New Halford CD

[Fat Freddy]

 

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford is about to release his first solo album in seven years. The odd news: it’s a Christmas album.

 

Titled Halford III – Winter Songs, this will feature new single "Get Into The Spirit," plus such Christmas faves as "Come All Ye Faithful" and "Oh Holy Night" – all done in a heavy metal style, naturally.

This album is to be released by Metal God Entertainment, and is due out in time for the holiday season.

[Dark Star]

OH sweet... I did like the Twisted Sister Christmas album, and I Will be checking this out too.. Gonna be a METAL Christmas!!!!

[heaven&hell]

I have no interest whatsoever in this unless there's some actual new songs involved.

 

Please get your shit together Rob and record a proper follow up to 'Crucible'.

[Jeff]

Christmas songs? Eh, I don't think so. If they were new Christmas related metal songs, like "Heavy Christmas", then maybe.

 

You guys mention so much cool, new and obscure music that me thinks my time and money is better spent on.

[Fat Freddy]

I have no interest whatsoever in this unless there's some actual new songs involved.

 

Haven't seen a full track listing but I have gathered that some songs are new original tunes (with a winter/holiday theme) and others will be traditional holiday tunes.

 

Sounds weird, but then this isn't Rob's first foray into Christmas music. When he had Fight going, they did a fan club/promo only Christmas single called "Christmas Ride" that is rare as hell nowadays.

[Chris]

I have no interest whatsoever in this unless there's some actual new songs involved.

 

Please get your shit together Rob and record a proper follow up to 'Crucible'.

Agreed....

[faetze]

I have no interest whatsoever in this unless there's some actual new songs involved.

 

Please get your shit together Rob and record a proper follow up to 'Crucible'.

Agreed....

 

I agree too! Who needs christmas metal songs? And who needs Rob in the condition he showed in the near past?

 

Personally I don't think Rob will get his shit together anymore. He was so weak during last years Nostradamus show here in Switzerland. I really wished JP would have been the opening act and Iced Earth the headliner because IE blew the fucking hall!

[Aussie Metalchild]

I'll give it a shot

[Metal T]

...put out another album of original material or don't freakin' bother.

[Dark Star]

Here's a couple of the songs off this album.. Sounds GOOD to Me!!!

 

"We Three Kings"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXhbrReRDO8

 

"Get into the Spirit"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPASd8Hb-dA

 

Enjoy em.....

[heaven&hell]

I read today that he's wanting to do another one of these next year.

[Fat Freddy]

Those samples sound better than I expected, but I really dunno if I will bother with this. I have enough novelty Christmas albums already.

[Dark Star]

Those samples sound better than I expected, but I really dunno if I will bother with this. I have enough novelty Christmas albums already.

 

 

Trtue.. But but it's the Metal GOD!!!!!

[Fat Freddy]

But but it's the Metal GOD!!!!!

 

 

Was that your rationale for buying Two's VOYEURS CD as well?

[Dark Star]

But but it's the Metal GOD!!!!!

 

 

Was that your rationale for buying Two's VOYEURS CD as well?

 

 

Yea well ok I admit That was a HUGE Mistake on MY part.....

[Fat Freddy]

If anyone's interested, Rob Halford is offering a free download of the song "Christmas For Everyone" from the new CD at his official site:

 

http://robhalford.com/

 

You gotta go thru the sign-in bullsh*t and make an account but that's all right... I don't plan to ever use it again, I got my freebie Thanks, Rob!

[Fat Freddy]

If anyone's interested, Rob Halford is offering a free download of the song "Christmas For Everyone" from the new CD at his official site:

 

http://robhalford.com/

 

You gotta go thru the sign-in bullsh*t and make an account but that's all right... I don't plan to ever use it again, I got my freebie Thanks, Rob!

 

 

I just listened to the freebie track that I downloaded from Rob's site... and immediately wish I hadn't.

 

Um...wow, I don't know if the whole album sounds like this, but this track is bad. Embarrassingly bad. I'm talking new Lita Ford album bad.

