Like you, Before this announcement, I felt the timing was perfect : a last tour while they still can (if they still can, that's what we'll soon check it out) and a retirement from the spotlights. All  in dignity. And then, an album for the diehards, another way to say goodbye. why not if they still had good ideas ?

Even if Actually, I don't expect anything from a new studio material, for reasons i explained upper, and because I think they don't have anything more to prove. They did their job, they did it perfectly, they became the Metal Gods, so what else ? 

For me, the priority was the tour. And I can't understand why they quarrelled about something else which  jeopardized the tour. I can't think that KK left for futile things. KK's life turned around Priest, and he kept the band alive for so many years... I read somewhere on his blog he was in late in working on this new album, because he was enjoying to have some rest, and because, if I remember well, he was thinking same way : priority for the epitaph. 

Well, I exepected more cleverness  from this band. I didn't expect more frustration from them. I think we fans deserved one more and last effort, one more compromise.

Saying that, I know the show will be ok, it can't be other way, they are professionnal and they are the best. But it won't be the same. The music will be there, but the show won't be entire , in my opinion. 

You don't have to be old to be wise, they used to say. Now it's more like "that's not because you're old, than you're wise..."