure to the making of that album?

No, I think if you do that ... You can't push time back, can you? It can be very dangerous thinking to put yourself in kind of philosophical frame of mind. I think that can fuck up your mental image of what you're trying to be and do. So no, I think this is just going to be another great moment for us carrying on the legacy of Priest.

Since Nostradamus, you've obviously had a new addition to the band in Richie Faulkner. How has it been writing with him so far?

Really, really strong. Exciting. He's riffing and saying, "Robby, I'm thinking of this and this and this." It's really exciting to have that kind of energy, because you feed off of it. It'll be great after having this two-month break from not seeing each other to reconvene in the studio in England and just sit in a room and go, "OK, what've you got?"

I know Richie's got a lot to share with us. He went through the ritual on this tour, did great work on stage, the fans embraced him, so it's now time to see what we're capable of, the writing trio of Glenn and Richie and myself.

We've already got a lot of stuff in the flash drives, stuff that basically Glenn and myself put together while K.K. was mulling over whether he was going to stay or go. So before we launched the tour with Richie, we had a lot of material, and the bulk of it is very, very strong.

Has technology changed your songwriting process at all?

It's dangerous to walk around with a flash drive on a bunch of keys. [laughs] To a great extent, it doesn't really change. The technology is amazing in terms of the advantages it brings to music now, some of it good, some of it very bad. It's all about discipline and self-belief, determination, wanting to do the best you can do and not accepting anything that's below par.

We've always had that attitude in Priest. We've always felt really strongly about any track that goes out for our fans. We're still doing it like we always have: firing up the riffs and finding a vocal melody to go with it, me going into me wonderful world of the Roget's Thesaurus and trying to come up with a new lyric and a new idea. And that's what we've been doing for four decades.

The 30th-anniversary deluxe edition of Judas Priest's Screaming for Vengeance is out now. Pick it up on iTunes here.

Halford guitarist and Guitar World columnist Metal Mike Chlasciak will release his new single — "Hell No! — next Tuesday, May 22.

However, he's streaming the song on his website and is sharing it with GuitarWorld.com readers. You can check it out below.

The track is the first single from Metal Mike’s upcoming album, The Metalworker, which will be released this summer. The song features Mike’s collaboration with vocalist Carlos Zema. The Metalworker also features drummer Kevin Talley (Daath, Chimaira, Hate Eternal, Six Feet Under) and bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X).

The album was produced by Metal Mike and mixed and mastered by Orlando Villasenor at Dead Room Studio in San Antonio, Texas. Artwork was provided by Guilherme Sevens of Sevens Design Studio (Adagio, Painside). You can see a larger version of the album cover below.

“I am excited that The Metalworker is nearing the shore," Mike said. "I am extremely proud of it. I must confess that it is everything I wanted it to be not only as an artist, but also as a fan of heavy metal. I wanted to make the absolute best album that I could make with no compromises, no matter how long it took, and I did that.”

Metal Mike is a member of Judas Priest singer Rob Halford's band, Halford, and has recorded and/or shared stages with Bruce Dickinson, Axl Rose, Geoff Tate, Sebastian Bach, Rudolf Schenker and Testament. He has released several guitar-based albums, books and instructional packs and writes the monthly "Metal For Life" column for Guitar World.

"Hell No!" will be available via iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Tradebit, My Space Music, Nokia and other digital distributors.

They’ve got the hair. They can rock tight pants. And lord knows, they’ve got the balls to think they can do justice to the songs of the legends.

Yep, they’re all-female tribute bands, and they are kicking ass across the globe.

These six bands are made up of seasoned musicians who are not only serious about laying down an authentic performance of classic rock and metal, but they also bring their own artistry to the table.

So check out these six, um, titillating all-female tribute bands. And who knows; maybe with your help I’ll track down a few more! Share your faves in the comments below.

Misstallica

These ladies rock hard and they aren’t afraid to get loud! OMG, I can’t even re-write this, it’s so good. Straight from their site:

"MISSTALLICA is the WORLD’s ONLY and GREATEST All-Female Tribute to Metallica!!! Formed in 2008 as a side project to the girls’ already successful Queen Diamond (All-Female Tribute to King Diamond), MISSTALLICA was the response to the want and need for old school thrash metal and a pretty face to go with it! MISSTALLICA offers the Metallica experience but with BOOBIES!!!"

Lol! Gina Gleason rocks guitars and vocals while Tiana Jimenez takes on lead guitar duties.

