fans have had no choice but to be very patient waiting for the arrival of the group's tenth studio album overall, 2011's . Doubling as the first studio album since 2003's and the first with singer since 1990's , was also recorded once before with singer , and was to be released in 2009. After the group parted ways with shortly before the album's projected release, was welcomed back into the fold, and all the vocals were re-recorded. But to 's credit, it all fits together seamlessly, resulting in arguably their finest studio album since, well, the last one that sang on! With vintage '80s metal sounds reconnecting with the masses in the early 21st century, one of thrash metal's originators picked a fine time to unleash a strong and inspired effort, especially on such standout stompers as "The Devil You Know," "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't," and "In the End." And while the subject of "Judas Priest" is not the heavy metal band of the same name, the track still serves as a tip of the cap to one of heavy metal's all-time greats (and what makes the tribute even more fitting is that the year that was released, and company announced their impending retirement from touring). As with past records, it's not all about pushing the pedal to the metal from start to finish, as evidenced by the slowly building beginnings of "I'm Alive" and "Crawl." Despite the long / layoff, certainly deliver with . ~ Greg Prato