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Exploring the Songs on Judas Priest's "Firepower Tour" Setlist

• Last updated: 21 May 2019, 17:35:48
• Published: 21 May 2019, 17:34:01
• Written by: Hannah Cotter
• Photography by: Dave Simpson
• Tagged: Judas Priest Firepower Judas Priest at Palace Theatre

British heavy metal moguls Judas Priest are on the road in support of their 18th studio album, 2018's Firepower.

The trek kicked off May 3 in Hollywood, Florida and will visit various North American cities through June 29, featuring two-night stands in Long Island, Milwaukee, Austin and San Francisco.

Frontman Rob Halford described the album's title as "the fire and the power of heavy metal music," and it certainly lives up to that name: it's fast, abrasive and heavy. Upon its initial release, Firepower sold more than 50 thousand copies in the US alone and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The tours setlists have seen some Firepower live debuts and offer a chunk of rarities and obscure material from some of the band's earliest works. The Priest has been switching up the setlist each night, alternating between "Necromancer," "Firepower" and "Delivering the Goods" for openers and closing with "Living After Midnight," "Painkiller" or "All Guns Blazing."

Cue up our Setlist Playlist on Spotify and keep reading for a closer look at some of the songs Judas Priest pulls out for this tour!

"Hell Bent for Leather"

For those of you who are new to Judas Priest, you may recognize this song from Guitar Hero: Metallica or the "Surprise, Surprise" episode of "That 70s Show." For longtime Priest fans, this song off of 1978's Killing Machine is a classic fan-favorite.

"Hell Bent for Leather" serves as a rallying cry for heavy metal music, and a leather-clad Halford is known to ride on stage on a motorcycle during this song in live shows.

Check out this clip from a 1982 performance:

"Necromancer"

Judas Priest debuted this Firepower track on the Firepower Tour's opening night and has since performed it at every show.

In fantasy, a necromancer is someone who practices magic to summon the dead. The band plays into this with lyrics "Raising the dead up from the ground/Needs must be fed, sorceries abound."

The upbeat track features intricate guitar work and I can see it easily becoming a fan-favorite.

"Living After Midnight"

An ode to the hedonistic and rebellious spirit of the late '70s, this song off of 1980's British Steel came into fruition while the band was recording at Ringo Starr's mansion.

“The house was full of Lennon, as far as the white room he’d made ‘Imagine,’" Halford said in an interview .

"That’s the room where Glenn [Tipton] woke me up, because my bedroom was above that room, and Glenn was clanging out the chords to ‘Living After Midnight’ at 4 o’clock in the morning. He woke me up, I came downstairs, and said, ‘Glenn, it seems like you’re living after midnight down here.’ And he said, ‘That’s a great title for this song!'"

"Breaking the Law"

Known for its opening guitar riff and short run time, this barely two-minute song packs a punch.

Another British Steel classic, "Breaking the Law" was promoted with an iconic music video by producer Julien Temple. Live performances of this song usually include a sick K.K. Downing-esque guitar solo.

"Heading Out to the Highway"

This track from 1981's Point of Entry features dual guitar solos and peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Top Tracks upon its release.

"Heading Out to the Highway" is an enduring road anthem embodying metal's traditional over-sexualized masculinity/biker image and has remained a fan-favorite over the years.

Make sure to visit the Judas Priest website for ticket info, and check out a full list of North American tour dates below!

Judas Priest Firepower Tour dates:

May 22 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater

May 23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater

May 25 – Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theatre

May 28 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater

May 29 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater

May 31 – Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory

June 1 – Little Rock, AR @ First Security Amphitheater

June 3 – St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre

June 5 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Broadmoor World Arena

June 8 – Saskatoon, SK @ SaskTel Centre

June 10 – Lethbridge, AB @ ENMAX Centre

June 11 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place

June 13 – Dawson Creek, BC @ Encana Events Centre

June 14 – Prince George, BC @ CN Centre

June 16 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place

June 17 – Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Centre

June 19 – Airway Heights, WA @ Northern Quest Resort and Casino

June 21 – Kent, WA @ Accesso Showare Center

June 22 – Portland, OR @ Moda Theatre of the Clouds

June 24 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre

June 25 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre

June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Microsoft Theater

June 29 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

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Most played songs.

• Breaking the Law ( 1369 )
• Hell Bent for Leather ( 1365 )
• Living After Midnight ( 1266 )
• You've Got Another Thing Comin' ( 1251 )
• Victim of Changes ( 1195 )

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Firepower (Tour-Edition)

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• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.1 x 19 x 1.9 cm; 280 g
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ SONY MUSIC
• Label ‏ : ‎ SONY MUSIC
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DKS65K3
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2

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Judas Priest’s ‘Firepower’ Finds Metal Gods Hitting Another Creative Peak – Album Review

Forty-eight years and eighteen albums into Judas Priest ’s career, and -- against all odds -- the Metal Gods are still in powerful form.

Four years after Redeemer of Souls , Priest re-enlisted the classic production duo of Tom Allom and Mike Exeter, adding modern whiz Andy Sneap to the fold, to ensure Firepower blazes with a slick, modern and punchy production without sacrificing their classic metal sound. The result is a diverse album, ranging from Painkiller -esque hard chargers to sweeping, majestic epics that harken back to iconic tracks like “Beyond the Realms of Death” and “Blood Red Skies.” The arrangements are sometimes anthemic and to the point, adventurous and exploratory at others, demonstrating that the band’s drive to challenge themselves as writers has not waned over the years. Clearly, they are striving to add to their legacy rather than coast on it, remaining a potent force among the modern heavy metal landscape.

Firepower , and its fourteen tracks which span fifty-eight minutes, is Judas Priest’s finest work since reclaiming their sound on the sonic wrecking ball that was Painkiller . It establishes a familiar riffing ethos immediately with the title track opener, working in leads to accent the rhythmic barrage. The twin guitar attack that defined the band -- and early heavy metal -- aren’t as present here as they’ve been in the past, but Richie Faulkner truly establishes himself beyond any doubt as a worthy replacement for K.K. Downing . He’s reignited the band onstage over the years; here, he makes his greatest studio contributions yet with simple but daringly effective leads (and plenty of divebombs!) to add flourishes to moments on “Lightning Strike” (a song deserving of a spot on any greatest hits comp) and the grandiose “Traitors Gate,” to name a few highlights.

The album has a modern feel; it won't feel out of place on your "Best Metal of 2018" Spotify mix. The choruses often utilize rhythm-intensive, lunging riffs to spike the adrenaline in favor of sustained chords and gleaming twin melodies of the classic years. When used properly (“Firepower,” “Evil Never Dies,” “Traitors Gate”), they add a newfound heaviness to Priest’s sound, aligning them with today’s scene. The rock-steady, grinning opening of “Evil Never Dies,” where Rob Halford declares “ The Devil’s moved from Georgia, his mission’s still the same ,” (a cheeky nod to the Charlie Daniels Band classic “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”) nearly gives way to arena territory, but it’s quickly cut down by the musclebound, sliding rhythms of the chorus, keeping the intensity of the album in the red just three tracks in. Meanwhile on the heroic, galloping “Traitors Gate,” the singer discharges his best performance of the album and the bottom-heavy refrain packs the might needed to counter the more traditional riffing aesthetic.

These choral elements also work against some otherwise standout songs. “Children of the Sun,” with its slugging, Black Sabbath , Dehumanizer -esque tectonic riffing thunder and brilliantly composed back half, is hampered by an all too simple, underwhelming rhythm. “Necromancer” suffers the same fate, but Halford’s affinity for horror fantasy redeems the lackluster refrain.

The frontman has discussed being pushed to do multiple takes, multiple times, by the production team, during the making of Firepower . But the endless vocal takes seem to have brought the best to the surface. This is his best work since the 2002 Halford album Crucible . The Metal God’s enunciation is pristine (you can almost hear the spit spray out of his mouth and onto the mic) and there’s a raging confidence behind his delivery with more gusto than the competent but fairly safe Redeemer of Souls . He doesn’t tee off with his famed falsetto shrieks nearly as often as he used to, but in the rare instances where he does, it demolishes any doubts that Rob Halford can still deliver. Emotion runs high in every line from the spotlight vocal on the reflective closing ballad “Sea of Red” to the eerie shriek of “ You are the reason I feel dead ” on “Children of the Sun.”

