With its new album, Judas Priest welcomes back its congregation

When British heavy-metal band Judas Priest released its 17th studio album, Redeemer of Souls, in July, longtime fans drew a collective breath of hesitation. This was, after all, the first record assembled without legendary guitarist K.K. Downing, who retired from the band in 2011. But the doubt proved unnecessary: Souls is an incendiary collection, and it sounds quintessentially Priest.

Lead singer Rob Halford recognizes that he has reason to be proud. The group has been active almost continuously since forming in 1969, and Judas Priest’s influence on subsequent metal music casts a long shadow. Ahead of the band’s Tuesday show at the Midland, we spoke by phone with Halford from his home in England.

The Pitch: It seems like there’s some genre experimenting on Redeemer of Souls. Some songs have a thrash-metal feel, and one or two have a Southern boogie-metal feel. Is that due to your new guitarist, Richie Faulkner?

Halford: I’m sure it would be ridiculous to ignore the fact that he had a really important point to make on this record, not only with him being fully with the band but also to show his great skill — not only as a guitar player but as a songwriter. As you’ve probably seen from the credits, it’s still a three-way writing team: two lead guitars and a singer, which we’ve always felt is the best way to get the best endeavor.

I’m sure Richie’s input was extremely important to the final outcome. Having said that, we still keep referring to the fact that Richie was out with us on that Epitaph tour [2011–12], when we were playing a two-and-a-half-hour set, and we were covering everything from ’74 to wherever we were at that time and in between, so we feel that a lot of that kinda dialed him into us before we actually physically sat down to start writing. We never really had a plan, you know? Like, “Let’s just make it how Priest makes it,” and that’s how it turned out.

Do you find it to be a struggle to balance wanting to play some of the new material that’s fresh with the songs you’ve been playing for so long?

Yeah, I think it’s a cool problem to have, if you want to call it a problem — I don’t really think it’s a problem. I think it must be the same for any band that’s had the good fortune to have a long romp in rock and roll. Obviously, your set list contains significance on the Priest world, of course. You have to do “Breakin’ the Law” and so on and so forth. It’s important to keep those songs polished and fresh. Obviously, they’ve stood the test of time and even got the same value, in some instances, 30-odd years later. That’s the big thrill, I think, from seeing that that particular material can still have the same impact.

I’m amazed, from seeing performances and listening to the new music, how timeless the sound is and how well your voice still sounds.

I’ve been doing this for 40 years of my life now. I suppose before I open my mouth, I already know what I’m supposed to do. [Laughs.] Wouldn’t it be great if that’s the way the world was? I suppose a lot of people open their mouths without thinking. I won’t go there, but you know what I’m saying.

Do you do vocal training or anything like that, to keep your voice intact? Or have you in the past?

It’s just an acquired skill, that you know what key to go for, what tone to go for, what register, how to deliver. It’s all just doing it, you know? Didn’t someone once say that you have to do like 10,000 hours of practice before you get it right? Because with certain things in life, some of the best moments come from doing it over and over and over again.

I’m lucky in as far as the condition my voice is in. I was well-rested before we started recording, and I think any singer will tell you that when you go into the studio, you hope that your vocal cords are in the best shape that they can be at that time. And I think on this record you let loose because you’re just having the best of time. You’re excited about the songs and where the band is at and what you’re trying to do. It’s a combination of a lot of things that should shine in your performance and get corking when the red light goes on.