Rob Halford Releasing Christmas Album

10/23/09 3:38pm

by Jason MacNeil (CHARTattack)

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than with Judas Priest lead singer Rob Halford belting out Yuletide carols!

Halford will release Halford III — Winter Songs on Nov. 3 in North America. The album will also come with a 24-page color booklet and will be out in Britain and Europe on Nov. 9. German fans will have to wait until Nov. 13 for it.

A preview of the record (as well as a video clip) is available through the website for Halford's Metal God Shop webstore with two singles also available for purchase: "We Three Kings" and "Get Into The Spirit."

"Well, I've always said I wanted to produce a Christmas CD," Halford says. "The Halford band has assembled a fantastic release, and we're excited to have produced a collection of holiday tracks which all of us have enjoyed from a very early age."

Other songs on the album include "O Come O Come Emanuel," "Winter Song," "When Christmas Comes For Everyone," "Light Of The World," "What Child Is This" and "O Holy Night."

Halford's band for the record includes guitarists Roy Z and "Metal" Mike Chlasciak, drummer Bobby Jarzombek and bassist Mike Davis.

Songs not included on the record include "Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Santa," "You've Got Another Gift Coming," "Defenders Of The Sleigh" or a reworked version of "Breaking The Law" entitled "Drinking The Nog."

The record is Halford's first solo album since 2002's Crucible.

Judas Priest spent a portion of 2009 on the road while celebrating the 30th anniversary of 1980's British Steel by performing it in its entirety. The group also released a new live album, A Touch Of Evil: Live, which was culled from their 2005 and 2008 world tours