Judas Priest Write Nostradamus Concept Album

Judas Priest, who have been working on their ambitious undertaking for more than three months, have already written 90-plus minutes of music. After they massage the tracks into final form, add solos and write lyrics, the band will choose a co-producer and begin recording. Priest hope to finish the project by the end of the year in time to release it in the first quarter of 2007.

Like a Puccini opera, the piece will flow seamlessly, with no breaks between tracks, but frontman Rob Halford said clearly identifiable songs will address approximately 20 key moments in the life of 16th-century French prophet Nostradamus. Touch-points will likely include the writing of his famous 1,000 quatrains, the death of his first wife and children from plague, his second marriage, his brief imprisonment and his death.

"Nostradamus is all about metal, isn't he?" Halford said. "He was an alchemist as well as a seer ? a person of extraordinary talent. He had an amazing life that was full of trial and tribulation and joy and sorrow. He's a very human character and a world-famous individual. You can take his name and translate it into any language and everybody knows about him, and that's important because we're dealing with a worldwide audience."

In addition to digging new lyrical ground for Judas Priest, the album will contain musical elements that might surprise their fans. "It's going to have a lot of depth," the singer explained. "There'll be a lot of symphonic elements. We might orchestrate it, without it being overblown. There may be a massive choir at parts and keyboards will be featured more prominently, whereas they've always been in the background before."

At the same time, Halford insisted the group won't abandon its heavy roots. For every atmospheric keyboard or choral arrangement, there'll be a headbanging passage to rattle the roof. "Essentially, Priest will always present ourselves as a metal band, so it will still be the band you know and love," Halford said. "There are some monster metal riffs that could span the Grand Canyon, and we still always find it a kick to come up with something that just burns out your speakers."

While they haven't yet worked out the details, Judas Priest plan to deliver their Nostradamus saga in a theatrical environment complete with intricate stage sets, special effects and possibly live actors. "We'll use the great things you see in Vegas and that are going in theater and put that into Priest along with pyro and everything else," Halford said.

"It will be like a heavy-metal 'Phantom of the Opera' ? a nonstop flow of great music, and I'll be doing more costume changes than Cher."

Read more at MTV.com.

Comments

[Blood Hawk]

After hearing this I can't wait for the new Judas Priest album.

[punk_mike_88]

That'll kill...Halford owns you all.

[ferretman]

Sweet. More killer solos from Tipton

dont post post posistions.

[Scrate]

should be awesome.

[wabusy33]

I don't really care to hear about this french prophet guy bullshit but as long as theres some sweet metal riffs and kickass solos I'll be happy. And hopefully there won't be any gay songs like turbo lover.

[nato138]

hopefully its as good or better than painkiller, i love that record.

[RockDragon]

Angel Of Retribution was Priest's best album IMO, so hoppefully they'll be able to follow it up with this one! They own live aswell :P

[RHCP_FAN88]

Sweet!

\m/

[Nirvana101]

Hopefully there will be some insane solos like in Painkiller. That would kick so much ass

[PlugOfDoom]

Priest! Priest! Priest! Priest! Priest!

[ProjectDark]

Well since every priest album is better than the last, this should be nothing short of a masterpiece.

\m/JudasPriest\m/

[OzZY-RuLE5!!!!!]

painkiller was one if not the best work of preist. this sound fansatic.

[Thrash Metal]

so priest is going prog now?

[ReignInBlood666]

angel of retribution was forgettable at best. i have low expectations for this album but high hopes

[DehumanizeR]

noooo! priest have gone power metal

[ctb]

Halford said. "There are some monster metal riffs that could span the Grand Canyon

As always \m/ Long Live Priest \m/

[rollingstones]

dude. judas priest is coming out with a new album. this is amazing. I cant wait. its like the 80s is coming back again. Iron maiden is putting out a new album, motley crue is back together, and now judas priest. this is amazing
Long live metal
\m/(..)\m/

[havocrus]

Just got through listening to Halford's Ressurection live. What a cd!!!! Ever since RockaRolla I've been a fan. I just hope this "experimental" endeavor will not turn out to be sh*t. If it is, Priest will fail, and I doubt they'll be able to recover.

[RIP Dime]

I LOVE JUDAS PRIEST!!! I can't wait for the new album, but I hope they don't get in over their head, because this is a VERY ambitious project. I hope it's as brutal as the last album. \m/Hellrider solo\m/

[havocrus]

Edit "Live Insurrection."