Can an all-female band really do the masters of metal justice? Click here and view the vid:

Lez Zeppelin

Lez Zeppelin recorded their first album with Eddie Kramer as producer. They tracked down all original gear, we’re talking an ’50s-era Les Paul and Telecaster, Supro amp, '60s-era compressor, Hammond organ and a Fuzzbender stomp box. And then they recorded their second album in an all analog studio with producers Perry Margouleff and William Wittman.

This is serious tribute shit. They’ve got the chops. Hell, they’ve toured the world playing some seriously major venues, including coveted spots on Bonnaroo, Rock-am-Ring, VooDoo Festival and more. Yep, Lez Zeppelin performs, records, and pretty much lives, eats and breathes Zeppelin. Are they straight, Are they gay? Who cares. “Definitely. Probably. Maybe,” says Steph Paynes, the lead guitarist and founder of the group. What I do know? They are definitely worth a listen.

Here are the ladies dishing out “Communication Breakdown.” Can you take it?

Judas Priestess

Formed in late 2009, Judas Priestess claims it has “the blessing of the Metal God himself, Judas Priest front man, Rob Halford.” Well, I don’t know about that, but I do know these ladies put their hearts and souls into delivering the goods when it comes to playing the Priest. A staple at motorcycle rallies across the Southern U.S., New York-based Judas Priestess dives into the classic hits and deep album cuts. And I’ve gotta say, in addition to D Mercedes and Josette’s blazing dual lead guitar chops, singer MilitiA is simply mesmerizing.

This video doesn’t do justice to their face-melting live performances. But it’ll give you a little taste of what you’re in for!

PRISS

Billing themselves as “the sexy alter ego of the greatest band of all time,” PRISS does up KISS in full stage makeup. Based in LA, the ladies in PRISS have been honing their chops for several years. With Sharon Needles as “Doll Stanley” and Jennifer Paro as “Lace Frehley,” PRISS excels at dead on guitar goodness. But the best little tidbit I dug up was this video clip of the girls appearing on “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” when Shannon Tweed joins them at the mic.

Is Gene Simmons on tranquilizers? Anyhow, if you wanna see some Detroit Rock City strut, keep an eye open for PRISS.

Kind of a so-so video recording, but you can tell these ladies are serious about rocking it!

Hell’s Belles

“The best AC/DC cover I’ve heard? There was an all-girl cover band in America called Hell’s Belles!” so says Angus Young himself. And who are we to argue with Angus? Celebrating 11 years of AC/DC extravaganza, the longevity of this group is a statement all its own, testifying to the professionalism, musicianship and pure showmanship of its members.

I love this quote from their site bio: “It’s ever increasingly rare that the fans are amazed by these five ‘Women,’ yet, it’s almost always the fans are blown away by the truth and finesse these 5 musicians present AC/DC, night after night, city to city, tiny bar to grand theatre.” Now that’s what this column is all about. Just rockin’ it like we mean it. You go girls.

Here’s a video of Hell’s Belles rocking “Thunderstruck.”

The Iron Maidens

Perhaps the best known and loved of all female tribute bands, the LA-based Iron Maidens are the breeding ground for serious guitar talent. A couple Iron Maidens guitarists mentioned previously in this column are Nili Brosh and Nita Strauss. The band and its members have been the recipients of many awards including best tribute band, and best in category (guitar, bass, drums, voice) at events such as The Rock City News Awards, The LA Music Awards, and The All Access Magazine Award Show to name a few.

The current lineup has Kirsten “Bruce Chickinson” Rosenberg on vocals, Linda “Nikki McBURRain” McDonald on drums, Courtney “Adriana Smith” Cox and Nita “Mega Murray” Strauss on guitars, and Wanda "Steph Harris" Ortiz on bass. So hot and so good, you’ll walk home with your ears ringing and a smile on your face.

Watch the Iron Maidens perform to a crowd of 40,000. Don’t ya wanna be there?

And check out guitarist Courtney Cox and she lays it down solo:

Laura B. Whitmore is a singer/songwriter based in the San Francisco bay area. A veteran music industry marketer, she has spent over two decades doing marketing, PR and artist relations for several guitar-related brands including Marshall and VOX. Her company, Mad Sun Marketing, represents 65amps, Acoustic Bass Amps, Agile Partners, Guitar World and many more. Laura was instrumental in the launch of the Guitar World Lick of the Day app. She is the lead singer for the rock band Summer Music Project. More at mad-sun.com.