Judas Priest fans have a lot to celebrate in the last year. On Sept. 29, 2023, former guitarist, KK Downing released his second record, The Sinner Rides Again. Now, the metal Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, Judas Priest has released their 18th studio album, Invincible Shield.
This is the Birmingham, United Kingdom native band’s first studio record in six years after a busy four previous years. Those four years saw lead guitarist, Richie Faulkner go into the hospital for a heart condition. That was followed by their “50 Heavy Metal Years Tour” with Queensrÿche as well as guitarist Andy Sneap leaving the band before their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in November of 2022.
This time around Judas Priest is composed of lead singer Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and Faulkner on guitars, with Ian Hill on bass and Scott Travis on drums. The band’s touring guitarist, Sneap was at the helm for mastering, mixing, and engineering of the album.
With that being said, that is where Priest has left us with their brand new album. This album comes a month before their tour which kicks off on April. 18, 2023 at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.
Invincible Shield has a total of 11 songs that have a run time of 52 and a half minutes. In addition to the record, the band also released the deluxe version that has three extra songs that push the album to a little over an hour.
The first song on the track, “Panic Attack,” transforms fans back into the band’s golden era. This song has a crunchy riff from Faulkner while Travis pounds away on the drums while lead singer, Halford (a.k.a the “Metal God”) provides screechingly beautiful vocals. These screams from Halford haven’t been as beautiful since “Painkiller” off of 1990’s Painkiller. To this day, Halford’s voice has remained intact and has held up quite well. The same can’t be said for some of the bands that grew up with Judas Priest.
Track three is the title track. This song is like an adrenaline shot in the heart. The fast beat which is driven by Travis on the drums is a fantastic song. The six-minute and 20-second tune is one of the fastest on the record. This song features a duel guitar solo from Tipton and Faulkner before Faulkner takes over to perform his guitar wizardry for what seems like ages.
Track seven is “As God Is My Witness.” Not only is this tune extremely catchy and showcases some of Halford’s best work, but it’s a headbanger’s dream. This track runs for four and a half minutes and features a second guitar solo trade-off from Tipton and Faulkner. This tune is a track that fans will be headbanging to for years to come. This is another song where Travis’ kick drums sound like machine guns from the pace of the track.
Track 11 is “Giants In the Sky.” I would say, in terms of Judas Priest’s music and their overall sound, this would be one of their most unique songs. What’s the first thing you think of when you hear Judas Priest? I have the answer for you, it’s loud guitars and in-your-face lyrics. While yes, it’s a metal song at heart, the production doesn’t feel metal. This beautifully crafted song is my favorite song on the entire album.
Halford’s vocals don’t sound like he’s right in front of you, he’s blended in perfectly with the rest of the band. Sneap does a great job holding onto the classic Judas Priest sound while letting the band explore. The most surprising aspect of the track is the inclusion of an acoustic guitar after the electric solo. Hearing something as bone-chilling as an acoustic guitar on a heavy metal album is something that I would never have thought of. With the acoustic guitar laying behind Halford’s lyrics of love, it’s a side of Judas Priest that I never thought I would hear yet desperately want more of.
Just a year removed from their legendary 50th year as a band, at this rate, Judas Priest doesn’t seem like they are going to slow down any time soon. Their last record, 2018’s Firepower was just as, if not as good as some of their early work. The same can be said for 2023’s Invincible Shield.
This record has everything that metal fans and Judas Priest fans could have ever wanted. Whether it’s the classic sound that Judas Priest built their metal empire on, or their experimental side with tunes like “Giants In the Sky,” overall, the band is firing on all cylinders with this record. It’s a must for any metal fan and it’ll truly be great to hear some of these songs live.
Rating:
7/10
Tracklist:
1. Panic Attack
2. The Serpent and the King
3. Invincible Shield
4. Devil In Disguise
5. Gates of Hell
6. Crown of Horns
7. As God Is My Witness
8. Trial By Fire
9. Escape from Reality
10. Sons of Thunder
11. Giants In the Sky
12. Fight of Your Life
13. Vicious Circle
14. The Lodger
Judas Priest is:
Rob Halford – Lead Vocals
Glenn Tipton – Guitars
Richie Faulkner – Guitars
Ian Hill – Bass Guitar
Scott Travis – Drums
Follow Judas Priest Online:
My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
