In North America, it was released on November 23rd. Pity the punters over in the UK. You have to wait until January 30th of 2006. I find that odd, as your countires over there were toured first before they hit our soil. Very strange indeed!
Release Date:
USA and Canada: 23rd November 2005
France: 19th December 2005
Japan: 21st December 2005
UK: 30th January, 2006
Rest of the World: 16th January 2006
BAND'S FIRST STRAIGHT-TO-DVD RELEASE FEATURES CLASSIC HITS AND NEW 'ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION' FAVORITES
Heavy metal icons Judas Priest will release the new live DVD 'Rising In the East' on November 23, 2005, via Rhino Home Video.
Vocalist Rob Halford, lead guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing, bass guitarist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis filmed 'Rising In The East' in May 2005 at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The definitive Judas Priest lineup played two sold-out nights at the venue to promote the early-2005 release of the critically acclaimed studio album 'Angel Of Retribution,' their first new material in 15 years. 'Rising In The East' is Judas Priest's first straight-to-DVD release.
"We talked about doing a DVD on this tour and we decided to do it at the Budokan because it's a special venue. It's world-renowned. We thought it was an ideal choice," says Tipton. "We filmed both nights but we ended up using the second night only for this DVD. We wanted it to be as live and as real as possible, and when you start taking from different shows there isn't continuity. We wanted it to be one show and that's exactly what it is."
"I think what 'Rising In The East' displays to Priest fans is the first time seeing us reunited for a full-length show in the DVD format," Halford says. "I think the DVD compounds all the great things that Priest fans and metal fans all around the world love about the band. Priest is still a powerful, physical, full-on experience in the live domain. What this DVD is intended to do is give longtime Priest fans another great memory to add to their collection, and it's also an opportunity for new Priest fans to explore all the great things we're achieving three decades later."
'Rising In The East' is bursting with Judas Priest classics from albums such as 'Sad Wings Of Destiny,' 'Sin After Sin,' 'Stained Class,' 'Hell Bent For Leather,' 'British Steel,' 'Point Of Entry,' 'Screaming For Vengeance,' 'Turbo,' 'Ram It Down' and 'Painkiller' as well as 'Angel Of Retribution' standouts.
The track listing includes: "The Hellion/Electric Eye," "Metal Gods," "Riding On The Wind," "The Ripper," "A Touch Of Evil," "Judas Rising," "Revolution," "Hot Rockin'," "Breaking The Law," "I'm A Rocker," "Diamonds And Rust," "Worth Fighting For," "Deal With The Devil," "Beyond The Realms Of Death," "Turbo Lover," "Hellrider," "Victim Of Changes," "Exciter," "Painkiller," "Hell Bent For Leather," "Living After Midnight" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."
"This set list is a great cross-section of the Priest catalog. It runs the full spectrum of musical content," Tipton says. "We used to only play two or three songs from a new album on tour, but for 'Angel Of Retribution' we've played five or six songs from it during the time we've been out, which is a lot. That shows how good the album is and how well-received it has been. It's been very rewarding to see the positive reaction to the new material."
"The DVD is a full two-hour display of highlights from Priest's career over the last three decades," Halford says. "We take you on a metal journey from 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' right up to 'Angel Of Retribution.' Between those two points in time, 'Rising In The East' includes music that is significant to us and to our fans. In that respect, this DVD is quite unique."
The audio, which was mixed by longtime Judas Priest producer Tom Allom, is presented in 5.1 Surround Sound.
"Tom's never totally been away. We've always kept in touch with him. He's a good friend and we worked with him for many, many years," Tipton says. "On the live aspect, Tom is the ideal man. He knows the band inside out. He knows what we like, and he's got a great set of ears."
"He is a significant figure in the history of Judas Priest," Halford says. "He's made the same metal journey as we have. We were waiting for an opportunity to work together with him again. There's a built-in feeling of security because Tom knows us so well musically. We knew we could hand him a project like this and let him go at it with all the right attributes and complete something that's going to make us happy and make the fans happy."
Japan has been an incredibly important part of Judas Priest's career. The band's first-ever live album, 1979's 'Unleashed In The East (Live In Japan),' was recorded in the "Land of the Rising Sun," so it's only fitting that the eagerly awaited 'Rising In The East' DVD originate from there too.
"Judas Priest was one of the first bands to invade that country with metal," Halford says. "Even though we made the DVD in Japan, it really represents the relationship that Judas Priest has with fans around the world."
