JUDAS PRIEST are back in the studio. Guitarist Richie Faulkner confirmed to Detroit's WRIF radio that the band is actively recording the follow-up to 2024's critically acclaimed "Invincible Shield" album, and the early results are promising.
"We got together and we played around," Faulkner said. "We've recorded some stuff and it's sounding really cool. We're excited about it." While he offered few specifics, the enthusiasm in his tone signals that the creative momentum from "Invincible Shield" — which debuted at No. 1 across multiple countries and earned widespread praise as one of the band's strongest efforts in decades — is carrying over into the new material.
JUDAS PRIEST, who have sold over 50 million albums worldwide and accumulated more than 2.5 billion global streams, continue to stand as one of heavy metal's foundational pillars. The current recording lineup features Rob Halford on vocals, Ian Hill on bass, Faulkner and Andy Sneap on guitars, and Scott Travis on drums. Founding guitarist Glenn Tipton, who stepped back from touring in 2018 after a Parkinson's disease diagnosis, remains part of the PRIEST family.
The band also has a busy summer ahead: European festival dates, a headline slot at Bloodstock Open Air in the UK on August 9, and a show at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on September 21. A career-spanning best-of collection, "The Best Of Judas Priest", arrives June 19 via Sony Music.
The documentary "The Ballad Of Judas Priest", directed by Tom Morello and Sam Dunn, will also be released later this year following its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.