Judas Priest NOSTRADAMUS (sound link posted)

Looking forward to this disc and the tour! :headbang:

If it's at least as good as Angel of Retribution, which I thought was one of the best things I'd heard from Halford since his solo disc Ressurection and a solid new priest album with him back in the fold, then this should kick some serious ass!
\m/ \m/
 
From BWBK:

"MTV.com's The Leak ( http://www.mtv.com/music/the_leak/judas_priest/nostradamus/ ) is currently streaming JUDAS PRIEST's upcoming concept album, Nostradamus. The band's anxiously-awaited metal opera is based on the life and predictions of Nostradamus. Long in the works, the album takes epic storytelling to a whole new level, as it recounts the life of this mysterious, world known 16th Century French prophet. The album will be released via Columbia Records on Monday, June 16th in the UK/Europe, and a day later in North America on Epic Records. "
 
DO WANT!!!

The two posted songs sound great! Halford's scream near the beginning of Nostradamus is so very awesome. :D
I fully approve of bands doing "metal operas". I have a soft spot for concept albums. :)
 
Hmm.


The lyrics.

They're bugging the hell outta me. They really sounded like 5th grade english poem writing homework. Trust me, I ain't exactly a fuckin Edgar Allen Poe over here or Michael Romeo with words. But these two songs sounded awesome, until I listened again and paid attention to the lyrics. Ain't the boys capable, after all these years, of coming up with some truly creative word-smithing?


REMEMBER: This is the opinion of a bassist. It means nothing except to crickets and saran wrap. Take it as incoherent rambling, much like a drummer's drool on the stage.
 
In the old OLD days, Judas Priest had some pretty awesome lyrics: Stained Class was full of them.
However it is true that the more recent material hasn't been exactly what you'd call thought-provoking, although (and here I must mention that I too play the bass) I also agree with Bryan to an extent:

Look, Priest didn't exactly come out with all guns blazing (pardon the pun) with the whole Angel of Retribution thing (great tour but the record was yawn), and I know I'm not the only one who was waiting with bated breath to see if they were going to completely turn it around or if we'd get another unimpressive album to forget about.

When I first heard the title track of Nostrodamus, I thought, "Dare I say it? ...Priest is back!"
It kicked my ass all over the place musically.

Lyrically though, it's almost slapped together, like they had these great tunes and just needed lyrics, or at least a theme, to tie it all together.

Now, I don't listen to Priest for the lyrics and I have never met a soul who did, but after all these years, a bit of lyrical depth or intricacy of some sort would be a refreshing change.

I am happy to report that so far, the lyrics aren't preventing me from enjoying this record.
 
What's with all the "yawns" about Angel of Retribution? Sweet Jeebus, it was easily their best album since Defenders. I would rank Judas Rising as one of the best Priest songs EVER ( a modern day Dissident Aggressor ). And what's up with being nit-picky over their lyrics.....it's Priest for cryin' out loud. They've always been a band about attitude and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Whether it's Nostradameus, or songs like The Ripper, Eat Me Alive, or Invader, Priest has never been a serious, thought provoking band. They just kick-ass, and have been for over 30 years. Everyone, just turn down your uppity proggy expectations and enjoy Priest for who they are.
 
