If Black Sabbath are the grandfathers of heavy metal, then Judas Priest is the father that outdid them in almost every way. If you ask me to show someone what heavy metal is, I won’t hand them a copy of Paranoid or Master of Reality. I’ll instead hand them a copy of Screaming For Vengeance, British Steel, or Painkiller. That’s what Judas Priest means to the heavy metal community. Without them we wouldn’t have a classic look for heavy metal with studs and leather.
Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash might have been the first to use the twin-guitar attack, but Judas Priest was the one that solidified it in the heavy metal sphere. K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton were and still are probably the best twin guitarists for any band. It was set to be the 50th anniversary celebration for Judas Priest this year. To make up for those shows being postponed, it’s high time for Judas Priest-A-Thon. The brother to the album by album reviews, Iron Maiden-A-Thon and the cousin to our series of Rush album reviews. You’re going to be getting a Judas Priest album review, every business day, until we’re all through.
Angel Of Retribution was a return to form, for the goddamn ages. It reaffirmed that Judas Priest were still at the top of their game. It wasn’t just a thrown together, slap-dash, comeback album. The album had substance, fury, and it flat-out kicked ass. On the ass-kickery scale of Wes Anderson movie to John McClane, it was definitely a John McClane. Their next album would begin to take shape in 2005. Priest were dropping hints about it possibly being about the famed seer, Nostradamus. Well it was, and Nostradamus was born.
Background On Nostradamus
Nostradamus started off as an idea from the band’s manager, Bill Curbishley. Now he’s also not just some chump in the music world. He’s managed Judas Priest, The Who, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant. That was when the band was on tour in 2005, so the idea kicked around a bit. Judas Priest ran with the idea about a concept album based upon the life and times of the controversial seer. Up to this point, Judas Priest had never done a concept album. You can say that Painkiller sort of tells a story, or that Angel of Retribution tells stories that continue previous Priest songs. But really, the band has never done an album with a coherent story based around one theme. So to do it, this late in their career, was a bit of a surprise.
To not only do it this late in their career, but to do it about Nostradamus, was even more of a surprise. Iron Maiden has Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, which is based around a myth, so I guess Judas Priest wanted to get in on that action. The album was recorded and mixed from 2006-2007 at The Old Smithy Studio in Kempsey, Worcester, UK. Musically, the album features elements that hadn’t been on any Judas Priest album before or since it’s release. Elements like symphonic orchestrations, keyboards, or choirs.
It’s very much it’s own brand of Judas Priest. The band went on the Metal Masters Tour in the United States in support of the album. They also underwent the Nostradamus World Tour in support of the album. Despite being a World Tour to support the album, only two songs were played from the record on this tour, and they weren’t even played at all the dates.
Grand Plans For Nostradamus
The band originally had grand plans for a tour, and other theatrical elements for the album. Those plans would never meet fruition. The album sold well in it’s initial release, debuting at Number 11 on the US charts. The highest place for the band at that time. It was met with lukewarm reception from fans at the time. Rob Halford had this to say about the album before it’s release.
Nostradamus is all about metal, isn’t he? 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.
From Blabbermouth
Halford continued with this about the album.
It’s going to have a lot of depth. There’ll be a lot of symphonic elements. We might orchestrate it, without it being overblown. There may be a massive choir at parts and keyboards will be featured more prominently, whereas they’ve always been in the background before.
From Blabbermouth
Does the album meet that grand description by The Metal God? Let’s find out.
1. Dawn of Creation/Prophecy
It was a weird choice for Judas Priest to do a concept album in the middle of their reunion run like this. Nostradamus, as a Judas Priest album, is hit or miss. It has some fantastic tracks, but it also falls into the same repetitive structure. The album does allow for Judas Priest to make some interesting decisions musically. The addition of orchestral and choir sounds adds to the overall feel and scale of the album. If you look at this outside of the scope of Judas Priest, however, you’re getting a much better piece of music.
It’s a story over 100 minutes. Much like a movie, or a mini-series, or even an opera. It’s really at the core of things, a Metal Opera about Nostradamus. To me, the changing of the Judas Priest logo for this record signifies that it’s something outside of the traditional Judas Priest sphere. While I wouldn’t say it’s not a Judas Priest album, I would say that it shouldn’t be measure by the traditional album critiques. The story it tells is one of heartbreak, anguish, power, fury, redemption, and vindication. Nostradamus outlived all his critics with his visions and lessons living on after his death.
If you’re going to listen to a couple tracks off this one and then critique it, that’s fine. But the album gets much better when you sit down, crank it up, and go for the 100+ minute ride with the band.
Score And Aftermath Of Nostradamus
Because of the reasons listed above, Nostradamus has some problems as a Judas Priest album. It is repetitive, some of the tracks are filler, it’s a marathon to listen to. It also tells a fantastic, epic story, fitting of Judas Priest. In the grand scheme of things, this is a review series of Judas Priest albums though, so I’m going to have to give Nostradamus a 7.5/10. Like some of the other hit or miss Priest albums from before, it has fantastic tracks that show the musical chops of Judas Priest. While it also has some songs that could have very easily been on the chopping block. Songs like “Prophecy”, “Nostradamus”, “Alone”, “Death”, and “Revelations” are true highlights.
The band underwent the Nostradamus World Tour, but that ended up turning into a British Steel 30th Anniversary Tour. Nostradamus gave Judas Priest big plans, but fan reaction to the album had to dash those. In addition to this Judas Priest announced their Epitaph World Tour. It was designed as a final world tour for the band. The band was going to call it quits and give the world one last huge tour for the Priest.
KK Downing Shocks The World
An impending farewell World Tour wouldn’t be the only good/bad news for the band. Founding member and long-time guitarist KK Downing announced that he was retiring from Judas Priest in April 2011. Downing cited differences with the band and it’s management as the reason for his departure. Judas Priest had to scramble for a replacement for the upcoming world tour.
You’ll have to come back tomorrow to hear about that new guitarist, and the subsequent album, Redeemer Of Souls.
For more on Judas Priest, heavy metal, or any other general pop culture, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.
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