HOLY RAGE, the band led by original
JUDAS PRIEST vocalist
Al Atkins, will enter the studio in December to begin recording its debut album. According to a posting on the group's
MySpace page, the CD will tentatively be completed in March. Also in the works is a video for the song
"A Void to Avoid", featuring a special guest appearance by
Bernie Tormé, former guitarist for
GILLAN,
OZZY OSBOURNE,
ATOMIC ROOSTER, and
DESPERADO, and current guitarist/vocalist for rock and roll power trio
GUY-MCCOY-TORME (
GMT).
"A Void to Avoid", along with
"Give Them Hell", are bonus tracks on the global release of
Al's 2007 solo album
"Demon Deceiver" (re-titled
"Demon Deceiver... Plus"), which is available worldwide right now, but will also be featured on the new
HOLY RAGE album.
HOLY RAGE is:
Al Atkins - Vocals
Scott Dallow - Bass
Chris Johnson - Guitar
Mick Hales - Drums
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. Recently
Atkins formed
HOLY RAGE and has shared the bill with ex-
RAINBOW/MSG singer
Graham Bonnet in California.
JUDAS PRIEST bassist
Ian Hill has 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 this past spring via
Iron Pages.

