Nearly 50 years into its reign as metal’s riff-heavy, speed-gloomy, leather-clad kings, Britain’s Judas Priest and its screeching vocalist Rob Halford continue making crucial, vicious music. The Priest’s new album, Firepower, ranks among their most ferocious. Halford, in particular, is a force to be reckoned with: an out gay man with a talent for smart, metaphoric lyrics, and a yen for American football, as you’ll see. Perhaps that’s why Priest chose to start its world tour so close to Philly, at Wilkes-Barre’s Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday.
Writing for Firepower – or any of your stuff, really – it is from your head, your gut, or strictly instinct?