Ok, clearing up a few things before I go any further. I hate most prog, so definitely no "uppity prog expectations" for me, haha. Secondly, Judas Priest is my favorite band of all time, bar none, no one comes close. But to say that Angel of Retribution was their best album since Defenders? Come on?! Painkiller (my favorite priest album) DESTROYS it, as well as Jugulator (fuck the naysayers!) and Ram It Down totally kills it. Angel Of Retribution, although having some very good songs (demonizer, judas rising, etc...) is overall one of the weakest Priest albums I thought. Sure, it was fucking awesome the first time I heard it as it was the Priest reunion and I was fucking stoked, but as time went on, that album lost a lot of the magic that it did originally have. As for Nostradamus, yea, I downloaded it, but I also spent about 100 bucks on preorders in various formats for it as well as about 750 bucks to see them in MN and in Chicago, both with VIP backstage passes, so I think I earned the right to download that album a few days before it came out. Nostradamus is a very good album, but if you are expecting classic Priest or anything resembling such, you are going to be sorely disappointed. There will be two types of people to hear this album. There will be people who listen to it and "get it" who will absolutely love it, and you will have the people who "don't get it" and they will absolutely hate it probably. Sure, there are some grinding songs on the album like the title track, Persecution, War, etc... but they are not all like that, and at times, Rob sings in French and Italian. It is truely a metal opera, and definitely a conceptual piece in it's true fashion as a good bit of the songs would be horrid if they did not tie into a story. But all of the songs fit the mood of the lyrics and all tied in together I would think that this album, while not being one of Judas Priest's best (in terms of what we have grown to expect out of their writing), it is one of Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, Ken Downing, Scott Travis and Ian Hill's best work. They all shine on this album musically and lyrically, and this is definitely an album that I will be listening to and absorbing myself into for many many months to come.

Brent

What's with all the "yawns" about Angel of Retribution? Sweet Jeebus, it was easily their best album since Defenders. I would rank Judas Rising as one of the best Priest songs EVER ( a modern day Dissident Aggressor ). And what's up with being nit-picky over their lyrics.....it's Priest for cryin' out loud. They've always been a band about attitude and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Whether it's Nostradameus, or songs like The Ripper, Eat Me Alive, or Invader, Priest has never been a serious, thought provoking band. They just kick-ass, and have been for over 30 years. Everyone, just turn down your uppity proggy expectations and enjoy Priest for who they are.
 
Dude, you're talking to someone who actually likes Demolition! Yeah.....Painkiller is a great album, but for me it's a one-trick-pony. I love Angel for it's variation. It has a few more wrinkles than Painkiller (by the way, I think Painkiller was great mostly because it followed Ram It Down....chuckle!). I have a feeling that Nostradamus will be like this........kinda like an Ayreon album....ebbs and flows. As far as Priest faves, I have to go with Sad Wings, Sin After Sin, Screaming/Defenders(they're pretty much one album!), and Angel of Retribution. I'm excited for Tuesday!
 
Yea, Demolition was awesome, not amazing, but awesome none the less! And yes, this album will be very much like an Ayreon type album, some songs you may want to skip but really can't if you want to immerse yourself into the story... And as for Ram It Down?! Come on!!! It has the best opening of any priest album ever other than screaming/painkiller!
 
Angel of Retribution fails when compared to an album like Painkiller.
That's not a slam against Judas Priest, it's a fact (one that I bet Halford and friends would agree with).

My opinion of Angel of Retribution has nothing to do with prog or my feelings toward prog.
I don't think that anyone would be silly enough to make the mistake of having any sort of "proggy expectations" for Judas Priest; certainly no one who posts on this forum.

While not my all time favorite bar-none (that honor falls to Maiden), I do loves me some Priest, and I don't find that liking prog or disliking Angel of Retribution has prevented me or anyone else from continuing to enjoy this band immensely.

In other words:

<elitist uppity prog-snob response>

Angel of Retribution...was easily their best album since Defenders.

Nope.

Painkiller DESTROYS it...and Ram It Down totally kills it. Angel Of Retribution is overall one of the weakest Priest albums.

Yup.

</elitist uppity prog-snob response> :saint:

***EDIT: Prog_Muse is not really a sarcastic cynical bitch looking for an argument. LOL***
 
Angel of Retribution fails when compared to an album like Painkiller.

Fails how? Musically? er.....no. Lyrically? Except for Lochness (which is no worse than Metal Meltdown).....no. Ah....there's no use to arguing, it all boils down to personal taste. We'll just agree to disagree!

That's not a slam against Judas Priest, it's a fact (one that I bet Halford and friends would agree with).

Can you point me to the book where this fact can be found? :p

I guess I'll be swimming against the current on this one. To each their own!