JUDAS PRIEST's Richie Faulkner is featured in the brand new Gibson TV original series "Riff Lords", which gives viewers the chance to learn the riffs of their favorite songs directly from the guitarist who plays them. In episode one, Faulkner breaks down the riffs of such iconic PRIEST songs as "Electric Eye", "Painkiller" and "Hell Bent For Leather". Earlier this year, Faulkner said that he had "a ton of ideas" for JUDAS PRIEST's follow-up to "Firepower" album. Released in March 2018, "Firepower" was the second LP to feature the 40-year-old guitarist, who was selected to fill the void left by founding member K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011. "Firepower" entered the Billboard 200 chart at position No. 5, making it PRIEST's highest-charting album ever. "Redeemer Of Souls" debuted and peaked at No. 6, while 2008's "Nostradamus" landed at No. 11 and 2005's "Angel Of Retribution" came in at No. 13. "Firepower" moved 49,000 equivalent album units in first week of release. Of that sum, 48,000 were in traditional album sales, just shy of the 54,000 copies sold by "Angel Of Retribution" in that album's first week. The "Firepower" chart position was bolstered by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer in association with the band's spring 2018 North American tour. Across the pond, "Firepower" landed at position No. 5 on the U.K. album chart. It marked the band's highest ranking, and first time in the Top 10, since "British Steel" reached No. 4 in 1980. Elsewhere, "Firepower" also became PRIEST's first-ever No. 1 in Sweden. "Firepower" was recorded by British producer Andy Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin. JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a world tour coming to the U.S. in the fall. Support on "50 Heavy Metal Years" will come from SABATON.
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