To support their 17th and most recent studio album Redeemer of Souls, British heavy metal band Judas Priest embarked on one of their most extensive tours yet – 130 shows in 33 countries, with a set list that drew from almost of all of their albums. Whether you missed the fun the first time around or you’re a fan looking to relive the experience, you can now enjoy highlights from the journey. Now available on compact disc, DVD and Blu-ray (Epic Records), Battle Cry assembles 15 stand-out numbers from the band’s appearance at Germany’s Wacken Festival on August 1, 2015, where they played to a crowd of 85,000.
Since the early 1970s, Judas Priest have sold over 45 million albums, revolutionizing the metal genre with everything from their leather and spike stage ensembles to dueling guitars and Rob Halford’s famously operatic vocal stylings. Their best-selling 1982 record Screaming for Vengeance featured hit single and radio favorite “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin,” also showcased on Battle Cry. The band’s forthcoming live album skillfully balances old and new hits – from classics like “Metal Gods” and “Electric Eye” to recent fan favorites “Dragonaut,” “Halls of Valhalla” and “Redeemer of Souls.” While only select performances are included on the CD version, the DVD and Blu-ray editions include the complete show, which runs over 94 minutes. The latter versions also include three bonus tracks from a performance in Gdansk, Poland on December 10, 2015 at The Ergo Arena.
Meanwhile, Judas Priest are reportedly eager to work on a follow-up to Redeemer of Souls. “Well, you know, in rock’n’roll, you’ve gotta kind of strike while the iron is hot, and that iron has been burning hot for decades for Priest now,” Halford recently told the Q104 radio station in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. “It doesn’t show any sign of cooling off, I can tell you that… We’re raring to go again, and I’m sure there’ll be another Priest record in the not-too-distant metal future.”
Judas Priest Battle Cry Track Listing:
1. “(Intro) Battle Cry”
2. “Dragonaut”
3. “Metal Gods”
4. “Devil’s Child”
5. “Victim of Changes”
6. “Halls of Valhalla”
7. “Redeemer of Souls”
8. “Beyond the Realms of Death”
9. “Jawbreaker”
10. “Breaking the Law”
11. “Hell Bent for Leather”
12. “The Hellion”
13. “Electric Eye”
14. “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”
15. “Painkiller”
DVD/Blu-ray Bonus Tracks:
“Screaming for Vengeance”
“The Rage”
“Desert Plains”
