Well....speaking as one who has heard all of 3 tracks thus far from  "NOSTRADAMUS,"   what I'm about to address here is really a response  (and albeit, an impartial one) to some of the negative criticisms I've stumbled across between here and the HALFORD QUORUM.

I've been abundantly aware of the fact that Judas Priest are the type of band that strives to do something different with each and every new output of music they create.     The only two albums they've made that share any real similarities (in a back-to-back sense)  are   "Screaming For Vengeance"   and  "Defenders Of The Faith."     Even for having said that, the production of both albums are even different,  and the latter album seems more ethereal somehow;  "Rock Hard, Ride Free,"   and  "The Sentinel"   seem to have a different resonance and atmosphere.

There's no question about it folks....when presented with the idea of making a conceptualized piece about a REAL individual  (won't find any cybernetic mythology ala  "Painkiller,"   et; al),  the undertaking had to have been massive in scope.     Much has been written and exposed about  Nostradamus' life and his works,   and Judas Priest clearly had it in mind to pay homage to his LIFE and the very tragic undertones that he'd experienced.      Some have argued that a conceptual album about some of the quatrains of his most celebrated and infamous of prophecies would've been more appropo....I'm prone to disagree with this.     Judas Priest took the right path in telling about this man's life and times....his pains and his woes....from the time he was aware he had this 'gift,'   to being exiled from France to avoid any further charges of heresy...the loss of his wife and child....I mean, talk about a challenging life!

When confronted with the issue that Priest dropped the ball musically/lyrically (as I've seen discussed at times)...I sometimes think that some of those who've stated such things really didn't think this effort through upon listening to it.     Nostradamus, after all...lived in the 16th century.     Metal music (quite obviously) didn't exist way back when...and in terms of tackling the issues of his life,  Priest were clearly sensitive to what they learned, and thought long and hard as to how to convey those emotions both musically and lyrically.      Whether or not you think the lyrics contained on  "NOSTRADAMUS"   are indicative of the genius exhibited on albums like  "Sin After Sin"    or    "Stained Class"   is frankly....irrelevant.       This is clearly an album meant to be FELT....EXPERIENCED....as well as heard.    Thematically, after all...we are dealing with the story of a real man!!       Is it any wonder then that even Priest themselves have encouraged us to give this effort a FEW listens??     It surely WASN'T because they question the judgment of having gone through with this effort...nor is it because they doubt whether or not what they created was any good  (yes...these summations have been brooded about by some fans...ffs),  'cuz let's face facts....if they had any problem with the final outcome...it STILL wouldn't have been released.

Sure it's different....it's SUPPOSED to be.     I for one would never have found Judas Priest to be as consistently interesting as I've known them to be for the last 28 years if all they did was  "British Steel"    or   "Screaming For Vengeance"   over and over and over and over and over and over again!!!        There are emotions and sweeping cross-sections of a man's psyche that's being talked about on this effort.      Consider this much before making any real determined judgment.