You've gotta hand it to Gene Simmons. When the KISS legend says something of great magnitude, everybody listens. Multiple music legends have responded to Simmons' claim that "rock is finally dead," with Judas Priest's Rob Halford as the latest to offer his view.

Foo Fighters, Slash and Twisted Sister's Dee Snider are just a few who have offered their take on Simmons' claim. Each musical force has responded, tackling the topic at hand rather than simply attacking Gene Simmons, and Halford took the same path during a chat on the One on One With Mitch Lafon Podcast.

So, does Rob Halford agree with Simmons' words? "No," Halford claims. "I've heard that statement a number of times through the decades that I've been in metal. I don't think it is. I think it's absolutely in incredible shape right now. [It's] never been stronger."

Halford adds, "I think we're surrounded constantly by new talent and the enthusiasm that surges from new bands of all kinds keeps rock alive and strong and I think it'll always be that way. So, for me, when I check out the metal sites that I do every day — I check out a dozen metal sites from different places around the world — I see the strength and the power there, and it's tremendously exciting. It's a different world now, for sure, in terms of the way the industry side of the business works. That is a whole new perspective compared to how it was even twenty years ago, with the advent of the Internet, which created an enormous amount of… a change of perspective. It affected everybody in a great way. So what I'm saying is rock isn't dead. It's alive, it's thriving, and it's exciting."

Rob Halford also suggests that 'Redeemer of Souls' will not be Judas Priest's final album. "When you still have the creative juices, 'cause that's what it's all about, you really want to write a metal song," Halford proclaims. "When you're all feeling that way, especially the trio as it stands now of Glenn and Richie and myself, why stop it? If you feel like you want to go in there and see what you can do again, then do it. This was an extraordinary moment for us with Richie, and again, we can't overstate his importance at this point in the band's career, that there's a whole different kind of surge going on here. I'm optimistic; I think there will definitely be another Priest album. When we've completed the work for the 'Redeemer of Souls' tour, which is going to be quite extensive into next year, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we got ready to do another one."

Here the full interview on the One on One With Mitch Lafon Podcast below. Be sure to catch Judas Priest on the road with Steel Panther beginning Oct. 1. To grab a copy of 'Redeemer of Souls,' click here.

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