Judas Priest announce "final tour"....

[stevieb91]

Official press release

After storming the world for nearly 40 years and taking their very special brand of heavy metal to all four corners of the planet, JUDAS PRIEST - one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, have announced this will be their final world tour!!

However, the mighty PRIEST will certainly be going out strong as they rock the planet starting in 2011 on the massive EPITAPH tour - hitting all the major cities throughout the world they will be playing the songs that helped make the name JUDAS PRIEST synonymous with heavy metal!

With all guns blazing and amps cranked to eleven, the band will be giving all their fans one last chance to witness the ultimate metal experience that is JUDAS PRIEST!

JUDAS PRIEST will be starting their world tour in Europe - we have just confirmed the following festivals for 2011 -

9th June Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
11th June Sauna Festival, Finland
17th June Copenhell Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
19th June Hellfest, Nantes, France
22nd June Gods of Metal Festival, Milan, Italy
25th June Graspop Festival, Belgium
23rd July HIgh Voltage Festival, London, UK
5th August Wacken Festival, Germany

[markD]

scorps, priest....i am just waiting for maiden to announce their retirement.

[cookiemonster]

gutted.

[Robert Hendrix]

Every time one of my old favorite metal bands announce a retirement, it makes me feel old... :-/

[jk2171]

Every time one of my old favorite metal bands announce a retirement, it makes me feel old... :-/

This

[Nightbat]

Every time one of my old favorite metal bands announce a retirement, it makes me feel old... :-/

Every time one of my old favorite metal bands announce a retirement, I fear for the future

[Jack Napalm]

Just saw Halford at HOB in Dallas and Rob, even with a cold, still has it. They must just be tired with JP.

[Spivonious]

I'd be tired of it too after 40 years. Metal is fun, but it can be very limiting as well. At least they're giving it up before they became pathetic.

[MetalMedal II]

Reminds me of the Kiss farewell tour....which was what, 10 years ago! We'll see if Priest sticks to it!

[85 San Dimas]

Yeah, it's a shame, and its impossible to break new bands in that genre. They just can't get traction. If Priest quits at least they go out with a roar instead of a whimper.

[javert]

I read about this some time ago as they are visiting us here in Denmark at the Copenhell festival Speaking of retiring bands, I was at the Scorpions' concert last month in Hamburg. It was part of their farewell tour and the arena was completely sold out. I've been a fan of them since the mid 80s but had never been at one of their concerts. It was awesome to finally hear and see them live.

[Newc]

Hate to see it happen, but frankly, I thought their guitar tones went to shit with Ram It Down. Over-saturated G.I.T. shred-wanker tones that were not nearly as crushing or heavy as everything before that. The bass "tone" was basically a synth drone with no punch, just a low, steady rumble like some fucking Dr Dre bullshit.

Yeah, the distortion on Hellion or You've Got Another Thing Comin wasn't coming from a TripleRec, but 2 guitars, a drummer, and a bass worked together - like a fucking BAND - to push the speakers hard enough to drive nails into concrete. You just can't do that with "gain on 11".
All that fuzzy-buzzy shit with infinite sustain just doesn't have balls.

[Grandturk]

Yeah, but Painkiller had some serious badd-ass guitar sound on it.

[Newc]

If you mean ass-bad, I agree. Double-checking my Metalogy tracks from Painkiller and Ram It Down, RID did at least have some definition to the bass, but Painkiller itself was just too "fizzy".

Going right from there to Screaming, you cannot deny those older tracks were heavier because of the entire band.

[Grandturk]

Going right from there to Screaming, you cannot deny those older tracks were heavier because of the entire band.

No doubt - Screaming for Vengeance is a kick ass, heavy album. Not taking anything away from that. Painkiller also clearly features hi-gain guitar amps - vs. earlier JMP and 800 Marshalls - so you definately have a different sound. I like both.