Halford - Japanese Albums Collection (2000-2010)

As the incomparable voice of thrashing beast Judas Priest, Rob Halford defined the role of the metal frontman. After his unamiable departure from the British juggernaut, Halford formed Fight with Priest drummer-come-lately Scott Travis. Fight released three powerful records, Halford straining to remain the masthead of the heavy rock movement he created. Two, a trendy electro-exercise with Trent Reznor, took two steps back on the misguided Voyeurs. Halford returned to his roots and formed a new unit, simply dubbed Halford, with guitarists Patrick Lachman and Mike Chlasciak, bassist Ray Riendeau, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek. Halford rebounded with his band at the turn of the century, releasing the aptly titled Resurrection, a no-nonsense manifesto from a true metal legend. Halford hit the road opening for disciples Queensrÿche and Iron Maiden before beginning a headlining tour, documented on Live Insurrection. In 2002, Crucible arrived quickly after their tour ended, even featuring two bonus tracks that were originally not going to be included. The following year, to the delight of Judas Priest fans, the band reunited with Halford on vocals, and the reinvigorated legends of metal released Angel of Retribution in 2005 and Nostradamus in 2008. During this time, Halford's solo project lay dormant. However, after nearly seven years, Rob Halford returned to recording under his surname in 2009, only to surprise fans by releasing a Christmas album titled Halford III: Winter Songs. Halford and company followed up the next year with Halford IV: Made of Metal, followed by the live recording/concert film Live at Saitama Super Arena in 2011.

Former Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford finally re-embraced his roots, formed a band simply called Halford, and recorded 2000's Resurrection, a tremendous album of pure heavy metal. His three early-'90s Fight releases were metallic, unlike 1998's disastrous Two album Voyeurs, which was executive produced by Trent Reznor. Add to the musical shift Halford's new makeup-heavy image and public admission of his homosexuality and longtime fans were surprised, to say the least. Halford brought out the leather and motorcycle and recruited guitarists Patrick Lachman and Mike Chlasciak, bassist Ray Riendeau, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek to start over. The presence of this new band and producer Roy Z obviously inspired Halford because Resurrection is a triumphant return to form. It's the real thing, none of that rap-metal, alternative-metal hybrid stuff. Halford stretches his voice out by utilizing everything from piercing falsetto wails to sinister, throaty rumbles. Some songs have autobiographical lyrics, particularly the stunning one-two opening punch of "Resurrection" and "Made in Hell." The former features Halford admitting to past mistakes while the latter is a history lesson on the creation and rise of heavy metal. "Locked and Loaded" is a bit slower and the guitars settle into a groove, but the song's power isn't jeopardized. "Night Fall" sounds like a great lost Judas Priest song, and that's meant as a compliment. The seven-minute "Silent Screams" starts slowly and builds into a fiery rocker complete with Halford's multi-tracked vocals. Heavy metal fans will quake with joy after hearing Halford's duet with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson on "The One You Love to Hate," a brutal three-minute blowout. "Slow Down" is another example of Halford displaying a variety of vocal styles within the same song. "Drive" and "Saviour" include traces of speed metal, the style Judas Priest embraced on 1990's Painkiller, Halford's last with the band.

~ Reviewed by Bret Adams, allmusic.com

Tracklist:

1. Resurrection - 3:58
2. Made In Hell - 4:12
3. Locked And Loaded - 3:19
4. Night Fall - 3:41
5. Silent Screams - 7:07
6. The One You Love To Hate - 3:11
7. Cyberworld - 3:09
8. Slow Down - 4:51
9. Twist - 4:09
10. Temptation - 3:32
11. Drive - 4:31
12. Saviour - 3:27
13. Sad Wings (Bonus Track) - 3:39
14. Hell's Last Survivor (Bonus Track) - 3:25


• Rob Halford - vocals
• Patrick Lachman - guitar
• Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Ray Riendeau – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums

Additional vocals at track 'The One You Love To Hate' by Bruce Dickinson.
Executive producer / A&R - John Baxter, producer - Roy Z.
All tracks written or co-written by Rob Halford.
Mastered at Sterling Sound, NY, by George Marino.