Perhaps it’s the lyrics that have provided that extra gusto that was missing on previous albums. Thematically, Firepower is rooted in the current day as connections can be made to ongoing political and social strife around the globe whether it’s looking at a world in turmoil on “Lightning Strike” or the insatiable force of wickedness on “Evil Never Dies.” There’s nothing mentioned outright in the lyrics, but there’s dots to be connected if you dig around enough, and that's a defining quality of timeless music.

Firepower really finds all of Priest’s members committing career performances. Never a flashy player, Ian Hill remains the anchor of the band’s thunder-forged sound, his bass forever fused to his hip as if it was a bodily extension. His rhythmic counterpart, Scott Travis , elevates his game here with subtle brilliance. The China cymbal smashes in the chorus of “Lightning Strike” make a great song even greater with just that small touch. Elsewhere, he leads with clever kick patterns and even on songs like “Spectre,” just one extra kick beat brings out a whole dynamic behind the line “With the blade held tight.” During “Rising From Ruins,” a cinematic and empowering song that surges with an anthemic refrain and layers of vocal harmonies, his surgical, rolling fill following the climactic solo buildup brings the song back home to the refrain to close out the track. It doesn’t sound like much, but it showcases Priest's ethos of paying attention to every sonic detail.

After nearly five decades of delivering the goods, Judas Priest could have coasted on their reputation on a new album, but they still have their ear to the ground of modern metal. They've crafted a record that can confidently stand alongside their most esteemed works without sounding dated or like self-parody. We’ll all have our favorite songs, and, in turn, some gripes, but for now let’s enjoy the fact that Priest are still with us, still committed to making seminal new music. With the news of Glenn Tipton’s decision to step away from touring as he continues to battle Parkinson’s Disease, who knows if we’ll ever get another chance to hit "play" on a fresh batch of Priest tunes ever again? We can spend the next five decades debating Firepower . But for now, the Hell Patrol still rides, sworn defenders of the faith and guardians of heavy metal.

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Judas Priest Talk  Firepower

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While Sabbath remain the genre’s undisputed originators, Judas Priest have contributed more than any other band to heavy metal’s sound, visuals, vocabulary and culture over the last four decades. Since Rob Halford’s return to the fold in 1999 not everything they have released has raised the rafters, but 2005’s Angel Of Retribution was a triumph and there were more than enough great moments on the bloated but intermittently brilliant Nostradamus and 2014’s bullish Redeemer Of Souls to keep such an extraordinary legacy intact. At this point in time Priest have absolutely fuck-all to prove and could justifiably plunder the nostalgia circuit until, presumably, guitarist Richie Faulkner – who replaced the legendary KK Downing in 2011 – is the last man standing. Instead, they’ve just made their best album in 25 years.

The first thing you’ll notice about Firepower is how insanely huge it sounds. Andy Sneap hardly needs an introduction here, but both he and co-producer Tom Allom deserve to be acknowledged for drawing the finest, most fiery performances imaginable from a band that, with all due respect, will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2019. Just as he brought Accept back from the dead and nudged Megadeth towards the triumph of Endgame , so here Sneap’s intuitive but meticulous approach has had a profound impact. Firepower is ruthlessly contemporary and gleams with an almost futuristic polish, delivering more punch per square sonic inch than Priest have wielded in a long time. The campaign to get Andy Sneap behind the controls for the next Metallica album starts here.

But as dazzling and monstrous as the production is, Firepower’s true brilliance lies in the songs themselves. Comfortable in their own studded leather clothes, this is the sound of Judas Priest reconnecting with what they do best: honing and crafting songs until they hit peak metallic efficacy and, for the most part, leaving experimentation to one side. The first single, Lightning Strike , has been rapturously received for precisely this reason; it sounds like classic Priest, but updated and given a 21st-century power boost. Halford sounds fucking great and back to top form, Faulkner and fellow six-stringer Glenn Tipton serve up glorious solos and some sublime twin-lead histrionics, the rhythm section is tighter than a shrew’s anus and it’s all done and dusted within three and a half minutes. Heavy metal perfection, basically, and it’s a trick that they pull off repeatedly on Firepower ; not a single one of these 13 songs passes without delivering a giant chorus and at least one riff that will make you want bang your head until it snaps off. There are balls-out ragers ( Evil Never Dies , Necromancer , Flame Thrower ), anthemic mid-paced rumblers ( Never The Heroes, Rising From Ruins ) and even a low-slung and gnarly doom metal tune (the frankly magnificent Lone Wolf ). Meanwhile, brooding closer Sea Of Red could well be the finest ballad Priest have written in 30 years.

So we’re calling it now: this is the best album Judas Priest have made since Painkiller . Yes, it’s that good. If you love heavy metal as much as they do, you won’t want to miss this immaculate celebration of what is, let’s face it, the whole reason we’re all here in the first place.

Dom Lawson has been writing for Metal Hammer and Prog for over 14 years and is extremely fond of heavy metal, progressive rock, coffee and snooker. He also contributes to The Guardian, Classic Rock, Bravewords and Blabbermouth and has previously written for Kerrang! magazine in the mid-2000s. 

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Judas Priest / Firepower

By Paul Sinclair

Deluxe CD • Limited Red vinyl • Tour kicks off in March

Judas Priest will release a new album Firepower in March. The British heavy metal legend’s 18th studio album is the follow-up to 2014’s Reedemer of Souls and is the second long-player to feature guitarist Richie Faulkner (hired in 2011 to replace K. K. Downing). Firepower contains 14 tracks and like its predecessor all are written by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and Faulkner.

The album will be issued as a deluxe CD which come with enhanced packaging (a hardcover book format) but doesn’t actually contain any extra tracks. A 2LP vinyl edition will also be issued, with a limited red vinyl edition available at HMV  (UK shipping only) and ‘indie’ stores.

Firepower is released on 9 March 2018 and four days later Judas Priest will tour the album starting in North America.

Pre-order limited Red Vinyl 2LP from HMV

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Firepower - deluxe cd.

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1. Firepower 2. Lightning Strike 3. Evil Never Dies 4. Never The Heroes 5. Necromancer 6. Children of the Sun 7. Guardians 8. Rising From Ruins 9. Flame Thrower 10. Spectre 11. Traitors Gate 12. No Surrender 13. Lone Wolf 14. Sea of Red

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"Firepower - Tour Edition" CD by Judas Priest

Article description

• 1. Firepower
• 2. Lightning Strike
• 3. Evil Never Dies
• 4. Never The Heroes
• 5. Necromancer
• 6. Children of the Sun
• 7. Guardians
• 8. Rising From Ruins
• 9. Flame Thrower
• 10. Spectre
• 11. Traitors Gate
• 12. No Surrender
• 13. Lone Wolf
• 14. Sea of Red
• 1. Lightning Strike
• 2. Living After Midnight (Live at Wacken 2015)

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Judas Priest ‘Firepower’ Tour

• By: Bryan Reesman
• May 2018 , Production Profile
• May 15, 2018

A Nightly Dose of Firepower

Heavy metal legends Judas Priest are back on the road in support of their critically acclaimed March, 2018 album release, Firepower . For a band approaching their 50th anniversary, Judas Priest are still as potent as ever, and their recent arena tour across North America has impressed fans, particularly with a set list full of rarely heard tunes like “Bloodstone” and “Running Wild,” and the concert debut of “Saints In Hell.” Guitarist Glenn Tipton, a member of the classic lineup, has been unable to join the rest for most of the dates due to his decade-long battle with Parkinson’s. Firepower co-producer Andy Sneap, an agile axeman from the bands Sabbat and Hell, has been performing in his place and ceded the spotlight during the select shows where Tipton appeared for the final three songs.

Judas Priest 2018 tour photo by Todd Kaplan

‡‡         Big Energy, Big Sound

Make no mistake: The band is as intense as ever. They are still one of the loudest bands in the world, and FOH engineer Martin Walker makes sure audiences get the sonic kick they crave without obliterating them. He’s been with the British rockers for two decades and has seen their concert evolution. “Over the years, the band has gotten less demanding in what they need on stage,” Walker reports, “and the speaker technology has gotten better.” Even so, your earplugs will still come in handy.

A DiGiCo SD7 forms the centerpiece of Martin Walker’s FOH mix position.

Walker’s sonic weapon of choice is the DiGiCo SD7. He used to be a big fan of Yamaha analog desks, but eventually went to the digital side. He originally tried the PM5D before Major Tom principal Lars Brogaard convinced Walker to give the D5 a try.

