Prior to the launch of JUDAS PRIEST’s spring 2025 South American tour, singer Rob Halford spoke to Chile’s Radio Futuro about the band’s latest album, 2024’s “Invincible Shield”, which was widely praised as one of PRIEST’s finest-ever efforts. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s extraordinary. There is no other band out there in metal that is making these kinds of statements. And we bring that type of philosophy with ourselves. We’re always thinking about the best way to represent JUDAS PRIEST at this particular moment in time because just recently we celebrated the 50th anniversary of [PRIEST’s debut album] ‘Rocka Rolla’, [which came out] in 1975, and here we are decades later with ‘Invincible Shield’ and the metal treasure trail of music, all those albums. We’re always trying to make the best metal that we can make, and I think every band would say that, which is what you should say. But in terms of the songwriting and the performance and the attitude of the guys and the production, ‘Invincible Shield’ was probably as close to an important statement since ‘Painkiller’ that I can remember.”Halford continued: “A lot of people were wondering — when your favorite band makes an album, and then you have to wait two, three, four years for the next one, there’s always anticipation: ‘Please, God, don’t let the album suck,’ that kind of thought. ‘Don’t let your fans down.’ It can become a very complex type of overthinking type of place that you can put yourself. So you should be aware of who you are and what you’ve done and how you’ve got there, but at the same time, it’s making the metal now, making the metal in this metal moment. And I think where we were at making ‘Invincible Shield’ was a particularly strong display of relevance, that we’re not holding anything back, that we’re still pushing ahead and we’re still making really good metal albums.”Halford also talked about the absence of PRIEST’s classic guitar duo of Kenneth “K.K.” Downing and Glenn Tipton, the former of whom left PRIEST in 2011 and the latter of whom retired from the road in 2018 following a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. He said: “[Glenn is] a remarkable man. Parkinson’s is a cruel, cruel condition, particularly for musicians, particularly for guitar players who need to use their hands, because Parkinson’s takes away that skill. Thank God his beautiful lead breaks and his guitarmanship will live forever with the work that he’s done for JUDAS PRIEST, from ‘Rocka Rolla’ all the way through to the work that he did on ‘Invincible Shield’.”The relationship with K.K.? You could ask that question to any band that’s had a number of changes going on,” Halford continued. “Again, I think that Ken’s role, Ken’s place in PRIEST is permanent, with his guitar skills and with his writing that he did with Glenn and myself. So, I wish him all the best. We always wish everybody that takes an adventure away to do other things. You can’t be angry about it. You can’t be bitter about it. That’s putting poison into your system. You’ve gotta let that go.”Referencing the musicians who are in PRIEST’s current recording and touring lineup, Halford said: “The fact that Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] came in when he did and is doing such extraordinary work now, making ‘Redeemer Of Souls’ and ‘Firepower’ and now ‘Invincible Shield’, alongside the bass God. Ian [Hill, PRIEST bassist] is playing as great and as strongly and as powerfully as he’s ever done backed with the rhythm section of Scott [Travis, PRIEST drummer], who’s still pulling out great things on metal drum performances. It’s just a wonderful collection of really top-class metal musicians in JUDAS PRIEST.”Rob added: “I’m still trying to do as best as I can with my voice. There are some things I can’t do anymore because I’ve been screaming my lungs out for over 50 years. But I still think that with the encouragement that I get and the support and love that I get from the band and primarily from the fans, I’m able to deliver the goods.”So, yeah, it’s nice to be philosophical and talk like this about PRIEST. The summation of all of that is when you see us at work in a few weeks’ time on stage, you’ll see all of those things that I’ve just talked about at its best level.”Bands talk all the time about their music, and it’s important to do that, but the actual proof of your ability takes place when you’re on stage. So that’s why we have to come back and show you guys the PRIEST is back and the PRIEST is still kicking ass.”Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as “a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music,” while the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties.”Downing later said that he believed the second letter was “a key reason” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton’s decision to retire from touring.”Invincible Shield” entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine”.Prior to “Invincible Shield”‘s arrival, PRIEST’s highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980’s “British Steel”, which reached No. 4.PRIEST’s 2018 album “Firepower” entered the chart at No. 5.”Invincible Shield” was JUDAS PRIEST’s fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned “British Steel” and “Firepower”, as well as 2014’s “Redeemer Of Souls” (No. 6) and the 1979 live album “Unleashed In The East” (No. 10).”Invincible Shield” landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its classic album “Painkiller” extensively live with the “Shield Of Pain” tour. This “rare” and “unique set” will include “beloved classics” and “will be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe” this summer, according to a social media post from PRIEST.[embedded content]
