Judas Priest – Invincible Shield

If you haven’t noticed by now, from our From My Collection entries to our very moniker, we’re kind of huge Judas Priest fans. How could you not be? They are, hands down, the quintessential metal band, embodying the very sonic and visual essence of this music going back now 50 years. They’ve got more bona fide masterpiece albums than I have fingers on my hands, and have valiantly waved the metal flag, defending the faith ever so staunchly, longer than most of us have been alive. In the same breath, these Metal Gods are not without their human setbacks.

In the 6 years that have passed since the release of their last album, Firepower, much has changed in the world of Judas Priest. Glenn Tipton’s ongoing Parkinson’s battle sidelined him from long term touring, relegating the guitar icon to a now mostly songwriting/recording role. Rob Halford faced prostate cancer, and won. Perhaps most shocking of all was the near death experience of Priest’s youngest member, Richie Faulkner, who experienced full blown aortic dissection live onstage, while playing “Painkiller” no less. To put it in perspective, most people with this condition don’t even make it to the hospital alive. The fact that Faulkner not only did so, but bounced back as quickly as he did, is nothing short of miraculous.

However, these 6 years were filled with far more positivity than negativity for the greatest metal band on the planet. Firepower was a smash hit, charting all the way at #5 on the Billboard 200. Despite the setback of COVID, Priest proceeded with their retrospective 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour though 2021 and 2022, playing to legions of metal maniacs around the globe. And perhaps most noteworthy of all, after 23 years of eligibility, the band was FINALLY inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, thanks of course to said maniacs’ threats of complete evisceration of the institution and physical harm against their voting body (I’m just kidding…or am I?).

When you take all this triumph and tragedy and put it all together, we get Judas Priest’s long awaited 19th studio album, Invincible Shield. To say Priest set the bar high with Firepower would be an understatement. Not only was it unanimously the greatest metal album of 2018, but many, myself included, considered it to be their finest collection of songs since Painkiller (1990). The songwriting and performances were fresh and invigorating. The Tom Allom production took us back to the glory days of the ’80s. Every song, from beginning to end, was a certified banger: An all killer, no filler outing of traditional metal bliss.

I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t go into this expecting Firepower 2, which was a stupid move on my behalf. Invincible Shield, like every Priest masterpiece before it, is its own beast. The same way Sad Wings of Destiny doesn’t sound like Defenders of the Faith which doesn’t sound like Painkiller, the same logic can be applied here. Whereas Firepower felt like the sound of a band honing in on the most beloved aspects of their past catalog, reimagining said tropes to create something new, Invincible Shield is the sound of a band hellbent on victory. Their place in the annals of metal history have long been cemented, and yet they still play as if they have something to prove…and let me tell you something; they do so in the most glorious way.

Priest’s impact on metal and its subsequent subgenres cannot be overstated enough. One genre they helped innovate in particular is power metal. Alongside acts like Scorpions and Rainbow, Priest’s fantastical lyricism and complex musicianship of the late ’70s laid the groundwork for trailblazers to follow in the ’80s, ’90s, and beyond. “Tyrant”, “Exciter”, “Stained Class”: This songs were power metal before power metal. Why do I mention this influence? Because on Invincible Shield, we hear Priest tackle power metal in a post-power metal world.

Now admittedly, Invincible Shield is not a through and through power metal album. However, the genre’s prominence cannot be ignored. The entire album boasts a sort of post-apocalyptic atmosphere, as if it’s set in the end of ages. This is nothing new for Priest. The difference now is that unlike on “The Sentinel” and “Painkiller”, Invincible Shield sees the Metal Gods rise up, ready to make their last stand in their elder years. Despite their advanced age and collective tribulations, they stand victorious, defiant in the face of death, hungry to avenge what’s left of humanity with their metallic wisdom.

