JUDAS PRIEST star ROB HALFORD has joined the early Christmas rush by announcing plans to challenge the likes of STING and BOB DYLAN in the charts this festive season (09).

The heavy rocker will release his first album of holiday tunes on his new Metal God label next month (Oct09).

Winter Songs is the bald rocker’s first solo release in more than seven years, and includes a collection of new festive-themed songs and traditional holiday tunes, including What Child Is This and Come All Ye Faithful.

The leather-clad icon says, “I’ve always said I wanted to produce a Christmas CD. The Halford band has assembled a fantastic release, and we’re excited to have produced a collection of holiday tracks which all of us have enjoyed from a very early age.”

Sting and Dylan will also release Christmas-themed albums next month – Sting has If On a Winter’s Night… while Dylan will donate the proceeds from Christmas In The Heart to hunger relief charities.