For the last four years the rock world has been buzzing with proof that good and evil can in fact work together in the form of former Judas Priest vocal legend and Holy Rage heavy metal frontman Al Atkins and Christian guitarist and music artist Paul May. Together these extreme opposites combine creating three excellent records available on Gonzo Multimedia.

There are enough doses of melody and metal madness to entice all fans of the genre, and while it is solid, honest, working-class heavy metal, it also has its roots in contemporary metal with some fine axe-work and killer choruses.

Al Atkins: More noted for forming UK’s Judas Priest and fronting them for four years, and laying down the foundations that would see them eventually selling 40 million albums worldwide. He also wrote songs for them that went gold like Dreamer Deceiver, Never Satisfied, Winter, Caviar and Meths, andPriest’s all time classic Victim of Changes. Al’s unique powerful vocal style sites influences by noted rock singers Roger Daltrey, Paul Rodgers and longtime friend Robert Plant. Al has done countless radio and TV interviews worldwide and recently was filmed for BBC TV British Heritage and Banger Films Canada for the metal evolution series on VH1. He has even written a book on his musical life about growing up in Birmingham, UK, alongside Robert Plant and Black Sabbath, called Dawn of the Metal Gods. Al has released 6 solo albums to date, toured the US twice, and has worked with Brian Tatler (Diamond Head), Dave Holland (Judas Priest), Dennis Stratton (Iron Maiden) and Bernie Torme (Ozzy/Gillan).

Paul May: Some people learn to play guitar, Paul was born (again) to play guitar! Paul has become respected for his passionate, soulful guitar work and noted for his explosive and exciting solos. As a world-class professional guitarist and songwriter, Paul has played and recorded sessions across the globe, touring and playing throughout the UK, Europe, USA and the Eastern block. Paul appears on around 50 albums to date, featured in both the secular and Christian arenas. Paul is also a record producer and has covered the entire spectrum of musical tastes in production. Paul has played, recorded with and produced alongside the bands and members of: Al Atkins (Judas Priest), Dave Holland (Judas Priest), Roy Wood (Move, ELO, Wizard), Jon Brooks (The Charlatans), Smokin Roadie/Tempest, MC5, V-Rats, Janus, A.N.D, Dave Rowley Band, Larry Norman and many others. Along with working with Al Atkins, Paul currently plays guitar with A.N.D and Temple Dogs.

Now there is an anthology of the work of this remarkable band……so far! Here’s looking forward to the next half decade.

REVIEW

Original Judas Priest founder / vocalist Alan Atkins may have long qualified for his pensioner bus pass, but physically and more importantly vocally, he sings as good as a man half his age! Quitting Priest in 1973 in order to support his family, Rob Halford would go onto to sing many of the songs penned by Atkins including the classic 'Victim Of Changes'. Atkins could never leave the music business however, releasing a number of solo albums through the 90s with a young, virtuoso multi instrumentalist called Paul May playing guitar. 20 years on and that relationship has grown into The Atkins May Project, which to date have released 3 studio albums. "Anthology" is a compilation of cuts from those releases, along with a bonus DVD packed with 7 official videos and interviews with Alan Atkins and Paul May. Rooted in the style of the British heavy rock that came out've the Midlands, the sound is very much like early Priest but with a modern take answering the question of how Priest probably would've sounded with Atkins still singing! Vocally, Atkins may not be a screamer that Halford is, but his gravelly full blooded rock vocals take right from an era when men sounded like men, looked like men, and smelt like men. Easy to see why early Priest were managed by Tony Iommi as a band worthy to share the spoils along with Sabbath! With Atkins still having such a commanding presence, I'm really pleased that Paul May measures up in every aspect of the instrumental department from his full blooded pumping bass to his hard hitting drum work that occasionally rolls into double bass mode on the heavier tracks like 'A World At War'. Excelling in his guitar work, May provides virtuosity in his wailing solos and as well as the more staple twin chugging guitars more famed of KK Downing and Glenn Tipton on fast rockers like 'Harder They Fall' - except May piles in even more lead breaks as if to show one man can do better! With one of the best production sounds I've heard in a while truly bringing the material to life, the confidence of Atkins and May even allows them to cover Phil Collins's 'In The Air Tonight', given a new brooding metal take without losing the massive drum sound it comes with! Little wonder then that over the last four years, the rock world has been buzzing about these two, whose roots in British Steel still resonate true to this day as they did over 4 decades ago.

http://battlehelm.com/reviews/atkins-may-project-anthology/

http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_cdreviews_display.cfm?id=104922

"...for anyone who has a collection bulging with NWOBHM stars of past and present, but who hasn't yet sampled Atkins May Project, Anthology really should be pretty high on your must hear scale."  www.seaoftranquility.org

Mailing List