The album’s first three cuts, “Panic Attack”, “The Serpent and the King”, and the title track, are an absolute rampage, storming through the listener’s eardrums with reckless abandon. “Panic Attack” establishes the mood, fast and frantic in its delivery. Rob Halford drills every word from his beloved thesaurus directly into your skull. The guitar duo of Tipton and Faulkner lay down victorious riffage and spellbinding solos in the Priest tradition. Holding it all down are Ian Hill and Scott Travis, the unsung heroes of Priest and ever pummeling rhythm section, adding that extra oomph reminiscent of the Painkiller.

“The Serpent and the King” keeps the blitz going, unleashing some speed metal Priest style. It’s definitely a distant relative of “Screaming for Vengeance” and “Eat Me Alive”, even down to Halford’s utterly mind blowing upper register vocals. Most metal singers a fraction of his age can’t demonstrate such discipline and control, while remaining simultaneously forceful. Halford does so with an absolutely inhuman ease. Following this is the equally impactful title track: A hymn that espouses the unstoppable power of Priest, and on a larger scale, heavy metal.

The midtempo “Devil in Disguise” shifts things in a more midtempo and cryptic direction. The sly, swaggering lead guitar riff guides the way, as if forged in the same fire as “Killing Machine” or “Metal Gods”. For a band who loves going over the top, Priest are equally as effective utilizing this less is more approach. “Gates to Hell”, meanwhile, gives off some serious Defenders era arena metal vibes, which is always welcome in my book. The hooks, melodies, and production ooze of the beer fueled nirvana that was Heavy Metal Parking Lot.

If there’s one song on here that stands out as a musical and lyrical outlier, it’s “Crown of Horns” with its melodic approach and *gasp* spiritually centric lyrics. Yes, you read that correctly. One wouldn’t expect a song of this nature from a band named Judas Priest, but considering Halford’s own personal evolution of the past decade, it shouldn’t come as the biggest surprise. Yes, even in the “Christian metal” department, Priest are more compelling then the vast majority of the niche.

Power metal continues to rear its not so ugly head during Invincible Shield‘s latter half, absolutely dominating on what might be the greatest Priest song since “One Shot at Glory”, “As God is My Witness”. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. This isn’t to cast dispersion upon the likes of “Judas Rising”, “Halls of Valhalla”, or “Firepower”, but holy smokes. If this isn’t an absolute tour de force, I don’t know what is. Every aspect of “As God is My Witness”, from the scream-along chorus and fiery riffage to the spine chilling lyrics and Travis’ signature double bass drum onslaught, is pure metal perfection.

“Trial By Fire” can be filed alongside “Devil in Disguise” and “Crown of Horns” as one of the album’s moodier, yet nevertheless impactful moments. The focus shifts from brute force and blinding speed towards punchy riffs and punchier vocal lines courtesy of Halford. The lumbering prog-doom curveball that is “Escape From Reality” stands out as one of the most unusual Priest compositions in a long time, if not the most controversial since the Nostradamus (2008) era. Fear not faithful: The boys from Birmingham tackle the Sabbath/Candlemass to much greater results here than on past efforts.

“Sons of Thunder” dares us to hop upon our hypothetical Harleys and tear up the highway, the same way “Desert Plains” and “Hell Bent for Leather” did decades before. It’s short and sweet, packing in every last traditional metal trope one could last for in just a little under 3 minutes, even a gang vocal chorus! All of this leads up to the fist pumping rage of “Giants in the Sky”. Having branded our craniums with enough high power speed to last us through 2025, they opt for a battle march of a closer, and this is up there with the best, no doubt.

Considering this review didn’t adhere to my usual five paragraph format, you can probably assume that I really, really, REALLY love Invincible Shield. You’d assume correct. And I’d assume that any self respecting true metallist will feel the exact same way. In an age where just about all the ground in this universe and beyond has been broken, Judas Priest continues to create new ground, just so they can break that as well, and the law while they’re at it. They’re still delivering the goods, defending the faith, and fighting under blood red skies, determined to carry out their credo to the end of time: “Never surrender!”

10 out of 10

Label: Sony Music

Genre: Heavy Metal

For fans of: Iron Maiden, Saxon, Traveler