According to an update from Ultimate Classic Rock, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford is due to undergo surgery for an umbilical hernia. Not, he says, because it hurts but because “it looks like the alien just burst forth!”

“My doctors always said, ‘We can take care of it,’ and I said, ‘I’ll get around to it,’ Halford tells ABC News Radio. “The doctor said, ‘If it’s not giving you any discomfort then you should leave it as it is,’ but it’s not very appealing to look at, is it?”

Halford underwent back surgery last year. “That’s life,” he says. “The wonderful thing about heavy metal music is that it’s immortal. The music is immortal, but the creators are not bestowed with that attribute.”

/In a new interview due for release online next week, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford speaks with Terrie Carr of New Jersey radio station WDHA-FM 105.5 FM about the band's new album, Redeemer Of Souls, and more. Check out a preview below:

There are only a select number of bands that have accomplished what Judas Priest has throughout their career (as well as having served as a stylistic influence on such a wide variety of bands). Soon the group - singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis - will be offering up more classic Judas Priest metal with the release of Redeemer Of Souls.

To be released in North America on July 15th via Epic Records (as a standard version and a deluxe edition with five bonus tracks), Redeemer Of Souls is Judas Priest's latest collection of epic metal - "raising the bar is consistent for us and 'Redeemer' hits the ground running" - it matches up perfectly to earlier Priest classics as evidenced by the album's lead off single "March Of The Damned" ("we are forging ahead, slamming the pedal to the metal!") - the band mean business once again.

"We feel Redeemer Of Souls reinforces our passion for what we believe in from the Judas Priest style heavy metal." The album also marks Richie Faulkner's studio debut with Priest and is the co-writer of the material along with Glenn Tipton and Rob Halford.

First bursting onto the scene with 1974's Rocka Rolla, Judas Priest is responsible for some of heavy metal's all-time great albums - 1980's British Steel, 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, 1990's Painkiller, etc - and anthems "Breaking The Law", "Living After Midnight", "You've Got Another Thing Coming", etc - as well as trailblazing metal's now instantly identifiable look - leather and studs - 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the band.

And while fans are undoubtedly starved for more Priest (their last studio album Nostradamus was released in 2008) the band themselves are eager for the world to hear their latest studio triumph.

"Classic combination of all the statements we love to create with raging guitar riffs and solos, thundering drums, thick grooves of bass and vocals tearing it all up!"

Redeemer Of Souls tracklisting:

"Dragonaut"
"Redeemer Of Souls"
"Halls Of Valhalla"
"Sword Of Damocles"
"March Of The Damned"
"Down In Flames"
"Hell & Back"
"Cold Blooded"
"Metalizer"
"Crossfire"
"Secrets Of The Dead"
"Battle Cry"
"Beginning Of The End"

Bonus Tracks:

"Snakebite"
"Tears Of Blood"
"Creatures"
"Bring It On"
"Never Forget"

"Redeemer Of Souls:

Redeemer Of Souls release dates:

Friday, July 11th - Australia, Austria, Benelux, Finland, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey.

Monday, July 14th - Asia (excluding Japan), Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, UK.

Tuesday, July 15th - Canada, Italy, Latin America, Russia, Spain, US.

Wednesday, July 16th - Japan.

Speaking to BraveWords last year, Halford touched upon the content of the first album to feature new guitarist Richie Faulkner: "I think that what we’re doing now is important for Priest, just for ourselves, the band, and when this record is completed, I think it will be another valuable piece of metal, that is relevant to the follow-up from Nostradamus. We’re working hard to make it a very, very strong heavy metal record.”