Rather than work the digital domain as hard as possible as he did with the PM5D, Walker decided, “I’m just going to use it analog fashion, and I’ll just mix it live and mix with my fingers. Mix with the faders and not the buttons. I immediately felt it was a lot easier, and the sound of the DiGiCo was more of what I was looking for than the Yamaha. So it just progressed from there.” He used the D5s then switched to the SD7s when they came out and “fell in love with them. I think they sound great.” He also loves the 24-hour support he gets from DiGiCo, which he feels he would not get from any other manufacturer.

For the Firepower tour, Walker is running about 48 inputs on the desk. He says half of them are for Scott Travis’ drums, a quarter of them are guitars (Sneap, Richie Faulkner, and occasionally Tipton), and the rest are Ian Hill’s bass and bass pedals, Rob Halford’s vocals, backing vocals, and for playback, mainly just intros and outros for songs. “The playback occasionally provides some clicks for Scott to keep the songs in the right time,” says Walker. Most of the time the clicks are not needed, “but there are a couple of songs that the band feel the need to have a click to play along to.”

The stage left P.A. hang. Major Tom provided a Meyer speaker system. Photo by Todd Kaplan

‡‡         The System

For the main P.A., the band has 12 Meyer LEOs and three Meyer LYONs for under hang, with 12 MILOs per side for side hang. “We are flying three 1100 LFC subs per side in a cardioid configuration,” says systems tech Kyle Carter, who previously worked with Walker while touring with Iron Maiden. “Each 1100 Stack has one JM-1P per side on top of it to fill in underneath the main hang. In the center of the stage, we have three Meyer 700 HPs per side also in a cardioid configuration to ensure an even spread of sub all across the floor. Also, there are three UPA-1Ps on top of the 700 for extra fill in the front row.” The P.A. is driven by three Galaxy 816 speaker processors per sides with a Galaxy 816-AES3 at the FOH position controlling input to all of the processors.

The all-Meyer mains rig consisted of L/R hangs, each with 12 Meyer Leo and three Meyer Lyon for underhang, along with flown 1100 LFC subs and sidehangs of 12 Milo line arrays. Additional ground-stacked subs added to the punch.

“Traditionally, we never used to fly the subs with Priest, but this is the first year I’m doing it,” adds Walker. “It’s just for the arenas. It helps to get more of an even coverage. Sometimes in arenas, just ground stacking subs can cause a lot of lobing issues, so we fly three per side and we ground stack three per side.” He adds that there are not many speakers onstage anymore. With most members using in-ears, Faulkner and Tipton are the ones using live speakers these days.”

Carter says the most challenging venue on the first part of the tour was the Armory in Minneapolis. The rear part of the venue was literally a straight brick wall. “There was a straight, narrow balcony, and the sound went straight into the wall, so bounce back was a problem that day,” he recalls. “Apart from that, everything’s really been okay.”

‡‡         Capturing That JP Sound

Priest’s audio team is using Shure microphones — 58s on Halford’s vocals and an array on Travis’ drums, including Beta-91s on the kick, Beta 56As on the kit, standard 57s on the snare, 98As on the toms, 137s on the crash mics (which are miked underneath), Beta 181s on the hi-hats, and KSM44s as overheads. Both Faulkner and Tipton have three mics on their cabs: Shure KSM 313 ribbon mics, KSM 27s and KSM32s. Sneap, who’s filling in for Tipton, is playing through two Kemper amps.

“I’m miking Andy as well to get something a little warmer,” says Walker. “The Kempers sound okay, but to me they sound a little brittle when you just use the DI, so he’s leaking some sound into another cab. If Andy had the choice, he would just use two DIs, but I’m just trying to bolster him a bit. I’m on a learning curve with it. It’s the first time I’ve used Kempers, and it’s a daily task for me to try to get a little bit more out of them each day.”

Use of playback is minimal. There is the opening scream for “Firepower,” some vocal effects for “Evil Never Dies,” the police siren in “Breaking The Law,” a laser sound for a line in “Metal Gods,” as well as the shaking tray of cutlery that simulates the marching sound for that song’s coda, and keyboard swirls for “Turbo Lover.”

As far as his outboard gear, Walker’s “show saver” is the TC Electronic D-2 delay, which he uses for numerous vocal delay cues throughout the show. Unlike past Priest tours, there are no guitar delays this time out. He is also using an Eventide Harmonizer on Rob Halford’s vocals. “I don’t like it to sound too processed, so it’s really just in the background,” says Walker. “I have a Yamaha SPX-2000, which I use for the classic reverb and gate programs from the original SPX90. I use it on Scott’s snare and use it in just the background, but I do boost it on ‘Turbo Lover’ to get that almost ‘80s, slightly pop snare sound. Then I’ve got an SPX990 for Rob’s ‘devil’ vocal effects. I use it in ‘Metal Gods’ and ‘Electric Eye.’ They’re really short bits, and if you blink you miss them.”

He is using the SPL Transient Designer plug-in on the kicks and snares. “It takes a signal and you can stretch it a little, so if your snare is really sharp and short you can sustain it,” explains Walker. “It has an attack control and a sustain control. It’s kind of messing with the drums without having samples. It’s pure analog.”

There is a Neve 5045 on Rob’s vocal mics, “so when he walks across the stage, it ducks the gain down on his mic,” says Walker. “I’m having issues with his vocal mic when he’s on certain parts of the stage on this tour. Somebody’s put a water bottle on the set with a little pipe that comes up so he can get a drink without having to go offstage, and it’s right in front of Richie’s cabs. So when he goes over for a drink, Richie’s guitar comes screaming down Rob’s mic. The ducker helps, but it doesn’t perform miracles. I have to watch Rob every moment he’s up there and switch his mic off when he goes for the drink and when he goes too close to Richie’s cabs.”

Bradley Johnson’s choice for monitor console was this 24-fader DiGiCo SD10.

‡‡         Meanwhile, in Monitorworld

Monitor engineer Bradley Johnson spent the last five years with Megadeth and understands the sonics (and tour rigors) of metal. It gave him the experience to tackle this trek. “It’s a little bit tricky,” admits Johnson, “because most of the time with bands nowadays, you’ll have a band that’s either all on in-ears, or rarely you’ll get a band that is just wedges and side fills and whatnot. With this, we have a combination of both. Glenn and Richie are both non in-ear type guys, and so it is almost like two battleships pointing at each other from across the stage with the side fills. It’s like a war going on, and then all the guys with in-ears aren’t really aware of what is happening. You’re very isolated and can have exactly what you want in your head, whereas you’ve got this other thing going on where it’s just a blitzkrieg. You can’t stay inside your own head on an ear mix all night. You’ve got to have a wedge down there as well and listen to that. It’s difficult monitoring what’s happening, because you’re going back and forth between the two things.”

Travis, Hill, Halford and Sneap use in-ears, and with the drummer and bassist, once they settle in, they rarely want changes. On the flip side, Halford’s mix is completely dynamic. “It’s a front of house mix from beginning to end with all the guitar solos, panning, and vocal effects happening where they need to happen,” says Johnson. “It’s a mix that you can’t get away from for very long — audience reaction and all kinds of stuff — so his mix is extremely busy. Normally, this is probably the only monitor job that I still do — everything else is front of house — so I think having a front of house background helps me give somebody that kind of mix because I’m already used to all the bells and whistles.”

From his monitor mix position at stage left, Johnson is running 56 inputs on a 24-fader DiGiCo SD-10 with a Wave server. Monitors onstage include three pairs of Meyer MJF212 self-powered wedges, with three JM-1P side fills per side along with two HP700s per side. “It’s a pretty hefty side fill,” he says.

Johnson notes that a rising challenge for monitor engineers is radio frequency management, and every year it gets more and more complicated. “You’ve gotta be part computer programmer with all the new consoles, and you’ve gotta be part IT guy and then part radio jockey,” he says. “Whereas before, all we did was come up and try to get things as loud as we could. That was an art form in itself, having tons of EQ and having power amplifiers on everything. Now it’s more precise. You are dealing with technologies that didn’t exist and you had no need for. That’s probably the most challenging part of my day, wrangling frequencies, making sure everything’s solid throughout the night.”

The audio crew, from left: Bradley Johnson, David ‘Dribble’ Poynter, Martin Walker, Eoin O’Cinnseala and Kyle Carter.

‡‡         Teamwork!

