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JUDAS PRIEST
Invincible Shield

Columbia (2024)
Rating: 8.5/10

To last ten years in the music business is an incredible achievement and so for Judas Priest to have reached five decades is quite some feat, especially when you consider how consistent the metal gods have been with their output. The term “legends” is handed out all too easily nowadays but with their 19th full-length studio album Priest are exactly that, a legendary band that we should be thankful can still deliver hard n’ heavy songs of quality. It’s kind of laughable that the UK band weren’t inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame until recently, but then again we don’t need such corporate codswallop to confirm Judas Priest’s status as one of the genres most important bands.

And so with Invincible Shield we get treated to 11 fantastic tracks (14 if you pick up the deluxe version) brilliantly produced by Andy Sneap who is also the bands touring guitarist. Rob Halford (vocals), Glenn Tipton (guitar), Richie Faulkner (guitar), Ian Hill (bass) and Scott Travis (drums) roar like a colossal metal dragon, but then again that’s what Priest has always done, and so you get struck by several riff building exercises, pummelling drums and bass and Rob Halford’s ageless wails and screams.

With opener ‘Panic Attack’ it’s very much classic, full throttle Judas Priest, a track to hit us hard from the off as Richie Faulkner’s leads worm their way into the veins. The shredding, as expected, continues with such monstrous cuts as ‘Escape From Reality’ and the Glenn Tipton steel of ‘Sons Of Thunder’. The formulas are recognizable as the band continually warms our souls with drips of nostalgia, but Judas Priest isn’t afraid to veer into bluesy escapades such as on ‘Giants In The Sky’ which is immensely heavy in design even with its fleeting acoustic injection.

There are numerous chunky, metallic monsters on display here although some may be surprised by the Queen-esque ‘The Lodger’ with its use of synths. Halford sounds as fresh as ever as those high scowls of fury bristle with electric energy. Bonus track ‘Fight Of Your Life’ and the vicious ‘As God Is My Witness’ boast enigmatic snarls, with the latter easily competing with tracks off the band’s 1990 Painkiller outing.

Of course, this is nothing new, but it’s not intended to be – with Priest you just want tracks to headbang too. It’s a metal majesty you knew was coming. I’m sick to death of reviewers mentioning the ages of the band members as it’s not relevant when speaking of a band of this ilk, and the same can also be said for Saxon etc. Judas Priest are hell bent for leather hierarchy; heavy metal royalty who stick to their guns and bow to none and if you’re still not convinced then check out the soaring power ballad ‘Crown Of Horns’ with its sing-along chorus, the melodious ‘Devil In Disguise’ and the sublime ‘Trial By Fire’.

One may argue that Invincible Shield lacks the vim of Firepower (2018), but the reality is that this is another scorching Judas Priest beast drenched with chugging riffs, sky-reaching infectious melodies and the band’s usual brand of metallic lashing. What more do you want?

Neil Arnold

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