 

Seriously, even though it IS free, don't bother downloading this song. Please. I'm embarrassed for having listened to it. Bad, bad, BAD!!!!

 

(Spit)

[Dark Star]

Well Here's the video for the song "Get Into the Spirit"

 

http://www.rocktube.us/hN3P7ngt89t/Halford...ideo_2009_.html

 

I am digging it.. Maybe that Free tune was the worst on the album???

[Shawn Of Fire]

Sheesh...it's not that bad...that new Lita Ford is up there w/ St. Anger for a travesty against Metal...Winter Songs is kinda cool in places...his renditions of Christmas hymns like "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and "What Child Is This?" are enjoyable to me...

[Fat Freddy]

Halford's WINTER SONGS has been growing on me with repeated spins... still hate that "Christmas for Everyone" song tho... here's the review I wrote for Detritus e-zine of the CD, if anyone cares...

 

HALFORD – WINTER SONGS (B-) Metal God Entertainment, 2009

10 Tracks, RT: 41:43

 

Okay, let’s be honest. When this project was first announced a few months ago, you all hated the idea, didn’t you? As soon as word hit the streets that the Metal God was doing a Christmas album (!), Internet message boards around the world were immediately lit up like…well, like Christmas trees, with countless fans screaming, “Is he serious? Dude, this is gonna totally suck. Has Rob completely lost his frickin’ mind?” But hold on y’all! WINTER SONGS may not be the waste of plastic that you’re all imagining that it is. In fact, it’s been growing on me with repeated listens, like the fungus on that Christmas fruitcake that’s been passed around my family for what seems like several generations now. (Haha!) Longtime Halford fans will probably recall that this is not Rob’s first foray into Holiday music; back in ’93 he recorded a promo/fan club only Christmas single (“Christmas Ride”) with his then-current band Fight, so right there we’ve got some precedent for this sort of thing. What the hell, I guess ole Rob just really, really digs the Christmas season and since he now runs his own record label to release his solo stuff and therefore he can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants with that, he has decided to share a little holiday cheer with the rest of the headbanging world. Is there anything really wrong with that? On WINTER SONGS, Rob and his solo band tackle six traditional Christmas hymns along with four new original songs with a winter/holiday theme. Of the originals, the one that’s most “Halford-like” would be the leadoff track “Get Into the Spirit,” which is a fast paced rocker that could almost pass for a B-Side from CRUCIBLE. “Winter Song” is the heart of the album, a plaintive, moving piano ballad (that still has balls of steel of course) which (call me crazy if you will) hearkens back to Priest’s SIN AFTER SIN era. The other two original songs include one fair-to-middling entry (“I Don’t Care if It’s Christmas Night,” which sounds like a bad attempt at the vibe of those classic 1960s Phil Spector rock-n-roll Christmas singles) and one that’s out and out godawful (“Christmas For Everyone,” a slab of sentimental pap with lyrics that read like a rejected Hallmark card interior). Moving on, I have no complaints about Rob’s takes on holiday staples (including such Church-ified classics as “O Holy Night,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), in fact, I was quite impressed with how classy they sound. Rob made the wise choice of treating these songs with the respect that they deserve and playing them straight, rather than tarting them up in tons of studio polish (as Trans-Siberian Orchestra would’ve done) or overplaying them for the camp value (Hell-ooooo, Twisted Sister!)… he simply sings these winter carols the way they should be sung. Period. OK, so there may be an electric guitar solo added on here and there that the original composers would never have dreamed of, but hey, this IS the Metal God we’re talking about here, after all. Though I expected this to be a “one listen and gone” disc for me, WINTER SONGS has seen repeated spins in my player since I first got it and it will likely continue to be played through the holiday season. It’s not a perfect album by any means, and Lord knows I would’ve preferred a new Halford release to be jam packed with the screaming heavy metal we all love Rob for, but I can’t deny that WINTER SONGS has a unique charm of its very own. No one is more surprised by that than me. Since this is a seasonal release it will obviously have zero replay value after Dec. 25th (until next holiday season, anyway) but despite that, I'll still say that it’s worth investigating. Merry Christmas, Mr. Halford.

