Richie Faulkner and Rex Brown form new metal supergroup, Elegant Weapons

Judas Priest electric guitar hero Richie Faulkner and Pantera bass guitar titan Rex Brown have joined forces to create a new metal supergroup, Elegant Weapons.

Also featuring longtime Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis and former Rainbow frontman Ronnie Romero, Elegant Weapons will release their first album, Horns for a Halo, in spring 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band's music, Faulkner says, is "a mix of Jimi Hendrix, Priest, Sabbath, solo Ozzy and Black Label Society – heavy, catchy, and with melody."

Elegant Weapons, Faulkner says, stemmed from his desire to make an album outside of Judas Priest with Scott Travis. "[Adding] to that Rex Brown’s unmistakable tone and attitude," Faulkner added in a press release, "is something special. 

"Having those guys as the rhythm section is a guitar players dream. The icing on the cake was Ronnie Romero. One of the new breed of instantly classic vocalists, Ronnie brought a character and a swagger to the songs that is instantly iconic, making these songs his own."

Horns for a Halo was produced by Andy Sneap, who has served as a touring guitarist for Judas Priest since 2018, when Glenn Tipton retired from touring with the band due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. Sneap also co-produced Priest's most recent studio effort, 2018's Firepower.

Horns for a Halo, Faulkner says, is "Sort of old school and modern at once if that makes any sense, and actually down-tuned a whole step." 

The Marshall Plexi guitar amp, the guitarist says, played a significant role in the LP's modern-with-a-vintage-twist sound. 

"It [the Plexi] basically does one thing, but you’ve got to crank it to 11 for it to have that distorted sound," he explains. "It hasn’t got a lot of bells and whistles on it or different channels and effects. It basically does one thing and does it very well. But again down-tuning creates more of a modern sound, and by using the classic sound of the Marshall Plexi, you get that juxtaposition, that contrast. 

"All told," the guitarist adds, "there are a lot of guitar solos and the songs are on the heavier side. And even though there’s a lot of melody, it’s still going to shake your bones.”

For more info on Elegant Weapons, keep your eyes on the band's social media accounts in the coming weeks and months.