Metal God Rob Halford Loves Christmas Music, Promises More Halford Band Releases

Wise men, figgy pudding and chestnuts roasting on an open fire probably aren't the first things that come to mind when you listen to songs like "Breaking The Law" and "Ram It Down," but the truth is the Metal God, Rob Halford, is chock full of the holiday spirit.

The singer is so full of Christmas cheer, in fact, that he gathered the members of his same-named band Halford together to record Winter Songs, their first full-length release in almost seven years.

A collection of covers, traditional songs and new material, the album is something Halford says he's wanted to do for quite some time.

"I just love the time of year. I love the Christmastime/holiday season. I love all the different kinds of music," says the Judas Priest/Fight/Halford singer.

"I wanted to do Christmas-style music that means a lot to me, personally, and there's not a lot out there that has this kind of texture, this kind of vibe.

"I'm looking forward to sharing it with people, to give The Metal God's take on what Christmas and what the holiday seasons means to me on a musical level."

Of course, not every Christmas song can handle The Metal God's vision.

"There were some obvious ones I wasn't going to do, like 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.' Couldn't do that," he says with a laugh. "I suppose I could, but it would have been a bit extreme.

"I just wanted songs that, on a personal level, mean something to me and the ones that we've covered, like 'We Three Kings' and 'O Holy Night,' I love those songs and I've always wondered what they would sound like if the Halford band got ahold of them and rearranged them."

Rudolph, Frosty and their ilk might not be hellbent for leather, but there are still plenty of holiday tunes Halford is interested in tackling, though, and he hasn't ruled out doing more seasonal music in the future.

"I had so much fun doing this, and there are a number of other great songs that I'd like to cover, so I think there's enough material for a follow-up next year," he says.

"I'm just letting the music do the work and if it's successful — which, so far the feedback has been very, very strong and very positive and I thank everybody for the reaction. If it keeps going in that direction, then maybe there will be one or two Christmas shows next year."

Perhaps the greatest Christmas gift of all for metal fans, though, is the fact that this means the world won't have to wait another seven years to hear more from the Halford band.

"I would be 65 if I did that, or 66," says Halford, laughing. "And Ronnie [James Dio]'s up there and belting his lungs out. So are Lemmy and Ozzy [Osbourne] and Gene [Simmons] — we're all out there, doing what we love to do.

"So anything's possible, isn't it, really? As long as the pipes are intact, as long as I can still do the work at the level that I'm a perfectionist, then who knows? But no; it won't be another seven years before there's another Halford release, definitely."