[aMetalhead1966]

Halford's WINTER SONGS has been growing on me with repeated spins... still hate that "Christmas for Everyone" song tho... here's the review I wrote for Detritus e-zine of the CD, if anyone cares...

 

HALFORD – WINTER SONGS (B-) Metal God Entertainment, 2009

10 Tracks, RT: 41:43

 

Okay, let’s be honest. When this project was first announced a few months ago, you all hated the idea, didn’t you? As soon as word hit the streets that the Metal God was doing a Christmas album (!), Internet message boards around the world were immediately lit up like…well, like Christmas trees, with countless fans screaming, “Is he serious? Dude, this is gonna totally suck. Has Rob completely lost his frickin’ mind?” But hold on y’all! WINTER SONGS may not be the waste of plastic that you’re all imagining that it is. In fact, it’s been growing on me with repeated listens, like the fungus on that Christmas fruitcake that’s been passed around my family for what seems like several generations now. (Haha!) Longtime Halford fans will probably recall that this is not Rob’s first foray into Holiday music; back in ’93 he recorded a promo/fan club only Christmas single (“Christmas Ride”) with his then-current band Fight, so right there we’ve got some precedent for this sort of thing. What the hell, I guess ole Rob just really, really digs the Christmas season and since he now runs his own record label to release his solo stuff and therefore he can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants with that, he has decided to share a little holiday cheer with the rest of the headbanging world. Is there anything really wrong with that? On WINTER SONGS, Rob and his solo band tackle six traditional Christmas hymns along with four new original songs with a winter/holiday theme. Of the originals, the one that’s most “Halford-like” would be the leadoff track “Get Into the Spirit,” which is a fast paced rocker that could almost pass for a B-Side from CRUCIBLE. “Winter Song” is the heart of the album, a plaintive, moving piano ballad (that still has balls of steel of course) which (call me crazy if you will) hearkens back to Priest’s SIN AFTER SIN era. The other two original songs include one fair-to-middling entry (“I Don’t Care if It’s Christmas Night,” which sounds like a bad attempt at the vibe of those classic 1960s Phil Spector rock-n-roll Christmas singles) and one that’s out and out godawful (“Christmas For Everyone,” a slab of sentimental pap with lyrics that read like a rejected Hallmark card interior). Moving on, I have no complaints about Rob’s takes on holiday staples (including such Church-ified classics as “O Holy Night,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), in fact, I was quite impressed with how classy they sound. Rob made the wise choice of treating these songs with the respect that they deserve and playing them straight, rather than tarting them up in tons of studio polish (as Trans-Siberian Orchestra would’ve done) or overplaying them for the camp value (Hell-ooooo, Twisted Sister!)… he simply sings these winter carols the way they should be sung. Period. OK, so there may be an electric guitar solo added on here and there that the original composers would never have dreamed of, but hey, this IS the Metal God we’re talking about here, after all. Though I expected this to be a “one listen and gone” disc for me, WINTER SONGS has seen repeated spins in my player since I first got it and it will likely continue to be played through the holiday season. It’s not a perfect album by any means, and Lord knows I would’ve preferred a new Halford release to be jam packed with the screaming heavy metal we all love Rob for, but I can’t deny that WINTER SONGS has a unique charm of its very own. No one is more surprised by that than me. Since this is a seasonal release it will obviously have zero replay value after Dec. 25th (until next holiday season, anyway) but despite that, I'll still say that it’s worth investigating. Merry Christmas, Mr. Halford.

As Usual an Incredible Review!!!!!

[Fat Freddy]

As Usual an Incredible Review!!!!!

 

 

Thank you sir. (tips hat)

[heaven&hell]

Halford's WINTER SONGS has been growing on me with repeated spins... still hate that "Christmas for Everyone" song tho... here's the review I wrote for Detritus e-zine of the CD, if anyone cares...

