Angel of Retribution

Angel of Retribution is the fifteenth studio album by Judas Priest, released in 2005. It is historically significant as the first album to feature vocalist Rob Halford since 1990's Painkiller, ending a fifteen-year hiatus. Produced by Roy Z, the album intentionally synthesizes various eras of the band's sound, from the bluesy roots of the 1970s to the polished commercial metal of the 1980s and the aggressive power metal of the early 1990s. The record is notable for its self-referential nature, with tracks like 'Demonizer' and 'Eulogy' containing direct lyrical and thematic nods to past classics like 'The Sentinel' and 'Stained Class'. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200, confirming the band's commercial viability in the 21st century. The album's centerpiece is 'Lochness', a 13-minute track that represents one of the band's most ambitious forays into progressive and doom metal territory.