Rob Halford returned to the classic heavy metal style that he helped make famous on the focused Resurrection, an album that garnered critical acclaim for its spectacular metal focus. On the follow-up to this monumental release he continues down the same path, as his assembled backing band is quite possibly one of the best on the scene in the early '00s, and his vocals are as focused and exceptional as they have ever been. Songs such as "Betrayal" and "Wrath of God" highlight Crucible, an album where Rob's signature falsetto wail is distinct and picture-perfect, while bandmates Pat Lachman, Mike Chlasciak, Bobby Jarzombek, and Ray Riendeau have seemingly topped their magnificent work on Halford's previous outing. Crucible keeps things fresh, as Rob himself states that he dared not retread on themes abundant on Resurrection; as a result, this is yet another classic metal album for the next generation.

~ Reviewed by Jason D. Taylor, allmusic.com

Tracklist:

1. Park Manor - 1:12
2. Crucible - 4:26
3. One Will - 3:32
4. Betrayal - 3:04
5. Handing Out Bullets - 3:16
6. Hearts Of Darkness - 3:48
7. Crystal - 4:38
8. Heretic - 3:49
9. Golgotha - 4:21
10. Wrath Of God - 3:12
11. Weaving Sorrow - 3:28
12. Sun - 3:49
13. Trail Of Tears - 5:57
14. Rock The World Forever (Bonus Track) - 3:11
15. In The Morning (Bonus Track) - 2:21


• Rob Halford - vocals
• Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Pat Lachman - guitar
• Ray Reindeau – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums

Produced by Roy Z.
Execurive producer: A&R / John Bazter
Mixed by Bill Cooper, Poy Z and Joe Floyd
Mastered at Sterling Sound, NY, by George Marino.

While he'll always be known first and foremost as the prototypical heavy metal frontman of Judas Priest, Rob Halford spent much of the '90s away from the group (before returning in the early 21st century). During this time, the singer certainly didn't go silent, as he launched several projects – the Pantera-esque Fight, the Nine Inch Nails-esque Two, and ultimately, a return to his Priest roots, Halford. The 16-track compilation, 2007's Metal God Essentials, Vol. 1, contains highlights from two of these three Halford-led groups (Two is the only project nowhere to be found here). But this is not a straight-ahead best-of set, as the majority of the tracks from the Fight era ("Into the Pit," "Nailed to the Gun," "War of Words") are demo recordings. And while another demo, "Silent Screams," shows the metal god in a tranquil mood, the majority of the tracks here are good old-fashioned, speaker melting metal, as evidenced by the inclusion of such ditties as "Made in Hell," "Golgotha," and "Locked and Loaded." Also included is a pair of all-new Halford tracks, "Forgotten Generation" and "Drop Out" (which serves as a sneak peak of the forthcoming Halford release).

~ Reviewed by Greg Prato, allmusic.com

Tracklist:

1. Resurrection (Resurrection - 2000/2006) - 4:00
2. Made In Hell (Resurrection - 2000/2006) - 4:14
3. Screaming In The Dark (Live Insurrection - 2001/2006) - 3:40
4. Golgotha (Crucible - 2002/2006) - 4:25
5. Silent Screams - 1999 Demo (The Singles - 1999/2006) - 7:16
6. Crystal (Crucible - 2002/2006) - 4:50
7. Into The Pit (New K5 - 1992/2006) - 4:37
8. Nailed To The Gun (New K5 - 1992/2006) - 3:35
9. Slow Down (Resurrection - 2000/2006) - 4:52
10. Locked And Loaded (Resurrection - 2000/2006) - 3:20
11. Forgotten Generation (New - 2006) - 4:37
12. Drop Out (New - 2006) - 3:41
13. War Of Words (New K5 - 1992/2006) - 4:58
14. Sun (Crucible - 2002/2006) - 3:51
15. Trail Of Tears (Crucible - 2002/2006) - 4:28


