Judas Priest Kicks Off Metal Masters Tour With Live Debuts

Judas Priest are celebrating its 55th year of screaming for vengeance with a world tour in support of their 19th studio album, Invincible Shield.

The album is heavier than it has any reason of being. Singer Rob Halfords 72 year-old voice is as strong and fiendishly operetic as ever. And the dual guitar attack of Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap shred melodically and powerfully.

Glasgow got an earful on the tour kickoff Monday at the OVO Hydra as the veteran band mixed three new songs along with is vast catalogue of classics..

If if interviews Halford seems a tad cocky about the new collection of scorchers, its because he is.

We make these records to truly represent who we are and what were about at this specific moment in time, the singer told Forbes last week. Invincible Shield is in its own lane on the heavy metal highway. And much like a lot of us, we avoid replication. Were not a formula band. With Priest, we blew the doors off the rules of heavy metal.”

Witness them blowing doors as they live debuted the title track of Invincible Shield in Scotland:

Priest ripping through the title track of Invincible ShieldWhen you see and hear that you begin to realize that their rave reviews from last summers three-night desert Power Trip festival, where they filled in for an ailing Ozzy, were no fluke.

Priest, somehow, are as mighty as ever.

Not only is the music tight and loud and fast, and not only is Halfords pipes remarkably unphased by decades of hitting the highest registers in metal, but the stage has not been overlooked - a detail the singer insisted on.

From day one, Ive always felt that you should work really hard to leave your fans with a visual memory of the show, Halford told the finance magazine.

It can be something simple as riding a motorcycle out on the stage, which isnt easy [and] the way the light sets look, the way the stage set is created, the video screens that you use to reinforce certain songs in the visual texture. All of these are part of the world that Priest has been making since as long as I can remember. So we have a new stage set that defines all the mantra of what an invincible shield is about. I micromanage everything because I love this band so much and I want to give our fans the absolute best show.

The show Monday night started off with Priest live debuting Panic Attack, which was the first single off the album (which was produced by Sneap), and at the top of the track listings.

Its a perfect opener because it sets the tone that the band is back, fresh, and still living up to the leather. But it also saves the old favorites for later in the set.

One of the oldies the British legends dusted off was Love Bites which they hadnt played since 2015.

Sadly, missing from the 18-song barrage was Electric Eye that was originally on the setlist and hits like Heading Out To The Highway. But it was only the first gig. Lets see if, as they tour, they expand their arsenal.

Saxon and Uriah Heap are on the Metal Masters Tour with Judas Priest. Go to the bands website for tickets to those shows as well as the US tour that will follow in the summer.

March 13 – First Direct Arena, Leeds, UK*+

March 15 – 3 Arena, Dublin, Ireland*+

March 17 – Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK*+

March 19 – Birmingham Resorts World Arena – Birmingham, UK*+

March 21 – London DVD Arena Wembley, London, UK*+

March 24 – Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany*+

March 25 – Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany*+

March 27 – Westfallenhalle, Dortmund, Germany+

March 29 – 02 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic*+

March 30 – Tauron Arena, Krakow, Poland*+

April 1 – Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria*+

April 3 – St Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland*+

April 5 – Halle Tony-Garnier, Lyon, France*

April 6 – Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy*0

April 8 – Zenith, Paris, France*

* with Saxon

+ with Uriah Heep

0 with Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons