Rob+halford

Forty-some years into his life as a verified metal god, it probably seemed like as good a time as any for Rob Halford to make a Christmas album. As the singer for Judas Priest, Halford's distinctive and versatile voice screamed, growled and wheezed through some of the most recognizable hard rock anthems of all time. Instantly recognizable, Halford's singing came to embody all the danger, rebellion, and hedonism that heavy metal itself strived for. There's an hefty dose of self-awareness and irony in Celestial, a collection of metalized Christmas carols and traditional holiday tunes, and a few Halford originals in the holiday vein. The raging and sinister "Donner and Blitzen" is one such original, and its over-the-top production, heavy-handed delivery, and retro riffing come dangerously close to parody.

In addition to co-creating Judas Priest's outstanding body of work, Rob Halford has also issued music outside of the beloved legendary Birmingham band - which is precisely what the new 14-CD boxset, The Complete Albums Collection, showcases. Included are four albums by the ferociously thrash-inspired Fight, as well as the lone album by the industrial-inspired 2wo (which featured guitarist John 5, and saw Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor serve as executive producer), plus 7 titles from the solo band Halford, which saw the Metal God gloriously return to pure, unadulterated metal. With the arrival of The Complete Albums Collection, metal fans will now have the definitive collection of Rob Halford s stellar work outside of the mighty Judas Priest, all in one set.

Heavy metal and the holiday season might not seem like the most obvious pairing. But there’s nothing wrong with loving both, as Rob Halford is here to prove. The legendary Judas Priest frontman and solo artist loves Christmas more than you could know. And for his second Christmas-themed album—coming a decade after his first, Winter Songs—he’s given traditional carols a metal makeover, alongside four new original songs. Chances are you already know the centuries-old melodies of “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” But you’ve never heard them quite like this, all speedy, chunky riffs and wild guitar solos. Still, it’s feel-good, sweetly melodic, and (mostly) family-friendly, especially during gentler moments such as the organ-driven “The First Noel” and the epic original closing hymn “Protected by the Light.” Written and recorded by a group that includes Halford’s brother and sister, Nigel and Sue, his nephew Alex (whose father is Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill), and guitarists Robert Jones and Jon Blakey, it’s truly a festive family affair.

Halford's Live at Saitama Super Arena, which features Roy Z and Metal Mike Chlasciak on guitars, Mike Davis on bass, Bobby Jarzombek on drums, and the "Electric Eye" himself, Rob Halford on vocals, incudes 15 tracks, all of which were recorded in 5.1 Surround audio and draw from the works of Halford, Fight, and Judas Priest…

Rob Halford returned to the classic heavy metal style that he helped make famous on the focused Resurrection, an album that garnered critical acclaim for its spectacular metal focus. On the follow-up to this monumental release he continues down the same path, as his assembled backing band is quite possibly one of the best on the scene in the early '00s, and his vocals are as focused and exceptional as they have ever been…

While he'll always be known first and foremost as the prototypical heavy metal frontman of Judas Priest, Rob Halford spent much of the '90s away from the group (before returning in the early 21st century). During this time, the singer certainly didn't go silent, as he launched several projects – the Pantera-esque Fight, the Nine Inch Nails-esque Two, and ultimately, a return to his Priest roots, Halford…

Former Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford finally re-embraced his roots, formed a band simply called Halford, and recorded 2000's Resurrection, a tremendous album of pure heavy metal. His three early-'90s Fight releases were metallic, unlike 1998's disastrous Two album Voyeurs, which was executive produced by Trent Reznor. Add to the musical shift Halford's new makeup-heavy image and public admission of his homosexuality and longtime fans were surprised, to say the least…

This double-live disc really shows why Judas Priest made a big mistake in not taking Rob Halford back. The album rocks out and captures the Priest magic much better than his old band's live album. Perhaps the spirit of JP lives on in this group more so than in the band being called "Judas Priest."…

Halford's Live at Saitama Super Arena, which features Roy Z and Metal Mike Chlasciak on guitars, Mike Davis on bass, Bobby Jarzombek on drums, and the "Electric Eye" himself, Rob Halford on vocals, incudes 15 tracks…