Former JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens has announced the release of a new solo EP, “Return To Death Row”
The EP, arriving in late October/early November, will include the song “Embattled“, which was made available back in July. The EP was produced by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Nick Bellmore (JASTA, DEE SNIDER) and features the lineup of Nick Bellmore, Charlie Bellmore (DEE SNIDER, ex-TOXIC HOLOCAUST) on guitar, and Chris Beaudette (JASTA, ENTEIRRO) on bass.
Owens recently spoke with Australia’s Heavy about “Embattled“, saying (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s been great. I think people are just gonna really dig it. If they’re into the real mellow part of my career, then they might not dig it quite as much ’cause this EP is pretty heavy. Right off the bat, it starts with a really fast song. Then we’ll probably go into ‘Embattled‘. Then it’s got a couple of more fast songs. ‘Embattled‘ is the second from being the mellowest song on the record. So it’s really good.
“The whole part about Jamey Jasta and I talking about this is he wanted to capture what I did a lot in my early career and what I did with BEYOND FEAR and what I did with [JUDAS PRIEST‘s] ‘Jugulator‘ [album]. His main part, when he first talked to me, he was, like, ‘Man, we’ve gotta do something to capitalize on what you did on ‘Jugulator‘, ’cause it was brutal and it was great, and the vocals on there.’ And that was his big thing.
“People know me that I can sing a lot of different styles of music, and this is probably one of my favorite ways to sing, on this record,” Owens added. “I like the straightforward, brutal metal that’s still melodic, because it gives you bigger range. You can sing heavy as hell, but you can take it down and sing mellow, you can sing high, clear notes, raspy… I mean, it widens it even more.
“I think people are really gonna love it,” Tim reiterated. “We’ll be releasing a new single coming up, a new video, lyric video. And then we’re gonna try to get the EP out as soon as we can. Originally we were shooting for the end of October; I don’t know if we’re gonna make that. I mean, it’s done and everything is finalized, but we’re just trying to get it out.”
When the collaboration between Owens and Jasta was first announced, the HATEBREED singer said: “Ripper has been one of my favorite voices in metal since [JUDAS PRIEST‘s] ‘Jugulator‘ arrived 25 years ago. His power, range, and work ethic inspire me daily and I cannot wait for the world to hear the crushing new metal tracks we are creating!”
Tim “Ripper” Owens is currently the frontman of KK’S PRIEST, featuring fellow former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing.