[UnknownHero 666]

This album should be phenominal. Painkiller was awesome.... also, why is it that some people seem to come into every good thread and post bullsh!t about an awesome band.... if you don't like them then why are you here... get a life.

Long Live Judas

[Bati]

Oh my god Rob Halford is ET with a beard.

Anyway, they should make T-Shirts with that quote: "Nostradamus is all about metal"...Non-sequitur maximus...

[rx_eb]

Fuck yeah Fuck yeah

cleaned

[HammettHead]

RIP Dime wrote:

Kris_HSI wrote:

this band should give up


Eat $hit and die.

Before eating $hit, accidently fall on two conveniantly aligned fire pokers and gauge your eyes out, then maybe castrate yourself with a rusty butter knife, then after dieing I hope you spend one looooonnnnng time rotting in hell as Satan's butt monkey. No. That's too good for you. Rot in hell in a firy pit of eternal agony that intensifies by 100x per second *******!

[[Creative Name]]

why was my post deleted I only said if you don't like them you don't have to listen to them and than said Judas Priest ROCK!!!!!

[No Seatbelt]

This sounds cool.

[washingmachine]

I don't really like Judas Priest (im sorry like many metal bands although not musically moronic the concepts generally are predictable and uninteresting) But i'm actually looking forward to this because it seems like it could be an interesting an intellegent work (plus I love opera!..I'll take Wagner over Metallica any day) Im not sure how priest fans are gonna react to it!

[Creative Name] wrote:

why was my post deleted I only said if you don't like them you don't have to listen to them and than said Judas Priest ROCK!!!!!

posting a posistion.

spam deleted.

[eltravo]

washingmachine wrote:

I don't really like Judas Priest (im sorry like many metal bands although not musically moronic the concepts generally are predictable and uninteresting) But i'm actually looking forward to this because it seems like it could be an interesting an intellegent work (plus I love opera!..I'll take Wagner over Metallica any day) Im not sure how priest fans are gonna react to it!

what do you mean moronic. sure you could say that for the hair bands of the 80's but bands like Iron Maiden and priest are certainly not moronic. they in fact have a very operatic quality to most of there work its just not there mainstream work..

in fact im hearing that right now, im currently listening to the priest song prisoner of poor eyes off of the reissue of screaming for vengance and the heavy melodies shine through wth a very classical feel. may I suggest the album Hero Hero, and there latest album Angel of Retribution. its easy to hear the operatic influence.

[RR=bestevrplaya]

yes..... sweet, priest is deffinately one o my favs and this album to me sounds amazaing (i mean wat could rule more than one of the best metal bands in history singing bout the best know prophets in history) well maybe if iron maiden did it but still this should rule, hey maybe priest could tour wit maiden and dragonforce, shadows fall, or children of bodom could open up for them, wow now that'd be a show

[Night_Lights]

DehumanizeR wrote:

noooo! priest have gone power metal

Priest was and is an influence on every power metal band in existance.

[RIP Dime]

washingmachine wrote:

I don't really like Judas Priest (im sorry like many metal bands although not musically moronic the concepts generally are predictable and uninteresting) But i'm actually looking forward to this because it seems like it could be an interesting an intellegent work (plus I love opera!..I'll take Wagner over Metallica any day) Im not sure how priest fans are gonna react to it!

Musically moronic, hahahaha, you sound pretty stuck up.

[washingmachine]

RIP Dime wrote:
Musically moronic, hahahaha, you sound pretty stuck up.

Dear God! I said "NOT musically moronic" But moronic in terms of Subject matter. I just find it rather amusing a concept album coming from a band with song titles like "Breaking the law", "Hell Bent for leather" and "Rock Forever" (Isn't Halford Smart...and so rebelious! lol). Look only a few bands can do concept albums without looking stupid (eg; The Mars Volta, Pink Floyd). Metal bands you have to admit do come very close to looking foolish anyway - they don't need concept albums. Some Metal however is Art. Priest I doubt could ever be 'art'...They could shock me however, so the jury is out!

[The_Hell_Patrol]

damn my post was deleted...well anyway...Prest ****ing r00ls...and i hope they never go out of business.

[boor]

this is a lot like the album KoRn is developing to correlate in a psynchrosity with the 'wizard of oz'. i heard they're making it in a way that acknowledges the 'dark side of the moon' even though pink floyd did it inadvertantly

[kurtcobain44444]

N+I+C+E= NIIICCCCCEEEEE

[omega5]

been done before. Nikolo Kotzev worked with varius singers and the band from Europe to record a rock opera about the Life and predictions of Nostradamus. and theres no way priest will beat that.

