Timothy S. Owens (born on September 13, 1967 in Akron, Ohio) is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with Beyond Fear, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and Charred Walls of the Damned. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest, and then Iced Earth.

Prior to joining Judas Priest in 1996, Owens was frontman of a heavy metal band called Brainicide. Later he was in Winter's Bane, with whom he recorded an album called Heart of a Killer in 1993. He also was the frontman of Judas Priest tribute band British Steel, named after the Judas Priest album.[1]

The young Ohio salesman and tribute band frontman made headlines in 1996 when he went from being a fan of the British metal act Judas Priest to being their lead singer, filling the shoes of Rob Halford (and, by doing so, inspiring the movie Rock Star, which was later discredited by the band). Despite numerous rumours that Halford would reunite with Priest, Owens recorded two studio albums with his childhood heroes, as well as two live albums and a 2002 DVD release. Owens even helped write one Judas Priest song, "What's My Name?", which was a bonus track on Demolition.

Judas Priest reunited with Rob Halford in 2003. That same year Matt Barlow, the vocalist for Iced Earth, quit the band and Owens became their new lead singer. Iced Earth's first album with Owens, The Glorious Burden, came out in early 2004. While singing with Judas Priest, Owens had toured with Iced Earth (and Anthrax) in 2001, but the tour was cut short.

Recently, Owens reunited with his former Winter's Bane colleague Dennis Hayes in a band called Beyond Fear. The self-titled debut album from this new band was released in May 2006. Hayes would join Iced Earth as well in 2007 after bassist James "Bo" Wallace left due to family health issues.

On 11 December 2007, Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer announced that Tim Owens would be leaving the band as Matt Barlow had been invited to return to the line-up after heavy feedback from fans[2].

On February 26, 2008, it was announced that Tim Owens is now the new lead singer for Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, replacing Doogie White.

On February 19, 2009, Owens revealed that his first solo album, Play My Game, will be out in May. The album features many prominent metal musicians.[3]

Owens now fronts a new project called Charred Walls of the Damned, a new band band founded in 2009 by Richard Christy, the former drummer for Iced Earth and Death[1] and radio personality on The Howard Stern Show. The band features Christy on drums, and Owens on vocals along with Steve DiGiorgio (bass guitar) and Jason Suecof (lead guitar). The band's debut album, also titled Charred Walls of the Damned, is set for release on February 2, 2010 on Metal Blade Records.

Ripper is also a member of a tribute band called "HAIL!". Ripper, Jimmy DeGrasso (Mike Portnoy currently drumming for them 2010), David Ellefson and Andreas Kisser formed the band in late 2008.[4] The band, as of April 2009, is touring Europe.

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