ALEX WILLIAMS BRINGS GRITTY SOUTHERN ROCK EDGE TO JUDAS PRIEST’S ICONIC “YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING” — NEXT SINGLE FROM THIRD STUDIO ALBUM SPACE BRAIN, OUT ON…
Just when fans thought they’d heard every fiery take on Judas Priest’s gravel-voiced anthem, Alex Williams drops a bombshell reinterpretation that injects it with Southern rock grit and swagger. The track, the next single from his highly anticipated third studio album Space Brain, reimagines “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” with a swampy groove, slide guitar twang, and Williams’ own raw, slightly raspy vocals—a nod to his musical roots—and signals a new evolution in his sound.
A Bold, Southern-Tinged Rendition
Williams, known for merging Americana soul, hard rock dynamics, and lyrical introspection, takes a bold swing at this classic. He slows the tempo slightly, trading Priest’s signature gallop for a laid-back, blues-laced stomp. The opening riff, while instantly recognizable, is drenched in wah-pedal warmth and underpinned by a chugging Les Paul tone that evokes ZZ Top and Molly Hatchet.
Dressed in his well-worn leather jacket and cowboy hat, Williams steps up to the mic with an attitude to burn. His delivery on the chorus—“You’ve got something coming — you’ve got something coming!”—crackles with defiance, but without the operatic edge of the original. Instead, it’s delivered like a challenge tossed across a dusty front porch, brimming with character and old-school fire.
From the Studio: Capturing the Mood
Recorded at Hillstone Studios just outside Memphis, Space Brain is Williams’ most ambitious project yet, exploring themes of cosmic wanderlust, personal reckoning, and resilience. The reimagined “Another Thing Coming” was tracked live in the studio in a single day, with Williams backed by his touring band—blues guitarist Jenna Lee, bassist Marcus O’Connell, drummer Nate “Big Cat” Williams—and a guest appearance by slide virtuoso Amber Rivers.
In a brief statement, Williams shared his vision:
“I wanted to bring something of my world—a little Southern grit, a little dirt-road spirit—to a song that’s always been about attitude and defiance. It’s a tribute, not a cover. I want you to feel like you’re hearing that riff from inside a honky tonk bar at midnight.”
Engineer Raphael “Rafe” Thomas, who’s worked with the likes of Kings of Leon and Lucero, added:
“It felt more like capturing a moment than making a track. It’s raw, it’s alive—it breathes.”
Space Brain: A Journey Begins
Space Brain, Williams’ third LP, drops on September 5, 2025 via Mudflap Records, an indie label co-founded by Williams in partnership with Americana heavyweights. The album explores dichotomies—earth and cosmos, local and universal, past and future—through 12 original songs, each blending guitar-driven Southern soul with psychedelic flourishes and introspective lyricism.
The Judas Priest cover acts as a palate cleanser before the cosmic dive, with interstellar folk ballads, swamp blues laments, psychedelic rock epics, and even a synth-infused mid-century lounge groove. Williams co-produced the album with Lola Graves, a Nashville-based producer celebrated for her analog-forward recording style.
Early Reactions: Critics and Fans Weigh In
The first single, the dreamy folk-rock track “Satellite Heart”, debuted earlier this spring to strong reviews. Rolling Sound praised it as “a star-strewn love letter to the unknown,” while Americana Today called it “the perfect opener to a career-defining album.” Together, these previews—folk and heavy—underscore the album’s colorful, unpredictable arc.
Online, the cover has drawn a surge of attention:
“Never thought that riff could sound so swampy — Alex Williams nailed it,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
Another commented on Instagram:
“Southern Priest? Count me in .”
Judas Priest diehards have also chimed in. Former guitarist K.K. Downing reportedly complimented Williams’ riff tone, while celebrity guitarist Nikki Stringfellow hailed it as “a badass Southern rock homaging of an anthem.”
A Tour and Cross-Genre Collaborations
To support Space Brain, Williams has announced a 40-date world tour beginning October 2025. The itinerary includes amphitheaters and festival stages, with supporting acts carefully chosen to mirror his broad sensibilities—from slide-heavy Americana to stoner rock up-and-comers.
Rumors suggest that the album’s interstellar themes may soon extend into a collaborative stage show involving immersive visuals—a cosmic honky-tonk meets psychedelic light show—though Williams teases that details are “still in orbit.”
Final Take: Reinvention as Tribute
With this cover, Alex Williams treads an unlikely but effective path: he reclaims a classic, filters it through his own musical DNA, and reveals how malleable—and relevant—rock anthems can be.
The single drops on all streaming platforms June 30, 2025, with a music video expected to follow in mid-July featuring Williams performing the song on a dusty stage at sunset, intercut with atmospheric shots of open highways and desert landscapes.
Space Brain—and its riff-soaked advancement on “Another Thing Coming”—marks a pivotal moment in Williams’ career. As he heads deeper into cosmic storytelling, this Southern rock spin on a British heavy metal anthem proves just how far and wide his creative compass can roam.
Expect the unexpected: Alex Williams just reminded us how a familiar riff can feel brand new again.