 

HALFORD – WINTER SONGS (B-) Metal God Entertainment, 2009

10 Tracks, RT: 41:43

 

Okay, let’s be honest. When this project was first announced a few months ago, you all hated the idea, didn’t you? As soon as word hit the streets that the Metal God was doing a Christmas album (!), Internet message boards around the world were immediately lit up like…well, like Christmas trees, with countless fans screaming, “Is he serious? Dude, this is gonna totally suck. Has Rob completely lost his frickin’ mind?” But hold on y’all! WINTER SONGS may not be the waste of plastic that you’re all imagining that it is. In fact, it’s been growing on me with repeated listens, like the fungus on that Christmas fruitcake that’s been passed around my family for what seems like several generations now. (Haha!) Longtime Halford fans will probably recall that this is not Rob’s first foray into Holiday music; back in ’93 he recorded a promo/fan club only Christmas single (“Christmas Ride”) with his then-current band Fight, so right there we’ve got some precedent for this sort of thing. What the hell, I guess ole Rob just really, really digs the Christmas season and since he now runs his own record label to release his solo stuff and therefore he can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants with that, he has decided to share a little holiday cheer with the rest of the headbanging world. Is there anything really wrong with that? On WINTER SONGS, Rob and his solo band tackle six traditional Christmas hymns along with four new original songs with a winter/holiday theme. Of the originals, the one that’s most “Halford-like” would be the leadoff track “Get Into the Spirit,” which is a fast paced rocker that could almost pass for a B-Side from CRUCIBLE. “Winter Song” is the heart of the album, a plaintive, moving piano ballad (that still has balls of steel of course) which (call me crazy if you will) hearkens back to Priest’s SIN AFTER SIN era. The other two original songs include one fair-to-middling entry (“I Don’t Care if It’s Christmas Night,” which sounds like a bad attempt at the vibe of those classic 1960s Phil Spector rock-n-roll Christmas singles) and one that’s out and out godawful (“Christmas For Everyone,” a slab of sentimental pap with lyrics that read like a rejected Hallmark card interior). Moving on, I have no complaints about Rob’s takes on holiday staples (including such Church-ified classics as “O Holy Night,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), in fact, I was quite impressed with how classy they sound. Rob made the wise choice of treating these songs with the respect that they deserve and playing them straight, rather than tarting them up in tons of studio polish (as Trans-Siberian Orchestra would’ve done) or overplaying them for the camp value (Hell-ooooo, Twisted Sister!)… he simply sings these winter carols the way they should be sung. Period. OK, so there may be an electric guitar solo added on here and there that the original composers would never have dreamed of, but hey, this IS the Metal God we’re talking about here, after all. Though I expected this to be a “one listen and gone” disc for me, WINTER SONGS has seen repeated spins in my player since I first got it and it will likely continue to be played through the holiday season. It’s not a perfect album by any means, and Lord knows I would’ve preferred a new Halford release to be jam packed with the screaming heavy metal we all love Rob for, but I can’t deny that WINTER SONGS has a unique charm of its very own. No one is more surprised by that than me. Since this is a seasonal release it will obviously have zero replay value after Dec. 25th (until next holiday season, anyway) but despite that, I'll still say that it’s worth investigating. Merry Christmas, Mr. Halford.

As Usual an Incredible Review!!!!!

 

Great review Keef. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't like the songs I heard and don't care much for Christmas music in general then your review might of made me want to buy this.

[Fat Freddy]

Great review Keef. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't like the songs I heard and don't care much for Christmas music in general then your review might of made me want to buy this.

 

 

Rob Halford sez, "You're a mean one, Mister Grinch."

[heaven&hell]

Great review Keef. If it wasn't for the fact that I don't like the songs I heard and don't care much for Christmas music in general then your review might of made me want to buy this.

 

 

Rob Halford sez, "You're a mean one, Mister Grinch."

 

I have to call it like I see, I mean hear it.