Symphony, Choirs To Mix With Metal And Elaborate Costumes On Next Judas Priest Project
Friday June 30, 2006 @ 06:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Judas Priest

You just knew that Rob Halford had an over-the-top, operatic album lurking somewhere inside him, and Judas Priest's forthcoming take on Nostradamus seems to be it.

The veteran metal group have been working on an album that revolves around the 16th century French prophet for more than three months and have written more than 90 minutes of music. They still have some work to do on it before they choose a co-producer and begin recording, but they're hoping to have it all finished in time for an early 2007 release.

The album will flow seamlessly with no breaks in between songs, but Halford promises that there will be easily identifiable songs that focus on about 20 important moments from the life of the man who some believe predicted the emergence of Adolph Hitler and the Kennedy assassinations.

"Nostradamus is all about metal, isn't he?" Halford said in an MTV News article. "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."

While Halford has been familiar with the man born Michel De Nostredame since reading about him as a teenager, it was Priest manager Bill Curbishley who came up with the idea to base an album around him. Curbishley had worked with The Who on their Tommy rock opera, so he's familiar with concept projects.

There may be symphonic elements and a large choir added to the heavy guitar riffs that the band have been churning out for more than 30 years. Priest plan to perform the entire album on tour and will incorporate intricate stage sets, special effects and possibly live actors into the shows.

"We'll use the great things you see in Vegas and that are going in theatre and put that into Priest along with pyro and everything else," said the flamboyant singer. "It will be like a heavy metal Phantom Of The Opera — a non-stop flow of great music, and I'll be doing more costume changes than Cher."