KK’s Priest premiere video for ferocious debut single 'Hellfire Thunderbolt'

They have also made an announcement about Les Binks

KK's Priest

Author: Scott ColothanPublished 12th May 2021

Judas Priest offshoot band KK’s Priest have unleashed their debut single to the world - the ferocious metal anthem ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt.’

The gloriously heavy and frenetic track is the first taster of KK’s Priest’s 10-track debut album ‘Sermons of the Sinner’, which lands on Friday 20th August 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records/.

Eponymous KK’s Priest founder KK Downing says of ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’: “We are delighted to finally be able to release our first track to the world.

“It gives a real flavour of the sound and showcases the amazing players I’ve got in this band. We can’t wait for the fans to hear the record.”

The accompanying ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’ video sees KK’s Priest tear through the track on a stage ablaze with pyrotechnics.

Watch KK’s Priest’s ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’ video:

With KK Downing on guitar, KK’s Priest also features former Judas Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens who lent his idiosyncratic vocals to two studio albums Jugulator (1997) and ‘Demolition’ (2001) before Rob Halford returned to the group in 2003.

Original KK’s Priest drummer, Les Binks, who was a member of Judas Priest in the late seventies has sustained a wrist injury and is no longer an official member of the project. Binks has been replaced by Sean Elg, however he will make some guest appearances when KK’s Priest finally tour.

KK’s Priest are completed by Tony Newton (Voodoo Six) on bass, A.J. Mills (Hostile) on guitar.

According to a release promoting ‘Sermons of the Sinner’, the record is ‘an incredible collection of future metal classics, sure to be one of the stand-out metal releases of 2021.’

‘Sermons of the Sinner’ is available to pre-order on various configurations including an exclusive limited edition autographed Metal Vinyl (Silver Disc) with bonus CD Album via the band’s official website.

KK’s Priest’s ‘Sermons of the Sinner’ track-listing:

1) Incarnation

2) Hellfire Thunderbolt

3) Sermons of the Sinner

4) Sacerdote Y Diablo

5) Raise Your Fists

6) Brothers of the Road

7) Metal Through and Through

8) Wild and Free

9) Hail for The Priest

10) Return of The Sentinel

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17 rock bands named after songs by other bands, including Judas Priest:

Judas Priest

British heavy metal legends Judas Priest took inspiration for their brilliant name from the Bob Dylan song 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest' from his 1967 album 'John Wesley Harding.' The moniker was the idea of early Judas Priest bassist Brian 'Bruno' Stapenhill who exited the band in 1970 before they had laid down any recordings.

Deep Purple

Initially called Roundabout, the rock legends initially toyed with band names including Orpheus, Concrete God and Sugarlump but eventually settled on Deep Purple; taken from the 1933 Peter DeRose piano composition. The song was a huge favourite of Ritchie Blackmore's grandmother and she would often perform it on piano throughout Ritchie's childhood.

Mr Big

In 1988, Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, Paul Gilbert and the late-great Pat Torpey named their new band after the Free song 'Mr. Big', which appeared on their breakthrough 1970 album 'Fire and Water'. Mr. Big later covered 'Mr. Big' on their third studio album 'Bump Ahead' in 1993.

Motörhead

After being dismissed from Hawkwind in 1975 following an arrest for drug possession in Canada, Lemmy started his own self-professed "fast and vicious" band and took the name Motörhead from the final song he had penned for Hawkwind just a few months earlier, 'Motorhead'. Two years later, Motörhead re-recorded 'Motorhead' as the opening track on their eponymous debut album.

Poison

Originally called Paris upon their formation in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1983, singer Bret Michaels, guitarist Matt Smith, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rockett wisely ditched their tame sounding band name in favour of 'Poison'; a nod to the 1981 track 'Poison' by glam metallers 'Sinner'.

Nazareth

The Scottish hard rock veterans were called the Shadettes upon their formation in the late 1960s but were unhappy with what they perceived to be a 'lightweight' name. They decided to hit a boozer to discuss a new name when 'The Weight' by The Band started playing through the bar's soundsystem. Upon hearing the opening line "I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead", bassist Pete Agnew suggested 'Nazareth' and the band agreed. The rest, they say, is history.

Volbeat

Danish rockers Volbeat took their name from the 1997 studio album 'Vol.Beat' by singer Michael Poulsen's previous band, the death metal act Dominus.

The Rolling Stones

Founder and original band leader Brian Jones gave The Rolling Stones their moniker after the 1950 Muddy Waters track 'Rollin' Stone'. The fledgling group played their first show as The Rolling Stones on 12th July 1962, at the famous Marquee Club in London.

Sepultura

The idea of former guitarist, singer and co-founding band member Max Cavalera, the Brazilian metallers called themselves Sepultura, which is the Portuguese word for "grave". Max took inspiration from one of his favourite songs, Motörhead's 'Dancing On Your Grave.'

Radiohead

Founded in Oxford in mid-1980s, Radiohead were originally called On A Friday in reference to their music rehearsal day at Abingdon School. When they signed a six-album deal with EMI in 1991, the imprint implored them to change their name and they ultimately took their band name from the song 'Radio Head' from Talking Heads' 1986 album 'True Stories'.

Bad Brains

Washington DC punks Bad Brains named themselves after the Ramones track 'Bad Brain', which appears on their 1978 album 'Road To Ruin'.

Lady Gaga

Stefani Germanotta's stage name is derived from the Queen classic 'Radio Ga Ga'. Producer Rob Fusari claims to have been the person who coined 'Lady Gaga' in the mid-noughties when they worked together.

At The Drive-In

Influential post-hardcore noisemakers At The Drive-In got their moniker from a line in Poison's 1987 single 'Talk Dirty To Me' – "Cause baby we'll be / At the drive-in / In the old man's ford / Behind the bushes / Till I'm screamin' for more." The name was guitartist Jim Ward's suggestion shortly after the band former in 1993.

Seether

Formed in South Africa in 1999 as Saron Gas, the band ditched the name as their US label Wind-up Records noted its similarity to the toxic synthetic organophosphorus compound, sarin gas. Ultimately they settled on Seether after the 1994 Veruca Salt single 'Seether'.

The Sisters of Mercy

When they formed 40 years ago in Leeds, the gothic rockers took their name from the Leonard Cohen track 'Sisters of Mercy' from his seminal 1967 album 'Songs of Leonard Cohen.' The Sisters of Mercy took inspiration from Robert Altman's 1971 movie McCabe & Mrs Miller thats' soundtracked by three Leonard Cohen songs.

Stiff Little Fingers

Previously called Highway Star and The Fast, the Belfast punks eventually decided to call themselves Stiff Little Fingers after the 1977 Vibrators song of the same name.

Overkill

Wisely abandoning the prospective band name Virgin Killer (a nod to the Scorpions), New Jersey thrash metallers Overkill ultimately honoured their other musical heroes Motörhead by naming themselves after the trio's 1979 album 'Overkill' and the single of the same name.

Panic! at the Disco

Although many people erroneously think that Panic! at the Disco are named after The Smiths' song 'Panic' and its chorus of "burn down the disco", former band leader Brendon Urie has said in multiple interviews that they take their name from a track also called 'Panic' by Californian emo band Name Taken. The song's lyrics read: "Panic at the disco/Sat back and took it so slow/Are you nervous?/Are you shaking?".