[Sepultura_max]

Well i don't like judas so much i'm more of a pantera when it comes to heavy metal

[mrsbutterworth]

I think nostradomus should have a better band do an album about him...
sorry metalheads

[RIP Dime]

washingmachine wrote:

RIP Dime wrote:
Musically moronic, hahahaha, you sound pretty stuck up.


Dear God! I said "NOT musically moronic" But moronic in terms of Subject matter. I just find it rather amusing a concept album coming from a band with song titles like "Breaking the law", "Hell Bent for leather" and "Rock Forever" (Isn't Halford Smart...and so rebelious! lol). Look only a few bands can do concept albums without looking stupid (eg; The Mars Volta, Pink Floyd). Metal bands you have to admit do come very close to looking foolish anyway - they don't need concept albums. Some Metal however is Art. Priest I doubt could ever be 'art'...They could shock me however, so the jury is out!

Are you like one of those people who looks for a deeper experience in music and expect an album to change your life or something?
You are definitely over thinking music dude, and you probably haven't heard enough Priest to pass judgement on them.
Priest is a very talented, very influential band with great songwriters, they have lasted for a very long time and have done many different sub-genres of Metal, and are one of the best Metal bands of all time. If you want deep, personal lyrics go listen to emo.

[captain_bunker]

emo does not have deep personal lyrics it just plain sucks to be crude

[RIP Dime]

true.

[euan_soad]

Maiden managed SSOASS perfectly. Low and behold twas a concept album. This will be great but in that picture Halford's showing his age.

[washingmachine]

RIP Dime wrote:
Are you like one of those people who looks for a deeper experience in music and expect an album to change your life or something?
You are definitely over thinking music dude, and you probably haven't heard enough Priest to pass judgement on them.
Priest is a very talented, very influential band with great songwriters, they have lasted for a very long time and have done many different sub-genres of Metal, and are one of the best Metal bands of all time. If you want deep, personal lyrics go listen to emo.

Firstly I don't really like emo (the lyrics are not deep come on!). I have Listened to a lot of Preist music (I'm not one to pass judgement on things i don't know). My problem is that like much of the Metal music that come out since 70's its over obsessed with being 'Dangerous' or 'rebelious'. Priest in particular try to present themselves that way (the name, the dress, the motorbikes etc). Havent the fans and the artists gotten a like bored of this by now. I Think its good that they are attempting a work like this. But this is Judas Priest a band that was never about anything more than petty rebelion and rocking out. Can they real pull a serious work off? If not I wonder how long they can keep pedaling this shallow stuff? Well the answer is probebly forever!

[BaptizedinFire]

The more I read about poject, the more awesome it sounds! I actually hated the idea at first... Man, they have to release a DVD from that tour!

[BaptizedinFire]

^ The more I read about this project, I meant *

[metul-baz]

woo new album must mean new tour the played belfast maby ill go there woo!!

[RIP Dime]

washingmachine wrote:

RIP Dime wrote:
Are you like one of those people who looks for a deeper experience in music and expect an album to change your life or something?
You are definitely over thinking music dude, and you probably haven't heard enough Priest to pass judgement on them.
Priest is a very talented, very influential band with great songwriters, they have lasted for a very long time and have done many different sub-genres of Metal, and are one of the best Metal bands of all time. If you want deep, personal lyrics go listen to emo.


Firstly I don't really like emo (the lyrics are not deep come on!). I have Listened to a lot of Preist music (I'm not one to pass judgement on things i don't know). My problem is that like much of the Metal music that come out since 70's its over obsessed with being 'Dangerous' or 'rebelious'. Priest in particular try to present themselves that way (the name, the dress, the motorbikes etc). Havent the fans and the artists gotten a like bored of this by now. I Think its good that they are attempting a work like this. But this is Judas Priest a band that was never about anything more than petty rebelion and rocking out. Can they real pull a serious work off? If not I wonder how long they can keep pedaling this shallow stuff? Well the answer is probebly forever!

I never thought someone could be so stuck up.

[RIP Dime]

BaptizedinFire wrote:

The more I read about poject, the more awesome it sounds! I actually hated the idea at first... Man, they have to release a DVD from that tour!

Yea!! A DVD would be awesome!!!! It should be a really fun project, and I hope it will spawn a few Priest classics.