Every Judas Priest Albums Ranked Worst To Best
14. Nostradamus
A very different beast altogether, Nostradamus split Judas Priest fans and critics right down the middle. On the one hand: it’s a slightly cooky concept album! On the other hand: It’s a slightly cooky concept album…
Released in 2008 and based on the titular apocalyptic oracle, it was the first - and last - time the band had attempted a record of such lofty ambitions. It ended up being an album of ‘firsts’, with the inclusion of classical instrumentation, choir arrangements and keyboards really pushing the envelope of what the band had attempted previously.
Originally pitched to them as a concept whilst on tour in Estonia, the band followed through with the heady project for an eventual release spanning two discs and 18 total tracks. If that seems excessive, it actually could have been longer; guitarist K. K. Downing later revealed that there wasn’t any possible fat to trim.
Whilst divisive, Nostradamus was one of Priest’s more pioneering albums and remains one of the band’s few Grammy-nominated works. If you have a hankering for ambitious, philosophy-tinged metal and ninety minutes to spare, you could do far worse than Nostradamus.