Walker is very pleased with the Firepower tour audio team. He and audio tech David Poynter met 20 years ago and used to be the P.A. crew for Foo Fighters in Europe. Both Carter and stage audio tech Eoin O’Cinnseala were his assistants on Iron Maiden for the last two years. “We worked together, and they learned their stuff,” he recalls. “Kyle is a thick-spoken Scotsman and Eoin is thick-spoken Irishman, so when the two of them talk to each other it’s hilarious, because half of the time they don’t understand each other.”

Joking aside, adds Walker, “We’ve got a great working relationship, and they both know their LEO stuff as well. It’s actually a very happy and good crew across the board on this tour. There are no inter-departmental issues, and everybody plays well together. We go from arenas to tiny theaters and try to fit as much of the arena show in as we can [into the smaller places], so there has to be a lot of cooperation between departments.”

The U.S. shows wrapped up on May 1, 2018 at the 11,700-seat Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, TX. After their slated appearance on Cinco de Mayo at the Corona Heaven & Hell Festival in Mexico City, the Firepower tour is set to continue through Europe until June 19.

Judas Priest Firepower Tour

• Sound Company: Major Tom
• FOH Engineer/Production Manager: Martin Walker
• Monitor Engineer/RF Coordinator: Bradley Johnson
• Stage Audio Tech: Eoin O’Cinnseala
• Systems Tech: Kyle Carter
• Audio Tech: David Poynter
• Main PA: (12) Meyer LEOs and (3) Meyer LYONs for underhang per side
• Side Hangs: (12) Meyer Milo
• Flown Subs: (6) 1100 LFC
• Ground Subs: (6) 1100 LFC, (3) HP 700’s
• Side Fills: (4) 700 HP, (6) JM-1P’s
• In/out Fills: (6) UPA-1P, (2) JM-1P’s
• Drive: Meyer Galaxy 816-AES3, (6) Galaxy 816 speaker processors
• FOH Console: DiGiCo SD7
• Outboard: (2) TC Electronic D-2 delays; Yamaha SPX2000, SPX990; Neve 5045 Primary Source Enhancer, SPL Transient Designer plug-in, Eventide Eclipse
• Recording/Playback: JoeCo Blackbox recorder for multi-track recording & virtual sound checks
• Near Field Monitoring: (2) Meyer UPJ’s
• Stage Cabling/Interconnect: Whirlwind W4, W1 and 12-way sub-snakes
• Monitor Console: DiGiCo SD10/24
• Outboard: Waves Server and Pro Live bundle
• Interfacing: All Whirlwind interfacing
• Wireless: (6) Shure PSM-1000 for band IEM mixes, (2) Shure PSM-900 for tech mixes, Shure AD4D handhelds with Beta 58 caps, Shure ATX-600 scanner, Wireless Workbench RF software
• IEMs: Jerry Harvey Audio JH16
• Mics: Shure SM58s (vocals), Beta-91s (kick), Beta 56As (drums), SM57 (snare top/bottom), SM-98As (toms), KSM137 (crash cymbals — miked underneath), Beta 181 (hi-hat), KSM44 (overheads); KSM 27, KSM32 and KSM 313 ribbon mics (guitar cabinets)

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Judas Priest Announce New North American 'Firepower' Tour Dates

The band will head out on the road with Uriah Heep beginning in May.

Judas Priest have announced a new North American leg of their ongoing Firepower world tour. The 32-date run, which kicks off May 3 in Hollywood, Florida, and wraps  June 29 in Las Vegas, will feature support from Uriah Heep.

Said Judas Priest in a statement: "Metal maniacs—Judas Priest is roaring back to the USA for one more blast of Firepower ! 

"Firepower  2019 charges forth with new first time performances born out of  Firepower , as well as fresh classic cuts across the decades from the Priest world metalsphere. Our visual stage set and light show will be scorching a unique, hot, fresh vibe—mixing in headline festivals, as well as the in-your-face venue close ups. We can't wait to reunite and reignite our maniacs... The Priest is back!"

Check out the new dates below.

Judas Priest 2019 tour dates:

May 03 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 

May 06 - Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium 

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May 08 - Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre 

May 09 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 

May 12 - Washington, DC - The Anthem 

May 14 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount 

May 15 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount 

May 16 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena 

May 18 - Albany, NY - Palace Theatre 

May 19 - Albany, NY - Palace Theatre 

May 22 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater 

May 23 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater 

May 25 - Rosemont, IL - Rosemont Theatre 

May 28 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater 

May 29 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater 

May 31 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory 

Jun. 01 - Little Rock, AR - First Security Amphitheater 

Jun. 03 - St. Louis, MO - Stifel Theatre 

Jun. 05 - Colorado Springs, CO - Broadmoor World Arena 

Jun. 08 - Saskatoon, SK - SaskTel Centre 

Jun. 10 - Lethbridge, AB - ENMAX Centre 

Jun. 11 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place 

Jun. 13 - Dawson Creek, BC - Encana Events Centre 

Jun. 14 - Prince George, BC - CN Centre 

Jun. 16 - Kelowna, BC - Prospera Place 

Jun. 17 - Abbotsford, BC - Abbotsford Centre 

Jun. 19 - Airway Heights, WA - Northern Quest Resort and Casino 

Jun. 21 - Kent, WA - Accesso Showare Center 

Jun. 22 - Portland, OR - Moda Theatre of the Clouds 

Jun. 24 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre 

Jun. 25 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre 

Jun. 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theater 

Jun. 29 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

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Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.

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Judas Priest on New Album ‘Firepower,’ Their ‘Beatles Moment’ & Being Out In Metal

Billboard sat down with Judas Priest to discuss how the band's creative process has (and hasn't) changed over the years, their "Beatles moment," that Simpsons "death metal" gaffe and what it's like…

By Joe Lynch

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There are select bands still releasing albums after 40+ years, and even fewer outfits who’ve remained crushingly heavy and consistent in their sound. Judas Priest are one of the rare bands, though, who can keep churning out LPs that live up to their substantial legacy. No, we’re not saying their latest album, Firepower , is about to become your favorite Priest album of all time, but the LP readily lives up to its title, demonstrating their knack for sick riffage, pounding percussion and peerless vocal acrobatics from frontman Rob Halford, whose voice has remained shockingly unchanged over the years.

Ahead of the album’s release today (March 9), Billboard sat down with Halford, drummer Scott Travis and guitarist Richie Faulkner to discuss how the band’s creative process has (and hasn’t) changed over the years, their “Beatles moment,” that Simpsons “death metal” gaffe and what it’s like for Halford to be an out artist in metal.

Judas Priest Guitarist Glenn Tipton Battling Parkinsons, Will Scale Back Full-Time Touring

Trending on billboard.

[Note: Billboard spoke to Priest before the band’s announcement that longtime guitarist Glenn Tipton would sit out the band’s upcoming tour due to his struggle with Parkinson’s, and as such the interview doesn’t address that.]

I have to say on the new album Firepower , your voice still sounds insanely good. It’s barely changed over the years. Do you have tricks or a vocal regimen?

Rob Halford: Not really, no, I don’t think it’s any different from the way Scott or Richie practices. It’s an instrument and you learn how to use it. It’s hours and hours of practice. The only difference is that it’s a physical thing. If Richie busts a string or Scott busts a skin they can change it. You don’t know what’s going to happen, honestly, regardless of where you are in life. I’m just very lucky; a lot of my friends have had challenges with throat nodes…but for me, no, there’s no lotions, potions or incantations.

Richie Faulkner: I’ve followed him around before shows and tried to figure out what he does to warm his voice up but I’ve never seen — 

Halford : I have a nice cup of tea. It’s luck of the draw, like Pavarotti. One of my idols is Pavarotti and when he was in his sixties, he gave some of his best performances. And that’s probably where I’m at.

There are 14 songs on Firepower . Are all of them new, or were some kicking around from your last album Redeemer of Souls or even earlier?

Faulkner: Some riffs and melodies go back years. Some of them are from a couple years ago, you forget you have them on a hard drive somewhere or whatever. So it goes from then to right up until that day, walking into the studio, Rob will say “I got this idea for a melody.” It’s interesting when you get an idea in your kitchen or living room that turns into a demo, and the demo turns into a record, and that turns into someone’s day, listening to a CD in a car. It goes from a flash of an idea to part of someone’s good time. It’s an amazing thing.

