Geoff Barton from Classicrockmagazine.com has heard the new JUDAS PRIEST album, Nostradamus and he says "it’s an absolute monster.

There are two CDs – dubbed ‘Act 1’ and ‘Act 2’ – and if nothing else you’ve got to admire Rob Halford and co. for coming up with such a massive, challenging offering in these days of disposable ephemera.

If we had to take a reference point from Priest’s past it would be 'Beyond The Realms Of Death' – the brooding and threatening track from the band’s 1978 album, Stained Class.

Much of Nostradamus has that sort of flavour.

There’s plenty of twin riffing from the guitars of KK Downing and Glenn Tipton, natch, but there’s loads of light and shade as well – perhaps more than you might expect.

A lot of the epic tracks are preceded by gentle, reflective acoustic workouts (kind of like what BLACK SABBATH used to do with things like 'Orchid' and 'Embryo'), with Halford adopting a deep-toned singing style. Elsewhere Rob proves his trademark silver-throated scream is remarkably intact.

Towards the end of ‘Act 1’ there’s a song called Lost Love which edges dangerously into twee, Greg Lake-style territory. But then, after some mysterious church chorals and demonic whispering, the next track – Persecution – explodes into your ears like the mutant offspring of Breaking The Law.

Nostradamus might be pompous and overblown, grandiose and ridiculous – it might even be spectacularly humourless and self-important – and it’s sure to divide the rock and metal community."

Read more here.

Judas Priest will be releasing their sprawling double disc concept album, Nostradamus via Columbia Records on Monday, June 16th in the UK/Europe, and a day later in the US on Epic Records.

The title track to Judas Priest's 'Nostradamus' is currently streaming on BW&BK; KnuckleTracks Audio Player - head to the left-hand-side of BraveWords.com to listen.