Ringing in the Christmas cheer just got a lot more fun. When you think of Christmas music the typical songs come into play, like Bing Crosby, Elvis and so many others. But when it comes to metal and Christmas,  some artists like KORN, Gwar, Dave Grohl and Lemmy have paved the way blending Christmas and metal holiday songs. But now, we can salute Judas Priest lead vocalist, Rob Halford who fans named “Metal God” with his new holiday album, Celestial, set for release on October 18 via Legacy Recordings.

Halford is famous for his powerful voice and trademark leather-and-studs. He says, “I think the holidays for any family are a mixture of fun and excitement and apprehension of the whole event. The magic of it more than anything else. It’s just a beautiful time of year – which a lot of us wish would be for every day of the year. It’s a beautiful thing as far as bringing families together. So, what better way to celebrate it than with your family, friends…and music. You must have music at Christmas time.”

Halford continues, “Metal maniacs – as we call ourselves – are just as ready for the holidays as everybody else. And what we’ve tried to do with this music is to reach out to as many of those metal dimensions as we possibly can.” In the new album, Halford includes family members like brother Nigel on drums, nephew Alex on bass, sister Sue on bells, and Robert Jones and Jon Blakey on guitar.

Judas Priest is one of the most legendary metal bands of all time. Their song “Painkiller” has amassed more than 52.5 million page views. Halford’s singing style has been described as influential and instantly recognizable, able to “effortlessly alternate between a throaty growl and an ear-splitting falsetto.” To kick off the release of his new album, Halford will be signing CD or LP purchases at FYE Arizona Mills in Tempe, Arizona on October 19, 2019 at 2:00 P.M.

Celestial Tracklist:

Side A
1. Celestial [new song]
2. Donner and Blitzen [new song]
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. Away In A Manger
5. Morning Star [new song]
6. Deck The Halls

Side B
1. Joy To The World
2. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. The First Noel
5. Good King Wenceslas
6. Protected By The Light [new song]