UK cover artist Mark Wilkinson Working On New JUDAS PRIEST Album Nostradamus
April 13, 2008, 16 years ago
UK cover artist Mark Wilkinson - known for his work on JUDAS PRIEST's Ram It Down (1988), Painkiller (1990), Jugulator (1997) and Angel of Retribution" (2005) albums - is "finishing off the lavish packaging for (Judas Priest's next album Nostradamus," according to his website.
According to German mail-order site EMP, the album will be released in Germany on June 13th as a regular CD and Deluxe Edition CD via Sony/BMG. A North American release date is expected on June 17th.
Guitarist K.K. Downing told BW&BK; recently that the album - based on the life and predictions of 16th-century French prophet Nostradamus - will contain "18 songs clocking in at over an hour and a half."
In a separate interview with BW&BK;, frontman Rob Halford added: "We're treating this like it's the holy grail of heavy metal. We're so protective about it - which you have to be - because I think that one of the intriguing things about creating anything - whether it be writing a book or making a move - the less you say about something, the more people want to know about it. And we don't need to hype it up, it's internal. The metal fans around the world have great expectations for this record. They know we're not going to drop the ball. They know we're going to give everybody something that's fantastic and top quality. And that's what it should be after 35 years."
More details will be revealed in a press release soon.
Upcoming Judas Priest live dates:
June
2 - Icehall - Helsinki, Finland5 - Sweden Rock - Sölvesborg, Sweden
7 - Trondheim Rock Festival - Trondheim, Norway
8 - Bergenshall - Bergen, Norway
11 - Rockhal - Luxembour
15 - Nova Rock Festival - Nickelsdorf, Austria
16 - Incheba - Bratislavia, Slovakia
17 - Cez Arena - Ostrava, Czech Republic
20 - Kobetamendi Festival - Bilbao, Spain
22 - Ijsselhal - Zwolle, Holland *
23 - Philipshalle - Dusseldorf, Germany *
24 - Zenith - Munich, Germany *
25 - National Sportzentrum - Huttwil, Switzerland *
27 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium
28 - Bang Your Head - Balingen, Germany
29 - Gods Of Metal - Bologna, Italy
July
1 - Smederevo Festival, Belgrade, Serbia2 - Dom Sportova, Zagreb, Croatia
3 - Liberec Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
5 - Roskilde Festival - Roskilde, Denmark
9 - Rockwave Festival - Athens, Greece
13 - Kaliakra Arena - Istanbul, Turkey
* with ICED EARTH