Judas Priest has been diligently writing the follow-up to their 2018 album Firepower, and according to bassist Ian Hill it's been going really well! Hill said in an interview with The Morning Call that the band has an "album or two" of material for the new record, and that COVID has been holding up the process.
"There's at least an album or two of new material. The big problem has been COVID over the last year. We haven't been able to get together, you know? Some of the guys live in the States and a couple of others live in Britain, so we can't really get together to rehearse. It's just opening up now, just easing a bit now, which is a bonus."
Hill added that the band has pooled their ideas, but not being able to get into the same room has been hard.
"You can send [song ideas] backwards and forward, but it's such a messy process. It's much easier to be there in the room with everybody and them tell you to your face, 'That's a load of crap, start again.' Or 'We love it, don't touch a note.' It's much easier and it's more real doing it that way, as well. You pick up off everybody's vibe anyway. So it's preferable to do it face-to-face, when we're all together."
Judas Priest will hit the road in a few days for their 50 Heavy Metal Years tour for North America with Sabaton. The below dates also include all the band's festival appearances.
Sep. 08 – Reading PA – Santander Arena [Tickets]
Sep. 09 – Virginia Beach VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater (no Sabaton) [Tickets]
Sep. 11 – Orlando FL – Central Florida Fairgrounds [Tickets]
Sep. 13 – Charlotte NC – PNC Music Pavilion [Tickets]
Sep. 14 – Raleigh NC – Red Hat Amphitheater [Tickets]
Sep. 16 – Grand Rapids MI – Van Andel Arena [Tickets]
Sep. 17 – Youngstown OH – Covelli Centre [Tickets]
Sep. 19 – Detroit MI – Fox Theatre [Tickets]
Sep. 20 – Rosemont IL – Rosemont Theatre [Tickets]
Sep. 22 – Milwaukee WI – Miller High Life Theatre [Tickets]
Sep. 23 – Minneapolis Mn – The Armory [Tickets]
Sep. 25 – Maryland Heights MO – Saint Louis Music Park [Tickets]
Sep. 26 – Louisville KY – Louder Than Life Festival [Tickets]
Sep. 29 – Denver CO – The Mission Ballroom [Tickets]
Sep. 30 – West Valley City UT – Maverik Center [Tickets]
Oct. 02 – Everett WA – Angel Of The Winds Arena [Tickets]
Oct. 03 – Portland OR – Moda Center [Tickets]
Oct. 05 – Oakland CA – Fox Theater [Tickets]
Oct. 06 – Los Angeles CA – Microsoft Theater [Tickets]
Oct. 08 – Las Vegas NV – Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood [Tickets]
Oct. 09 – Phoenix AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre [Tickets]
Oct. 12 – San Antonio TX – Freeman Coliseum [Tickets]
Oct. 13 – Cedar Park TX – HEB Center Cedar Park [Tickets]
Oct. 15 – Irving TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory [Tickets]
Oct. 16 – Oklahoma City OK – The Zoo Amphitheatre [Tickets]
Oct. 19 – Independence MO – Cable Dahmer Arena [Tickets]
Oct. 21 – Nashville TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium [Tickets]
Oct. 22 – Alpharetta GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre [Tickets]
Oct. 24 – Charleston WV – Charleston Civic Center Coliseum [Tickets]
Oct. 25 – Philadelphia PA – The Met [Tickets]
Oct. 27 – Newark NJ – Prudential Center [Tickets]
Oct. 28 – Oxon Hill MD – The Theater at MGM National Harbor [Tickets]
Oct. 30 – Mashantucket CT – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Grand Theater [Tickets]
Oct. 31 – Lowell MA – Tsongas Center At UMass Lowell [Tickets]
Nov. 02 – Halifax NS – Scotiabank Centre [Tickets]
Nov. 04 – Laval , QC – Place Bell [Tickets]
Nov. 05 – Hamilton ONT – First Ontario Centre [Tickets]