Tracklist - Bonus CD:

1. Forgotten Generation - Vendetta Australian And So. America Mix (New - 2007) - 4:08
2. Forgotten Generation - Redemption European Mix (New - 2007) - 6:36
3. Forgotten Generation - Resistance Canadian Mix (New - 2007) - 4:54
4. Forgotten Generation - Defiance Japan Mix (New - 2007) - 14:13


Halford : Track 1-6, 9-12, 14 & 15
• Rob Halford - vocals
• Metal Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Roy Z. - guitar
• Pat Lachman - guitar
• Ray Reindeau – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums
• Mike Davis - bass perfomance ot tracks 11 & 12

Fight : Track 7,8 & 13
• Rob Halford - vocals
• Russ Parrish - guitar
• Brian Tilse - guitar
• Jay Jay – bass
• Scott Travis – drums

Produced by Roy Z. Execurive producer: A&R / John Baxter
Mixed by Bill Cooper, Poy Z and Joe Floyd
Mastered at Sterling Sound, NY, by George Marino.

At first glance, Halford's entry into the crowded holiday market looks like a parody. Heavy metal and Christmas make for strange bedfellows, and Winter Songs' pastoral cover art – which depicts Rob Halford staring wistfully (with a goatee and shades) into a soft, snowy pine forest – screams Spinal Tap. That said, the Judas Priest frontman approaches yuletide standards like "We Three Kings" and "What Child Is This?" with the same conviction that he applied to Priest classics like "Electric Eye" and "Freewheel Burning" – it probably helps that most traditional Christmas hymns tend to fall into the same brooding minor keys that serve as the foundation for most, if not all, heavy metal songs. While Winter Songs, like Twisted Sister's excellent 2006 Twisted Christmas collection, may not be mainstream enough for the department store Santa kiosk, it's a surprisingly cohesive and listenable addition to the genre – and if skillfully disguised in a Mannheim Steamroller jewel case, it could make Christmas morning truly joyful.

~ Reviewed by James Christopher Monger, allmusic.com

Tracklist:

1. Get Into The Spirit - 5:26
2. We Three Kings - 4:07
3. Oh Come O Come Emanuel - 4:38
4. Winter Song - 5:38
5. What Child Is This? - 4:27
6. Christmas For Everyone - 3:07
7. I Dont Care - 3:14
8. Light Of The World - 4:14
9. Oh Holy Night - 4:09
10. Come All Ye Faithful - 2:27


• Rob Halford - vocals
• Roy Z. - guitar
• Metal Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Mike Davis – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums
• Ed Roth - keyboards

Produced by Metal God Entaertainment/Ro Halford Music.
Executive producer - John Bater, producer - Roy Z.
Written, recorded mixed and mastered in Los Angeles and San Diego, during 2008 & 2009.

This double-disc documents Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford's solo band at its absolute peak, live in 2003, right after the release of the group's second album, the acclaimed Crucible. Halford was an astonishingly tight, heavy band, propelled by the drumming of the ferociously talented Bobby Jarzombek (Riot, Spastic Ink) and featuring "Metal" Mike Chlasciak on lead guitar. The primary set includes 11 Judas Priest songs along with eight by either Halford or Fight, plus a version of "Light Comes out of Black," the song Halford recorded with Pantera as his backing band for the soundtrack to the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's clearly recorded in a smaller venue than the places he played with Priest, as his stage banter has a much more intimate quality – at one point he says "I'll get to you all one by one," and invites people to come down front and get in the pit – and the applause is that of a gathering of hardcore fans, not the formless roaring of a sold-out arena. But going back to his roots was Halford the man's point in starting Halford the band, and his performance has a thrilling intensity. Furthermore, Halford had some great songs on its two albums. "Resurrection," "Made in Hell," and "Handing Out Bullets" had metal power in spades, and "Golgotha" is a crushingly heavy doom track. Indeed, these performances make some of the Priest tracks feel rote by comparison; the band tears through "Breaking the Law," with the crowd cheering the choruses, at Motorhead/Ramones speed, like they're fulfilling a contractual obligation. On the other hand, they really dig into "Victim of Changes," sprawling it out into a ten-minute epic a la Deep Purple's version of "Child in Time" from Made in Japan. And the last song of the body of the disc, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'," is stretched to nearly eight minutes with singalongs and crowd interaction. Four bonus tracks, recorded at a later gig in Japan, have a little bit more polish, but less crowd noise. In any case, Live in Anaheim (also available on DVD) is a terrific live document of an under-recognized period in Rob Halford's storied career.

