If you thought metal died when lead singer Rob Halford parted ways with Judas Priest in 1992, well, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'." Rock's original S&M bad boys will be reincarnated in true form when Priest tribute band Sinner takes the stage this month.

"We got together because we wanted to pay homage to the greatest band in the world, Judas Priest," boasts drummer John Riccardi. "Our live show is the most realistic live show to seeing Priest in the '80s. Full show, full costumes, authentic as Priest would wear them.

"The costumes are all leather, fully studded. Everything from the shoes to the gauntlets on the arms to the studded wristbands to Halford wearing the chains, the whips, the handcuffs - it's a full production. We go all out," he continues. "We bring the Harley-Davidsons. We would be like the recreation of Priest in the '80s on the 'Unleashed in the East' tour."

The New York-based quintet formed about two years ago when Riccardi, a big-time Priest-head, decided it was time to get back to metal basics. "I said, 'I'm going to pay tribute,' and I found guys through the Internet and through some resources and word-of-mouth, and I got the five best musicians around," Riccardi explains. Joining him are singer John Kramer, guitarists Jay Sanchez and Joe Burke, and bassist Mike Yuhaz. "We wanted to be one of the best tribute acts, and not too many people can pull off doing what Priest can do," Riccardi says. As is loosely documented in the Mark Wahlberg film, "Rock Star," departed Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford was eventually replaced by longtime Priest fan "Ripper" Owens. But, as many hardcore Priest followers will attest, Halford left some mighty big shoes to fill. "Our opinion of the Ripper? Well, he's good for what he does. We've played with him, we met him, he's a great guy - he's not Rob Halford," says Riccardi. "We opened up for his side band about two months ago. We shared the stage with him. He was a great guy. We're still big fans of his music with Judas Priest, but we'll always be loyal to Rob Halford."

Tough critics. So how does Riccardi feel about his own lead singer? "John Kramer is as good as Rob Halford and is better than Ripper Owen," he states. "Yes. He has the vocals, he has the stage presence, and he looks just like Rob Halford. He studies Rob Halford. That is his influence, and you will swear you're seeing the recreation of Rob Halford and Judas Priest when you see this band."

Sinner has spent years "defending the faith" around the East Coast, and shows no signs of stopping. "Our biggest highlight is just seeing the fans enjoying the music once again the way it should be done, just seeing their happy faces and loving the metal that we bring to them," Riccardi concludes. For more info, visit www.priesttribute.com.