Having the riffs for fifty years, Judas Priest does not bend and reveals his 19th studio album, the aptly named Invincible Shield. Holding the microphone as firmly as he keeps the flame, Rob Halford, singer of the group, explains everything on this album which keeps everything that makes the salt of Judas Priest, without letting the group lock up in the background.
Passionate and determined, the one that we respectfully nicknamed the “Metal God” reviews the creative process of the group, without forgetting to return to certain key points in the history of the Birmingham group, determining in the history of British music. Interview.
Invincible Shield just came out. How do you feel with this 19th Album by Judas Priest?
Lots of different emotions arrive at the same time. I am aware that many fans of Judas Priest around the world have waited for this disc and want to see what the group can offer in 2024. We do not take this for granted if that is what they think. Some swear by British Steelothers by Painkillerand it's beautiful to see, it reveals passion. We are very lucky to be there again after more than fifty years of career and to see that our music always counts for our fans.
If this album arrives six years later Firepower And seems to have been made with the same passion, he differs from his predecessor with a certain renewed aggressiveness. Was it intentional?
It is true that he strikes stronger. In my opinion, this comes in particular from the fantastic work accomplished by Andy Sneap (producer and live guitarist of Judas Priest since 2018). The way he records the sound of Glen Tipton and Ritchie Faulkner (guitarists) is phenomenal on this disc. This album also has a wind of freshness which was less present on Firepower. We will also began to maintain “Panic Attack” tension to “Giants in the Sky”. Despite tempo changes, the dynamics remain present.
For ten years, Judas Priest has been a new creative synergy with the contribution of Ritchie Faulkner. How do you perceive its evolution?
Ritchie has really taken braid with Firepower. He is a guitarist with a lot of experience that has also managed to perfect his composer capacities. Thus, his contribution to the titles of invincible Shield is even more important than in the past. It has evolved on all aspects within the group, whether on a musical and human level. In fact it strengthens our synergy from British Steel, centered around two guitarists and a singer. Seeing two talented guitarists playing together is a happiness.
Let's talk about the fact that British Steel marked a turning point in your career.
Before this disc, a member or two brought a song to the group. From British Steelwe have installed a synergy with two guitarists that are completely. KK Downing (former guitarist) had a different game from that of Glen. It is the same for Ritchie. When you bring them together in the same room, it is not just two guitarists who play together, two completely different visions meet. We have exploited this to its full potential from British Steel. If we had not done it, we could not have accomplished what we did later.
Find this interview with Rob Halford of Judas Priest in full in WECB l'Hebdo n ° 152, available via our online store.