~ Reviewed by Phil Freeman, allmusic.com

Tracklist CD 1:

1. Painkiller - 6:10
2. Rapid Fire - 4:05
3. Heretic - 5:08
4. Resurrection - 3:17
5. Made In Hell - 4:23
6. Golgotha - 4:33
7. Into The Pit - 3:58
8. Light Comes Out of Black - 6:19
9. White Heat Red Hot - 4:25
10. Never Satisfied - 5:43
11. Breaking The Law - 2:18
12. Hearts Of Darkness - 3:49
13. Handing Out Bullets - 3:21


Tracklist CD 2:

1. Diamonds And Rust - 3:36
2. Hellion - 0:43
3. Electric Eye - 3:31
4. Riding On The Wind - 4:16
5. Victim Of Changes - 10:13
6. Youve Got Another Thing Comin - 8:21
7. Heretic (Live In Japan, Bonus Track) - 3:52
8. Sun (Live In Japan, Bonus Track) - 3:33
9. Golgotha (Live In Japan, Bonus Track) - 4:31
10. One Will (Live In Japan, Bonus Track) - 3:37


• Rob Halford - vocals
• Roy Z. - guitar
• Metal Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Mike Davis – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums

Produced by Metal God Entertainment/Rob Halford Music.
Executive producer - John Baxter & Rob Halford, producer - Roy Z.

For nearly four decades, Rob Halford has been one of the most influential singers in metal, and ever since he formed his band Halford, he’s had a pretty easy time reminding the world why. On Halford IV: Made of Metal, the metal god and company once again unleash an album of classic, New Wave of British Heavy Metal-influenced goodness for metal fans to devour. Kicking off with the galloping aggression of “Undisputed,” Made of Metal quickly establishes itself as an album that’s not satisfied with being merely driving, but aims to be empowering. Tracks like “Thunder and Lightning” and “Like There’s No Tomorrow” wouldn’t feel out of place in an action movie training montage, painting a picture of a protagonist steeling himself as he prepares to do the impossible. While songs like the odd country/metal ditty “Till the Day I Die” and piano heavy power ballad “Twenty-Five Years” offer slight diversions from the old-school intensity, Halford largely to sticks to what it's best at: straight-ahead heavy metal. Once again, Rob Halford shows that sometimes the old ways are the best ways with an album of what is essentially heavy metal comfort food, a biting sonic reminder of the glory days of the NWOBHM movement that takes that classic sound and adds enough new ingredients to make it feel fresh.

~ Reviewed by Gregory Heaney, allmusic.com

Tracklist:

1. Undisputed - 5:17
2. Fire And Ice - 2:52
3. Made Of Metal - 4:01
4. Speed Of Sound - 4:32
5. Like Theres No Tomorrow - 4:20
6. Till The Day I Die - 3:50
7. We Own The Night - 3:54
8. Heartless - 3:38
9. Hell Razor - 3:44
10. Thunder and Lightning - 5:28
11. Twenty Five Years - 7:01
12. Matador - 5:39
13. I Know We Stand A Chance - 3:51
14. The Mower - 4:40


• Rob Halford - vocals
• Roy Z. - guitar
• Metal Mike Chlasciak - guitar
• Mike Davis – bass
• Bobby Jarzombek – drums

Produced by Metal God Entaertainment/Rob Halford Music.
Executive producer - John Bater, producer - Roy Z.