According to PowerOfMetal.dk, original JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Al Atkins is working on a new album of reworked versions of songs covering the four decades of his singing career. Guest musicians set to appear on the as-yet-untitled effort include JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill (on two tracks), former GILLAN bassist John McCoy, PRIMAL FEAR singer Ralf Scheepers, Christian guitarist Paul May, DEATH DEALER axeman Stu Marshall (guitar) and Japanese guitarist Tsuyoshi Ikedo from the band UNVEIL RAZE.
Regarding how the idea for the album came about, Atkins told the site: “After Paul May and myself [were] asked to record a ‘best-of’ album by our record company, we recorded the ATKINS MAY PROJECT ‘Anthology’. It then got me thinking about recording my own solo ‘best-of] album, but set about re-recording all of my fave songs from the last four decades and using guest players. We still have three tracks still to record before it is all finished, but it is sounding absolutely killer.”
He added: “[I am] really looking forward to this album and I hope everyone else who buys it will enjoy it too.”
Atkins is the co-writer of several PRIEST songs which are included on the band’s first two albums, “Rocka Rolla” and “Sad Wings of Destiny”, both of which eventually went gold. Atkins co-penned the heavy metal classic “Victim of Changes”, which was a combination of Rob Halford’s song “Red Light Lady” and Atkins‘ own “Whiskey Woman”. He also co-wrote “Winter”, “Never Satisfied”, “Dreamer Deceiver” and “Caviar and Meths”.
In 1989 Atkins released his debut solo album, “Judgement Day”, to great acclaim. But it was “Heavy Thoughts” and “Victim of Changes” (the latter being his collaborative album with ex-JUDAS PRIEST drummer Dave Holland) that brought him strong sales and critical acclaim around the world.
JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to Al Atkins’s autobiography, titled “Dawn of the Metal Gods: My Life in Judas Priest and Heavy Metal”. The book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil’s book “The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith” (Omnibus Press) — was released in 2009 via Iron Pages.
Source: Blabbermouth
