HALFORD – Resurrection (Remastered)

It is almost unnecessary to introduce a figure that doesn’t need further introductions. That personality is the powerful lead singer, Rob, nicknamed by countless Metalheads as the “Metal God”, Halford of Judas Priest, Fight, Two project and his own personal baby, the Halford band.

Halford and his label, Metal God Entertainment, decided to re-release, with extras, the first two albums of Halford: 2000’s Resurrection and the live effort of 2001 Live Insurrection. These two albums, especially the debut, Resurrection , introduce Halford’s influences from several heavy sides of the Heavy Metal realm with acts as Pantera , Skid Row and Metallica. Resurrection ,the main focus of this review, is Halford’s first attempt after his earlier band , Fight, was disbanded. Additionally, this album is the unveiling of his own material, under his own name, since he left Judas Priest after the decorative success of Painkiller. Halford unleashed all of what Judas Priest gave and then some by delivering something more heavy and powerful than Painkiller ever was. He took Painkiller and transformed its veins into something more aggressive, hellish, heavy and the most important – under his insignia and with star musicians as his Metal companions such as Metal Mike Chlasciak (guitars) and Bobby Jarzombek (Drums).

With all the tracks of the original release of Resurrection are in place, Halford awards everyone with bonuses that will impress you just as the original tracklist. Four songs, which some of them were bound to be classics: best and maddest “Hell’s Last Survivor”, “Sad Wings” , weirdly “God Bringer Of Death” and the uneasy listener , “Fetish”. The first two were firstly included in the album’s Japanese edition. The last two tracks made their first appearance with this remastered version.

As for the reworked album, after being remixed and remastered, it sounds louder, harder and will surely keep your blood boiling and pumping after a first listen. For the ones, whom this album is new, you will go through a rough journey through this Metal God’s mastermind and his leathery lifestyle of reaching to the top. You can say that his parting from Judas Priest back in the early 1990s was a “meant to be” event, an event that turned the tides for his own benefit. Halford is a Metal star , no doubt about it , and through Resurrection you will feel the power and energy that some of was probably kept out even on Judas Priest’s heaviest and loudest of albums like Painkiller.

Maybe Halford’s way is a bit different than the Priest’s classic view of music, yet after the release of Halford’s second album, Crucible, Priest got him back and they are running together as if they never parted ways. Halford is not Hell’s Last Survivor, yet he is the best thing that came out of the 70’s and is still performing with excellence.

Highlights from Resurrection: “Resurrection” , “Made In Hell”, “Locked And Loaded” , “Nightfall”, “Silent Screams” , “The One You Love To Hate” – A joint force of the ultimate British Metal vocal mania with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, “Slow Down” and “Saviour”. There you have it, a pack load of hits – embrace it.