Halford: Particularly with a band like Priest, you become the fabric of people’s lives. You hear these phrases “the soundtrack of my life.” A good portion of our fans have been with us for as long as the band. Priest can be a time machine for a lot of our fans that takes them back to the ’80s or ’90s. There are certain songs that mean a lot to you — the day you got a job, left school, or got a girlfriend or boyfriend. That’s the joy of the way music can instill itself into your life. And that’s part of this big machine called Judas Priest.

Does that put pressure on you guys for new albums? You have so many classics, songs people cite as their favorites of all time. Does that weigh on you in the studio when working on new stuff?

Scott Travis: Not in a negative way. We feel we have to keep the level of expertise and quality to produce music we think is great. We have the greatest fan base and they stick with us, and they like what we do so far. The longtime Priest fan will enjoy this because they’ll hear little bits of older stuff they remember from British Steel to Sin After Sin.

Has the band’s writing process changed much over the years? How different is now from the ’70s or ’80s?

Faulkner: One of the main differences is you can send vocal ideas through the phone. We came off the tour, we go separate ways, and I get a text message from Rob with a voice memo, and it would be a melody or rhythm or phrasing. And that didn’t go on in the ’70s. We can send ideas to people instantly. So by the time you get into the studio, there’s ideas already floating around because of the technology. 

Halford : The instant connectivity is the main difference. You utilize it. We come from a time before the Internet, satellite TV and fax machines. There’s that side of it in the writing process, but the core of what we do is when the writing team gets together in studio. That’s when the real magic starts between Richie and Glenn [Tipton] and myself. Sitting with guitars, bouncing off ideas, taking a riff from maybe two years ago — everything has its place. It’s like a good book or a painting – if it was good 5-10 years ago, it’s still good now. And you need direction. We gave ourselves direction that we wanted a really heavy sounding Priest vibe album. Not in a retrospective way, but just to have that as the focus; that was the touchstone. This is what we come back to – make sure it has those qualities. But it’s just free, it’s loose. Once you start to control it too much you restrict yourself. We’ve always been very open. A try anything attitude. More than anything it was a real joy to write this record, and in terms of looking at the metal treasure trail behind us – you know you have work to do. You’ve heard the album. How did you feel by the end of it?

It’s a heavy album for sure, but exciting. No filler. “Traitors Gate” left me feeling invigorated.

Halford : We went back and forth on how many tracks to release. We had an enormous amount of material and when we heard the final pieces, before they were thoroughly mixed, I went from my usual thing – which is “it’s gonna be a 10 track album” – to “we have to release everything because it’s so good.” With that in mind, you’re faced with the fact that you don’t want to give your fans a chore. You don’t want them to get halfway through and think “I’m gonna get up and put the kettle on.” The hope is that the end of listening to all of it they’re like “oh I have to put it on again” not “oh my god that was a struggle.”

You’ve got 17 albums behind you – do you ever look back and think “we should’ve shortened that one?”

Halford : I don’t think we’ve ever done that quite frankly. There’s never been a record where I’ve done that thing with the teeth [cringes and pulls air in]. We do take a tremendous amount of care and attention to everything we release to our fans. It’s important we don’t stumble.

Also, I think metal fans are willing to take longer albums, they’re not expecting 30 minute albums.

Halford : We did that almost with British Steel , which came in at 35 minutes and change. It’s almost over before you know it. That’s fantastic blueprint for metal writers enjoying that genre. And it was a wonderful experience for us because we started recording, mixed, mastered that whole record in 30 days. Which seems inconceivable. As a result of that you get these little gems like “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law”; that to me is our Beatles moment, where you write a really good strong song with all the right components. We’ve been there, we’ve done that, and then we’ve done [2008’s] Nostradamus , which was like, two weeks long, was it? (Laughs) But I still think it’s the most fabulous piece of work we’ve ever done, personally, because I’m the flamboyant one. I love the drama and the journey and the big movie vibe it projects. It’s good to feel the work we’ve released has never been tedious.

Richie – you were born right around the time of British Steel . What’s it like to play classic songs released the year you were born?

Faulkner : Well it’s a huge honor first of all, obviously, to be accepted by the fans. Because if you’re born the same year British Steel was written, it could be seen that you don’t have the authority to be there. But both the fans and band have been so accepting. And both metal fans and Priest fans are fiercely loyal, and anyone stepping into that world that shouldn’t be there, they let you know pretty quickly. But they’ve been great and welcoming. And as Scott says, we’ve got that track record. So there’s a standard to keep up—there’s a great bar to be working to. As a fan and now member of the band, it’s a huge honor to continue with the creativeness. Everyone’s gonna say the new one is better than the last one, but it really is [with Firepower ].

Rob, you came out in 1998. For me, a queer person who’s also into metal, that’s a powerful thing. Was there any weirdness or trouble being a gay man in metal before that, in the ’70s or ’80s?

Halford : No. Quickly, it’s been a real joy and privilege to get this far regardless of the label we’re attached with. I was thinking about this at 4 o’clock in the morning, laying in bed thinking of the same-sex thing. I hate that fucking phrase: same-sex. It’s terrible. It should be, let everybody get married if they want to and love each other. It’s this horrible little statement.

Travis : It’s another fucking label that people want to put on shit.

Halford : If you go to Holland, there’s none of that. It’s just people getting married. They don’t put “same sex.” It sounds weird doesn’t it? As far as the other part of me, I’ve always considered that – and to an extent I still do now – that’s just my life. That’s not me in Judas Priest. The moment I decided to proclaim myself was very much an off the cuff thing, and I was away from Priest at the time. The thing about that was, there were many instances I felt like I wanted to step forward, but I always put the band first. Which is a shitty thing to try to do – because you live your life on your own terms, you don’t do it for other people.

When I did make the announcement I was away from Priest, so when I returned, it was whatever — it was what it was. I do understand the importance and value of where I am and what I represent, and I’ve never gone on a soapbox and done all my proclamations for the cause. Which is very important [to do], but I’ll leave that to more articulate people that really commit to that type of thing. I’m just glad I can walk onto certain stages in the world, like St. Petersburg, where if you say anything gay, it’s “I’m going to throw you in jail.” To me it’s a victory just standing there. You can achieve a lot by saying nothing. That’s the way I see myself. Connected with Priest, there’s no real connection. It is what it is. It’s difficult for me to fully explain the emotions of it. More than anything, I was thrilled the way the fan base were like “we knew” or “we don’t care, it’s irrelevant.” That to me says a lot about our fans. They’re an incredible mixture of humanity. Yes, some of them have problems with it, it’s a whole big debate on many levels, but to me the joy was the love and acceptance of the fan base. Life went on, life carried on.

It’s part of you, but not a defining characteristic.

Halford : Exactly. But I know how important it is. There shouldn’t be labels, we should all be living our lives.

I also wanted to ask you about your 2014 Simpsons cameo, where the show referred to you as “death metal.” Did you guys facepalm when you saw that?

Travis : We were all so thrilled to be on it. When you’re on a show like that, you’ve made it. I do remember the death metal comment but hey, at least we were on it.

Halford : The sweet thing about it was on the next episode they had Bart writing on the blackboard [“Judas Priest is not death metal”]. That was class. They needn’t have done that. That shows you how much they cared about us, they put things right. So we got two boosts, which is brilliant.

Anything else you want to add?

Halford : We’re excited, we’re ready to launch and very much looking forward to seeing all our fans again out on the road.

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IAN HILL Looks Back On JUDAS PRIEST's TIM 'RIPPER' OWENS Era: 'The Problem Was He Wasn't ROB HALFORD'

In a new interview with Mark Frankhouse of the 107.7 RKR radio station, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill reflected on the two albums the band recorded with singer Tim "Ripper" Owens , 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" . Asked what the "transition" was like from longtime singer Rob Halford to Owens , Hill said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET ): "It was pretty simple, really. We didn't really want another name per se, if you know what I mean. Because they always bring their baggage with them, and it really would change the band dramatically. And we didn't really want that; we wanted to continue in the vein that we were in. So, we wanted someone who could pretty much cover what we were already doing. And Ripper was an obvious choice. He had a tremendous voice, and he was actually playing in a PRIEST tribute band at the time, so he knew most of the songs, which was a bonus. So, we went with Tim . And it was a pretty easy process. Tim 's a great bloke, an easygoing fella, so it was an easy process, really. But the problem was he wasn't Rob , and that's what people wanted — they wanted the trademark lineup. And in the end, Rob sort of started to hint that he wouldn't mind coming back and whatever, and I think Tim , he agreed. He was a fan of the band as well, and he could see the point. So even that was a comparatively smooth process as well, when Rob came back."

