Nostradamus (album)

The concept for Nostradamus originated from manager Bill Curbishley,^[14] and was pitched to the band during their 2005 tour in Estonia. Guitarist K. K. Downing revealed in a February 2007 interview with Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles that 18 tracks had been recorded, with a total runtime exceeding 90 minutes, adding that there was little he would want to cut.

Musically, the album features symphonic orchestrations, incorporating keyboards and choirs, marking a significant departure from the band’s previous work.^[4]

In November 2007, the band began mixing the album.^[15]

In November 2007, singer Rob Halford stated that it was still undecided whether Nostradamus would be released as a double-disc set. By April 2008, it was confirmed that the album would be issued as a double CD and triple vinyl LP.^[16]

Nostradamus debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart after selling 42,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release. This was the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. until it was surpassed by Redeemer of Souls in 2014, which peaked at No. 6. According to Billboard.com, the album was released in Europe on 16 June 2008 and in the United States on 17 June 2008.

Three configurations of the album were issued. The most common version is a standard jewel-cased double CD. Additionally, a "CD deluxe hardbound version" was released, featuring a 48-page booklet, while a "super deluxe version" included three vinyl records alongside the deluxe CD packaging and a poster.^[17]

The title track was released as a free download on Judas Priest's website through Epic Records on 12 April 2008.^[18] The second single, "Visions," was released on 4 May 2008.

The title track was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards,^[19] while "Visions" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance.^[19]

The band expressed interest in performing the album in its entirety as part of a theatrical production, but the idea was ultimately scrapped, possibly due to the album's mixed reception among fans.^[20] Only two tracks from the album, "Prophecy" and "Death," were performed during the subsequent tour. "Prophecy" was also played on the Epitaph World Tour of 2011–2012.

Nostradamus received a mixed reaction from critics and fans. Mike Stagno of Sputnikmusic noted that with Nostradamus, Judas Priest "has cast away both speed metal and hard rock in favour of a more symphonic metal approach," emphasizing synthesizers more prominently than in their previous work. Stagno acknowledged that the use of synthesizers was different from Judas Priest's 1986 album Turbo, but also noted it was "painfully obvious" that the band was struggling to adapt to this unfamiliar style.^[21]

James Christopher Monger of AllMusic described the album as "epic metal", similar to Iron Maiden’s 1988 album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. However, he criticized the album for including "nearly every Spinal Tap cliché", such as "melodramatic spoken interludes" and "dated keyboard strings". Monger suggested that these elements contributed to the sense that the band was padding the album to fill two discs, asserting it "should have been" condensed into a single album.^[1]

In January 2009, Billboard stated that Nostradamus had sold over 100,000 copies in the United States and 500,000 copies worldwide.^[22]

In his 2020 memoir, Confess, Rob Halford reflected on the album, expressing pride in its creation and confidence that its reputation will improve over time. He also expressed his wish for the album to be played live in its entirety, as had been previously considered.^[23]

Nostradamus tells the story of the life and times of Nostradamus. The first disc explores his various prophecies about the future, some of which are supposedly of an apocalyptic nature.

^[24]

Credits adapted from liner notes:^[24]