For My Sunday Song #291, we are kicking off a 10 Song Set of Judas Priest songs with “Halls of Valhalla” off their 2014 album, ‘Redeemer of Souls’. The album came out on July 8, 2014 in the U.S. and debuted at #6 making it their first album to debut in the Top 10…ever!! That would get topped with their next release ‘Firepower’. “Halls of Valhalla” was not a single, but it was the standout track for me so I thought it was as good a place to start as any.

The song was inspired by the TV Show ‘The Vikings’. The got Rob Halford thinking about Scandinavia, the North Sea and all the mythology of that part of the world. The word “Valhalla” came to mind at 4 in the morning and that turned in to the focus of the song. The song is about sailing around the North Sea searching for the Halls of Valhalla. According to Songfacts…

In Norse mythology Valhalla is a giant hall, where the souls of warriors slain in battle are taken by the Valkyries. A form of heaven where they are ruled over by the god Odin, the fallen combatants spend their days fighting safe in the knowledge of never being permanently harmed.

This song for me might be the shining achievement of the ‘Redeemer of Souls’ album. The dramatic guitar opening is then filled with a brutal guitar riff and Scott’s thundering drum. Rob comes screaming in and that classic Priest piss and vigor is back. A cross between old Priest and Black Sabbath, we are treated to brilliant metal masterpiece. Rob really stretches his vocal range giving it a full workout and that is all we want to hear. He goes from a guttural growl to the highest of highs almost effortlessly. When I hear the mention of Asgard in the lyrics, I expect Thor to show up or hell, even Loki, but that doesn’t happen.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. It is one of those gems Priest is still able to pull out of their hat this far in their career. A nice hidden gem in an underrated album. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“Halls Of Valhalla”

Fierce is the gale
From the north sea
We drink and rejoice from the chalice
Holding the course
Through long nights and days
The ice and the hail bear no malice
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end

Valhalla – you are calling
Valhalla – you are calling me home
Valhalla – new day dawning
Valhalla – this is where I belong – I belong

We crash o’er the waves
Bite deep on the oars
Scouring the spray
On the storm’s maul
Then lightning reveals
For what we all pray
By Odin in Asgard
It’s land fall
Life from death
Combat rests
Heralds peace for the slain

Valhalla – you are calling
Valhalla – you are calling me home
Valhalla – new day dawning
Valhalla – this is where I belong – I belong

The storm in the night takes us there
On an unrelenting tide
As the wind drives us ashore
Halls of Valhalla
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end

The halls of Valhalla are calling me home
The halls of Valhalla that’s where we belong
Valhalla you are calling
Valhalla you are calling me home

Valhalla new day dawning
Valhalla this is where I belong

Written by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and Richie Faulkner