Hill went on to say that "there was some fine material" on PRIEST 's two Owens -era albums, "especially 'Demolition' — I think 'Demolition' was a fine album. But it was what it was," he explained. "And, like I say, we weren't making a great deal of headway either, and neither was Rob [with his solo career]. It was a good idea all around to get back together with Rob . It just made so much sense. Our fans wanted it, and in the end, we wanted it, and even Ripper wanted it. So, it made a lot of sense. And Rob came back, and we stepped straight back to where we [left off with] 'Painkiller' , and it went off from there."

This past January, Owens told The Metal Voice that if JUDAS PRIEST "released 'Jugulator' and 'Demolition' right now, [the fan and media response] would be totally different, in my opinion. Because metal was so bad [back in the 1990s]. Bands were playing in smaller places. At the end of JUDAS PRIEST , on the 'Painkiller' tour, they were playing in front of a thousand people in Europe and stuff; I mean, it was a totally different kind of an animal. In 2000 or so, when it started coming back, you started seeing it. Now you get [ IRON ] MAIDEN and PRIEST out there still selling out these big concerts — well, MAIDEN selling out their really big concerts. And I think those records… It's hard to replace somebody like [ Rob Halford ]. I don't care how great the records would have been. [The fans] still want Rob , just like people still yell that they want Ken [former JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST guitarist Kenneth 'K.K.' Downing ] in PRIEST . I mean, that's a normal thing."

Owens was also asked if his lack of songwriting contributions to PRIEST was primarily the result of the fact that he was the "new guy" in the band, Owens said: "Oh, exactly. You're joining JUDAS PRIEST . At the end, I did wanna write. I came to the table with a few songs; 'Scream Machine' [which appeared on the 2006 album from his BEYOND FEAR project] was one of them, actually, which would have probably been one of the better JUDAS PRIEST songs on those records. But it's JUDAS PRIEST . It's K.K. You know what I mean? You just go with it, and I was fine with how everything went. I loved the records, and I learned a lot from working with Glenn [ Tipton , PRIEST guitarist] and Ken , and working in the studio. I learned a lot."

Last September, Owens spoke to Cassius Morris about his relationship with Halford . He said: "I think it made people very angry that there never really was [a rivalry between us]. I mean, there was a little bit of things said back in the day, but we've always been friends and I've always respected him, obviously. And he's always talked well about me in the press. So I think it does make people mad that that they're that we don't hate each other and we say bad things. But we definitely consider each other friends and there's respect there."

Asked if he thinks there is a chance of PRIEST staging a one-off reunion concert featuring all current and former members of the band, including Owens and Downing , Tim said: "Should there be? Yes. Will there be? I don't think so. I don't think they would ever do it. They don't seem to make those kind of good decisions, so I don't think it would happen. I mean, this is a band that went to one guitar player [in 2022]" he added, referencing the fact that PRIEST announced it would tour with one guitarist before quickly reversing its decision and going back to the two-guitar format. "So I really don't think that that it would happen."

He continued: "I think it would be great if they got Ken back and they did a tour. I think the world would love to see that especially. Me? It definitely is not gonna happen, I wouldn't think. But I think fans would love it. I think it'd be great and it would be fun… but I don't think it'll ever happen."

Three years ago, Owens told Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks that "it [didn't] make sense" JUDAS PRIEST to not perform any songs from the two albums he recorded with the band — the aforementioned "Jugulator" and "Demolition" — during the group's 50th-anniversary tour. "I mean, it was JUDAS PRIEST ," he said. "Listen, you're celebrating 50 years of JUDAS PRIEST , but you're leaving out 10 years of it. The thing is Rob would sound so awesome… Could you imagine Rob singing 'Burn In Hell' ? Holy crap, it would sound fantastic. So, there's nothing wrong with sticking 'Burn In Hell' in a setlist. It was right in the middle there, so… I don't know. But they have a great setlist to play right now, so it's pretty awesome to see it.

"It's amazing JUDAS PRIEST has never done it," Owens continued. "They don't always have to do it, but it's amazing that they've never done it. I mean, Rob supposedly has never heard my era of JUDAS PRIEST , and it's kind of all right because I've never actually listened to his solo stuff except FIGHT , so we're kind of even on it. After FIGHT , I've not really listened to his stuff either, so it's kind of all right.

"When I was in JUDAS PRIEST , I didn't listen to a lot of stuff so I really didn't listen to the HALFORD stuff — unless somebody had it on somewhere," Tim explained.

"I love Rob — Rob is a friend and a mentor and an idol. Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio are the two guys that really inspired me. So it's nothing against anything, really. It's not that I didn't want to [listen to his solo stuff]; I just never did. It was kind of, like, 'I'm in JUDAS PRIEST . There's no need.' But after I left, I listened to the JUDAS PRIEST records. Whether I liked them or not, I listened to 'em."

In September 2021, Rob was asked by Classic Rock magazine if he has listened to "Demolition" and "Jugulator" . "No. I still haven't," he said. "This might sound selfish, but because it's not me singing, I'm not attracted to it. I sound like a twat, but I'm really just not interested. And that's no disrespect to Ripper , 'cause he's a friend of mine."

Halford went on to say that he first met Owens "when the band went through Ohio, [and Tim ] came to the show. Was it awkward? Not in the least," he said. "We gave each other a hug. He's a massive PRIEST fan, and when the opportunity came for me to go back, he was, like, 'Thumbs up, it's great. I'm happy for the band, I'm happy for Rob .' I respect his chops; he's a great singer."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 after being discovered when the band's drummer, Scott Travis , was given a videotape of him performing with the PRIEST cover act BRITISH STEEL . JUDAS PRIEST at the time was seeking a replacement for Halford .

In a 2000 interview, Halford explained why he was reluctant to hear "Jugulator" . "It's just too difficult for me to listen to the band when I'm not in it, and that's nothing to do with taking a shot at Ripper ," he said. "I just can't listen to it. It's just psychological. I should just put it on and listen to the fucking thing, but then if I do, [interviewers] will say, 'Well have you heard it?', and I'll go, 'Yeah', and then you'll go, 'What do you think?', and I don't want to do that. I don't want to be put in that situation. I just love all the things that I've done with the band and I'm happy to be a part of that great legacy and that's all. You want to treat it with respect because that's what it deserves."

In October 2020, Halford told "The SDR Show" that he would "absolutely" be open to performing material from "Demolition" and "Jugulator" with PRIEST . "Those two albums are just as valid as everything else in the PRIEST catalog," he explained. "So who knows? That day may yet come."

In 2019, Owens told Ultimate Guitar that he believes his era of JUDAS PRIEST is largely overlooked. "Yeah, I think it definitely deserves more [attention]," he said. "I mean, they don't do anything. [ Laughs ] It's kind of amazing that they just totally erased it that they won't play... I mean, 'Burn In Hell' [off 'Jugulator' ], the crowd would like to hear 'Burn In Hell' .

"They don't have to give me a tribute or anything, but it would be nice to play a song from... You know, that was a pretty big thing, I did two studio records, two live records, and a DVD, starting from '96 to 2004. So it's kind of crazy that it's just been erased and they won't even play a song from it live, because it is JUDAS PRIEST ."

In October 2019, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner said that "Hell Is Home" is one of his favorite songs from the Owens era. The PRIEST guitarist, who joined the band in 2011 as the replacement for K.K. Downing , offered his opinion during a live video chat. He said: "I was listening to the Ripper albums the other day, and 'Hell Is Home' is such a great track. It's really heavy and the vocal melody is really great. I think Ripper sings it really well. It's probably one of my favorite PRIEST songs of the Ripper era. 'Hell Is Home' — I really like that."

"Demolition" and "Jugulator" are included on "50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music" , JUDAS PRIEST 's limited-edition box set which contains every official live and studio album to date plus 13 unreleased discs. Released in October 2021, it is the most extensive release of previously unreleased music the band has made from its vast archives.

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Music and Concerts | Review: Judas Priest knows how to put on a…

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Music and concerts | review: judas priest knows how to put on a classic heavy metal show.

