pantera,judas priest,judas priest pantera,pantera reunion tour dates,pantera reunion tour,pantera tour,pantera reunion, JUDAS PRIEST’s ROB HALFORD On PANTERA Reunion: ‘They’re Doing A Tremendous Service To All Of Us PANTERA Fans’

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford discusses the news that PANTERA’s surviving members will be touring under the band’s name with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante

As we are all aware, surviving PANTERA members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) will be hitting the road along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a run of dates at festivals and individual concerts under the name PANTERA.

Halford recently spoke with Loudwire and discussed his feelings on the upcoming return of PANTERA. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I put a picture of me and Phil at [Denmark’s] Copenhell [festival in June] on my Instagram while [JUDAS PRIEST and DOWN] were out over there. And he goes, ‘Hey.’ I go, ‘What?’ [He goes], ‘I’ve got a secret.’ [And I go], ‘Go on. Tell me. Give me the dirt, Phil.’ He goes, ‘PANTERA.’ And I go, ‘Thank God for that.’ Thank God for that, because this band means so much to us. And to have it validated by Zakk and Charlie, to me, that’s it — it’s complete. And Charlie and Zakk love PANTERA as much as we all do, as fans of the band.

“As much as we love and miss Dime and Vinnie, these guys are going to blow your fucking mind; I know they are,” Rob continued. “So we should just cherish and relish the moment. I hope they take it around the world because there’s millions and millions of PANTERA fans who can’t wait. Like me. I’m gonna be there [when PANTERA and JUDAS PRIEST share the stage at the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in December] — I’m gonna be there on the side of that stage. I’m gonna be there and I’m gonna watch the whole thing. And it’s gonna be wonderful. Phil loves that band still so much, as Rex does. And I know he misses Dime and Vinnie, and Rex does, every single day of their life, like we all do. So this is just sensational. I think it needs to be done, because there’s healing there.”

Halford added: “I read some of these comments, ‘Oh, they’re digging up the past.’ No, they’re not. They’re doing a tremendous service to all of us PANTERA fans, and the incredible healing that’s gonna go out into the world. And to bring in new PANTERA fans. There’s gonna be people at this show in South America that maybe have heard of this PANTERA band but then are gonna witness this assault and are gonna go straight out and get every PANTERA album, t-shirt, vinyl, whatever.

“It’s beautiful. We must keep the metal alive, no matter how we can. And to have it brought back to us this way is gonna be sensational.”