The British heavy metal legends spent the last few months in the studio recording the follow-up to 2014’s “Redeemer Of Souls” with the band’s longtime collaborator Tom Allom, acclaimed British knob-twiddler Andy Sneap(MEGADETH, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, ACCEPT) and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).
Judas Priest singer Rob Halford told VintageRock.com about “Firepower”: “It’s great. This is what PRIEST lives for. We’re a hard-working metal band still making the metal forty-odd years later, thanks to our glorious metal fans around the world.
“So we make music now, obviously, still for our pleasure and enjoyment, and the challenge of finding a new riff and a new melody is always very… It’s a great feeling,” he continued.
Halford added: “Richie’s playing is fucking unbelievable on this album. And just the contribution, I think, as the writing team of Richie and Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and myself. This is some of our best work — without a doubt.”
Faulkner joined PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for founding guitarist K.K. Downing.
Before hooking up with PRIEST, Faulkner was the guitarist in the backing band for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.
The North American leg of the “Firepower” tour will kick off on March 13 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas. Support for the trek will come from Saxon and Black Star Riders.