Judas Priest performs at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner performs with the band at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Vocalist Rob Halford leads Judas Priest at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and lead vocalist Rob Halford perform at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The audience cheers during a Judas Priest concert at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Vocalist Rob Halford performs with Judas Priest at Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Vocalist Rob Halford performs as Judas Priest plays the Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Vocalist Rob Halford (right) performs with guitarist Andy Sneap as Judas Priest plays the Rosemont Theatre on May 1, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

With little left to prove except its contemporary relevance 55 years after forming in Britain, the group stuck to its hallmark techniques and zeroed in on what mattered: the music, and its iron-clad bond with the heavy-metal community. While many artists spout what the crowd wants to hear, then repeat the same banter in every city, Judas Priest spent scant time on talk and devoted its nearly non-stop 105-minute set to the proverbial walk.

In sound and vision, words and attitude, the quintet embodied the liberating release and unifying spirit of second-wave metal. For Judas Priest, that meant leaning into the sheer power of its craft, the outsider mentality of its lyrics and the occasional theatricality sparked by the pairing. The straightforward, hammer-down approach came across as both unapologetic and vintage — not to mention endangered in a modern era prone to solo stars and pricey, one-upmanship productions.

Led by vocalist Rob Halford, the band forged a thrilling assault that projected a defiant toughness that could withstand or defeat the challenges outlined in many of its narratives. Rugged, resilient and rebellious, the songs’ temperaments traced a direct line to the band’s origins in the industrial wastelands of Birmingham, England. As did the well-controlled aural cacophony that evoked all manner of steel manufacturing: pounded anvils, loud stamping machines and fire-stoked furnaces included.

Those parallels further assumed a visual form during “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” a declarative anthem accompanied by black-and-white historical footage of workers laboring at a factory. And they adopted loaded meaning amid the back-and-forth sway of “Breaking the Law,” with Halford screeching “you don’t know what it’s like” akin to a desperate dreamer intent on doing anything to escape their soul-crushing circumstances.

Misfits, outsiders and blue-collar types standing throughout the venue understood exactly what he meant. Then again, Judas Priest has been speaking to and for those individuals since Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were at their mid-’70s peak. Seldom concerned with mainstream trappings, Judas Priest’s dalliance with commercial fame in the ‘80s happened on its own terms.

Though the band never broke up — a feat that places it in rare company with the Rolling Stones and other select lifers — Halford’s exit in the early ‘90s triggered the start of a forgettable period that alienated everyone but diehards. The singer’s 2004 return led to a second-act renaissance that long ago surpassed the merit, longevity and productivity associated with most reunions.

Released in early March, the band’s 19th album, “Invisible Shield,” extends a run of strong studio LPs marred only by the conceptual “Nostradamus” (2008). It follows the group’s 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; a pandemic-delayed 50th anniversary trek; and a bare-all Halford autobiography (“Confess”). Ironically, those positive developments owe to the type of lineup changes that often spell the end of bands.

In 2011, longtime member K.K. Downing suddenly quit over internal disagreements. In 2018, fellow guitarist Glenn Tipton, retired from live performance after the burden of dealing with Parkinson’s disease grew too difficult to bear. In their shoes stepped the relatively unknown Richie Faulkner and producer-musician Andy Sneap, respectively.

While purists may chafe at the replacements, each instrumentalist held up their end of the bargain from flanked positions on Wednesday. Rather than simply replicate passages, Faulkner and Sneap played with expressive license. The six-string fireworks that packed the spaces between the verses and chorus — pinched harmonics, squealing tritones, traded solos, doubled-up leads — erupted with a sharpness that matched the jaggedness of the main riffs.

While the latest recruits lacked the tight chemistry of their predecessors, Judas Priest’s rhythm section hurt for nothing. Bassist Ian Hill, the band’s longest-tenured member, stood in the shadows and operated as a silent lynchpin. Picking up on the resultant vibrations, he ensured the arrangements — even those that aimed at the jugular (the blitzing “Panic Attack,” the deep cut “Saints in Hell”) — remained tethered to a discernible groove. Hill’s partner, drummer Scott Travis, went another level beyond.

Entering his 35th year in the group, Travis put on a clinic. His combination of balance, solidity, timekeeping, force and steadiness bestowed Judas Priest with unshakable foundations and punchy dynamics. Travis’ four limbs navigated his double-bass kit with virtuosic ease. Cool and restrained, he avoided unnecessary flash such as splashy fills or busy cymbal crashes.

At times, the sustained crack of Travis’ drums resembled that of holes being bored into thick sheet metal. During a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown),” the rumbling percussive transformed into a fleet of approaching steamrollers.

If Travis’ rolling thunder served as the rails on which the band rode, Halford’s multi-octave deliveries functioned as the high-speed train barreling down on tormentors and detractors. Unsurprisingly, the 72-year-old vocalist — who, with his big, fluffy white beard and shaved head could’ve passed for a character who walked right out of a Herman Melville novel — no longer possesses the near-infinite range of his glory days.

Yes, Halford hit shrieking highs and glass-shattering notes. But he limited their frequency and length, and received obvious assistance from reverb, echoes and loops. No matter. Few singers manage to cover as much territory. Fewer still strike a more commanding on-stage presence than the nicknamed Metal God, whose constant caged-lion pacing, demonstrative body language and cheerleading of his colleagues and crowd all ranked second to his impressive wardrobe.

Clad in black leather pants, boots and gloves, and cycling through an array of waist- and knee-length leather jackets dripping with studs, chains and tassels, Halford exemplified the heavy-metal biker demeanor Judas Priest practically invented. In addition to complementing the look of his mates, his clothing — which also included a floor-length denim battle vest that would’ve been ridiculous on anyone else — mirrored the fortitude and grit of the material.

Rotating through the roles of necromancer (the eerie “Love Bites”), exorcist (the vicious “Devil’s Child”) and pursuant (the sleek “Turbo Lover”) with resolute authority, the singer later found the fountain of youth while chronicling the triumphs of a heroic cyborg. Reaching upper-frequency extremes from a crouched stance, Halford and company’s unyielding rendition of “Painkiller” renewed the case for the song’s standing as the greatest metal composition of the past three-plus decades.

After that kind of exertion, who could blame the singer for sitting for a spell? Returning to the stage on a Harley-Davidson, riding crop in hand, Halford straddled the bike during the first half of “Hell Bent for Leather” before throwing one leg over the side and dismounting.

Just as expected. Judas Priest executed the signature move countless times in the past. Yet akin to the band’s unwavering commitment to blending heaviness with melody, some traditions never grow old.

Bob Gendron is a freelance critic.

Setlist from the Rosemont Theatre May 1:

“Panic Attack” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” “Rapid Fire” “Breaking the Law” “Lightning Strike” “Love Bites” “Devil’s Child” “Saints in Hell” “Crown of Horns” “Sinner” “Turbo Lover” “Invincible Shield” “Victim of Changes” “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)” (Fleetwood Mac cover) “Painkiller”

Encore “Electric Eye” “Hell Bent for Leather” “Living After Midnight”

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Upcoming Concerts for Judas Priest

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Legendary heavy-metal singer loves Dolly Parton, cats, ‘invincible fan base’

• Updated: May. 04, 2024, 8:03 a.m. |
• Published: May. 03, 2024, 3:15 p.m.

Richie Faulkner, left, and Rob Halford of the band Judas Priest perform onstage in 2022. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP) Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP

• Matt Wake | [email protected]

“There’s your kitty cat,” Rob Halford says with a smile from behind the circular sunglasses he’s wearing in his Chicago hotel room. About halfway through our video call interview, Max, a green-eyed feline, saunters across my laptop’s camera. “You know me, I love cats,” says Halford, who often posts cat-centric images to his Instagram account .

Halford is probably the greatest heavy-metal singer to ever live. If he isn’t, he’s second only to the late great Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath, Rainbow and the band Dio fame.

Halford’s octave-scaling range and hellcat tone are archetypal not just to the sound of Judas Priest, his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame band, but all heavy-metal. Just as integral to the genre as crunchy guitar and headbanging grooves. See Priest classics like “Living After Midnight,” “Breaking the Law,” “Exciter,” “Painkiller” and “Victim of Changes.”

More than 50 years into their history, Judas Priest continues to set the pace in metal. Released this March. “Invincible Shield,” the band’s 19th studio album and a worldwide chart hit, cooks. Songs like “The Serpent and the King, “Trial By Fire,” and “Devil in Disguise” deliver vintage Priest sound in present tense. In addition to Halford and classic-era members Glenn Tipton on guitar and Ian Hill on bass, “Invincible Shield” boasts star guitarist Richie Faulkner and longtime drummer Scott Travis.

