ROB HALFORD Says Only JUDAS PRIEST Can Get Away With Singing About LOCH NESS Monster

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford recently spoke to the U.K.'s Kerrang! (web site) magazine about the group's much-anticipated "comeback" release, "Angel of Retribution":

Kerrang!: How does it feel to be talking about a new JUDAS PRIEST album?

Rob Halford: "It fels amazing, it feels sensational. I was always hoping that this day would return, and it has, and we're just thrilled not only to be reunited but also to have such a great record. Everybody's in great shape.

Kerrang!: Was there a moment during the writing where it became clear that this reunion was going to work?

Rob Halford: "Right in the first few days. Stress or pressure never even came into the equation. I think we were just so content to be in each other's company again and we knew that we had this very successful formula for writing metal as a trio. What did surprise us was the abundance of material, and we had to stop, because we were working to a deadline. I think about three months of writing five days a week, we said, 'Okay, now we have to stop and make sense of all of this; bring in our producer Roy Z and try to whittle it down."

Kerrang!: Are you anxious about the fans' reaction?

Rob Halford: "You never know, do you? Our fans are so much like the band — they're very real people, and they'll be the first to speak their mind, as they did initially when they heard the first rumblings of [first single] 'Revolution'. It was interesting to see on the Internet those first responses, which were really varied. But I think that displays the tenacity of the fans. You get some PRIEST fans who want everything to sound like 'Painkiller', and then some who want it to sound like 'British Steel'. That's because they've been delivered such a tremendous variety of material. This band has never been redundant or repetitive, so PRIEST fans never know what to expect. But I think this record will take care of business as far as what the vast majority are looking for."

Kerrang!: Is starting the album with the song "Judas Rising" a statement of intent?

Rob Halford: "Not really, no. I just like that expression. But it could be taken in both contexts. To me it's about the angel coming out that 'Sad Wings of Destiny' artwork environment, where it was a very despondent, very doomy type of oppressive world, and now suddenly it's back in its full majesty and glory and it's overcome the odds and it's full of optimism and energy."

Kerrang!: Do you sing about the reunion in any of the songs?

Rob Halford: "We talk about the band in 'Deal with the Devil', but I think that's about as close as we get to it. The rest of it is very much an open book. I just try to be interesting, to give somebody something where they can go, 'Oh, that's pretty cool.' That's what we love about the imagery of 'Loch Ness'. I mean, what other band in the world could write a song about the Loch Ness monster and get away with it? It's brilliant. So it was a challenge to look at that, and I think we came out on top, and it's a brilliant piece of music. It's all about maintaining the interest and showing something new that you've not done before."

Kerrang!: Plus it means you can have a Loch Ness stage prop now…

Rob Halford: "[Laughs] Yeah, Ian's [Hill, bassist] gonna wander around the back of the drum kit and just have a Loch Ness rubber head on his neck! Either that or a hand puppet!"