As lauded as he is as a singer, Halford’s vocal melodies are underappreciated. Take “Crown of Horns,” a standout track off “Invincible Shield.” Also see Priest all-timers like “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” and “Electric Eye.”

“It’s one of the thrills of songwriting, is trying to come up with melodies,” Halford says. “Much like Glenn and Richie with the riffs. It’s the same kind of endeavor, really. You’re trying to establish something that really captures the essence of what the song is all about, the message that the song is going to try and portray.

“And that’s always good to have it in your mind, you know, to appreciate that you’ve got you’ve got all of this material, it’s preceding this moment. And you’ve got to kind of push through and find something fresh and original in its melodic gestures and phrasing and everything that’s never been done before. And I’ve always had a feeling that your previous work kind of subconsciously plays a little bit of a role in this place that you have to go to.”

To come up with vocal melodies, Halford usually listens at the recording workstation in his Phoenix home to a song’s basic instrumental tracks before they’ve been completely finished. And listens again. And again.

“Sometimes, the melodies come really quickly,” Halford says. “In fact, with ‘Crown of Horns,’ it was almost instantaneous. Where did these things come from? I guess it’s just the blessings that musicians have. It’s not easy writing music. Never has been and it shouldn’t be, especially something that’s good and you hope is gonna last.”

Halford will set down with a track with some ideas already jotted down. He keeps a running list of song titles and opening lines. Creating a vocal track, he’s looking for something that “connects.”

Many singers like to cut with few other people around besides a producer and recording engineer, but Halford likes to have bandmates there, too.

“I like to have support when I’m doing my work – always have,” Halford says. “It’s very important to be open minded in the studio, to listen to people’s suggestions and ideas. Whether it’s ‘Crown of Horns,’ whether it’s ‘Electric Eye,’ whether it’s “Another Thing Coming,’ these things are what you go down the heavy-metal coal mine for, picking away. ‘Oh, there’s a diamond.’”

Before exploding into a blistering charge, “Invincible Shield” opening track “Panic Attack” opens with a neon-toned intro reminiscent of “Turbo,” Priest’s polarizing 1986 album known for its sleek contours and poppy hooks.

Faulkner put the “Panic Attack” intro together in a Nashville studio and sent it to Halford. “And he goes, ‘Is this is this risky?’ Halford recalls. “I go, ‘Why?’ He goes, “Well, it’s a little bit synth-y. It’s a little bit of a reference. I was thinking of Glenn when you made the ‘Turbo’ album, and that machine that he had specially made for him and these cool sounds that were happening.’

“And I go, ‘No man, I think it’s really cool.’ I think it’s very evocative of something that we’ve done from the past, but it’s like a redesign. It’s like a restructure. It’s also an attention-grabber. We knew pretty much right from the early moments of the album that this was going to be the opening track. You’re also aware that fans around the world are just waiting. What are they going to do? What’s the first thing that I’m going to hear? So we were having a little bit of fun with that opening sequence, but at the same time, it felt absolutely relevant. You know how a [baseball] pitcher winds up before he throws the ball? It’s a little bit like that.”

“Panic Attack” has racked up more than 7 million Spotify streams so far. It’s also the opener on the setlist for Judas Priest’s current tour. The trek includes the band’s first show in Huntsville, Alabama (my hometown), in 40 years , back when they were supporting their “Defenders of the Faith” album.

Halford will turn 73 in August. But during our video call, no doubt thanks to the formerly hard-living singer’s decades-long sobriety, he looks closer to 53. There are tattoos on each side of his shaved head. Wizard beard. He’s wearing rings, bracelets and necklaces and a plain tee. Metal God casual. As anyone whose been to a recent Priest show will attest, Halford’s still singing his ass off, too.

Asked what he’s learned as a singer over the past four decades, Halford says, “It took me a while to realize, you know how everybody has a happy place? Somebody has a walk in the park as a happy place, some vacation is a happy place. My happy place is singing. It completes me as a person. And I don’t think I’ve ever realized that until some years ago when I started to appreciate how important this voice is to me as a person. How it makes me live completely.”

Halford believes his sole purpose in life is singing. It’s his destiny.

“So I’ve appreciated as I’ve gotten older this gift is just a treasure,” he says. “I enjoy the emotion, energy, power, connection -- particularly live with our fans. Because there are certain parts of the show where I sing certain songs, where you can see everybody lights up, you know? And that’s the power that the voice has.

“And that’s the same for a lot of singers, when you have a favorite song, and you hear it sung by the person that actually made it on the record. So there’s all this kind of emotional connectivity that is more important to me now than it was as a younger metalhead, as a younger person. And I think that’s life. You gain wisdom in life, at least you should. So I’ve just learned to feel great about this, this fact that I’m able to do what I do all these decades later with this band that I love more than anything else in the world, and have a fan base that is just invincible. It’s absolutely glorious, you know?”

Andy Snead, producer on “Invincible Shield” and co-producer along with frequent Priest collaborator Tom Allom of the band’s previous album “Firepower” from 2018, also serves as touring guitarist. Tipton, who along with former guitarist K.K. Downing forged Priest’s patented and highly influential dual lead guitar attack, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease a few years back, impacting his ability to tour. I can tell you though, when Tipton joined the band onstage at their 2022 concert in Nashville for the last three songs, his shredding could still rattle a coliseum and thrill fans.

While Halford takes his singing and music very seriously, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Offstage, he often sports T-shirts emblazoned with images of cats, a contrast to his signature onstage looks of studded leather.

Judas Priest’s the quintessential metal band, but they’ve looked outside the genre when they’ve recorded cover songs. For 1974 debut album “Rocka Rolla,” Priest reimaged folk singer Joan Baez’s song “Diamonds and Rust” as Queen-style hard-rock. On ‘78 LP “Killing Machine” (titled “Hell Bent for Leather” in the U.K.), Judas Priest put their imprimatur on “The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown),” a song from Fleetwood Mac’s bluesy, Peter Green-led and pre-Stevie-Nicks-and-Lindsey-Buckingham era. Hot versions of both songs featured in Priest’s ‘79 live release “Unleased in the East.” “The Green Manalishi” is in the band’s current setlist.

“You’ll find that most musicians are very open minded in the way that they absorb music,” Halford says. “Music is a very, very, very powerful force. And yeah, we all have all favorites. We prefer this kind of music to that kind of music. Or we will we’re completely turned off by this kind of music, we’re drawn to another.

“Back to when I was a little kid, you know, there was always music in my family. The radio was always on, or the television was always on. My mom and dad used to like variety shows with a lot of music, different talent. And wow, what a great time to grow up in England. By the time the swinging ‘60s came around, and we had everything from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones to Cilla Black to Gerry and The Pacemakers to The Tremolos. I could go on and on and on. All these great stars with great voices. It taught me at a very earl age to be receptive, to absorb music in every way, shape and form.”

Cut to the 2022 Rock Hall induction ceremony. There’s Halford onstage with country legend Dolly Parton singing her classic hit “Jolene” together.

“And I love that song and I love Dolly,” Halford says. “It’s just part of this magical journey. I love my Hank Williams, I love my Willie Nelson, I love my greatest classical singer of all time, [Luciano] Pavarotti. Singers I’m particularly drawn to. Just because I know all singers feel the same when they sing. It’s a very deep kind of almost spiritual thing when you’re singing, because it comes from your heart, your soul. So I’m attracted to all kinds of music and all kinds of singers.”

Halford and Judas Priest have etched their own monolithic legacy. His talent has also intertwined their arc to intersect with his heroes.

Early in the band’s career, Priest got to open for Led Zeppelin at a stadium concert. Extra thrill for Halford since Zep’s Robert Plant is one of his key inspirations on the mic. Decades later, he filled in with Black Sabbath , another personal touchstone as Sabbath and Priest both hail from Birmingham, England: Once for Dio in 2004, and once for original Sabs frontman Ozzy Osbourne in ‘92.

When those gigs come up as we’re closing our 15-minute chat, Halford smiles fondly and bows toward the video camera in a Chicago hotel.

Judas Priest performs May 7 at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center and May 12 at Mobile’s Mobile Civic Center Arena. For Huntsville, tickets range from $49.50 to $99.50 plus applicable fees via ticketmaster.com and the VBC Box Office, address 700 Monroe Street. Mobile tickets are $45 and up plus fees via asmglobalmobile.com. More info at judaspriestinvincibleshield.com.

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Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

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Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
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• Duration: 3 Hrs
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 10:00 AM
• Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
• Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
• If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
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Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

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We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

Souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.