Judas Priest’s Rob Halford talks ‘Invincible Shield’, Dolly Parton, acceptance in metal community – National | Globalnews.ca

It’s been six years since Judas Priest launched their final album, however on Friday the British Heavy Metallic pioneers returned with their nineteenth studio effort, Invincible Defend.

Since 2018’s Firepower, the Breaking the Regulation hitmakers have had a rollercoaster journey. COVID-19 wasn’t the one impediment that put a wrench of their touring plans. Lead singer Rob Halford battled prostate most cancers all through a portion of the worldwide pandemic earlier than getting the all-clear in early 2021.

Not lengthy after they have been again on the highway, co-lead guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered a near-fatal acute aortic aneurysm onstage throughout a efficiency at Louisville’s Louder than Life competition in September 2021.

The 43-year-old was halfway by the band’s final music of the evening — Painkiller, sarcastically — when it occurred. Faulkner powered by and completed the music and was rushed to a hospital the place surgeons carried out a life-saving surgical procedure.

Faulkner stayed on the mend till rejoining Priest on the highway in March 2022, shortly earlier than they have been set to embark on their mammoth fiftieth anniversary tour.

In the course of the trek, the leather-clad quintet stopped in Los Angeles for the band’s long-awaited induction into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame — the place Priest welcomed again estranged band members guitarist Ok.Ok. Downing and drummer Les Binks to make speeches, earlier than a rocking medley efficiency.

Moreover, Halford carried out Jolene with the Queen of Nation herself, Dolly Parton — a private favorite icon of his — earlier than occurring to report the music Bygones together with her for her acclaimed 2023 Rockstar album.

Talking with World Information, Halford expressed his gratefulness: “I can’t thank her sufficient, not just for giving me the chance, however for giving the metallic neighborhood the chance, as a result of I do know who I’m, I do know what I symbolize. I’m a singer on this British heavy metallic band.”

By the best way, we’re not but performed with the challenges.

All through these successes and shut well being calls, co-lead guitarist Glenn Tipton had been preventing Parkinson’s illness since 2008 — a battle he made public solely weeks earlier than Firepower was unleashed to the world.

The end result of feelings endured by Halford, Tipton and Faulkner — Priest’s core songwriters — in that point resulted in one of many band’s most ferocious and introspective data so far.

Between lead singles Panic Assault and Trial By Fireplace, energy ballad Crown of Horns and the touching, tributary closing observe Giants within the Sky — which pays homage to fallen metallic legends Ronnie James Dio and Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister — followers are handled with a few of Halford’s deepest lyrics so far. The weak nature of those compositions, nevertheless, doesn’t take away from the “heavy” features that heavy metallic followers ought to count on. All through this report, all 5 band members are firing on all cylinders and carry out with conviction that hasn’t been heard since 1990’s Painkiller. Although we’re met with sonic twists and turns that harken again to data of Priest’s “golden period,” the general variety contained inside Invincible Defend’s progressively shines brighter as every observe ends and the following begins — serving as a reminder that Priest by no means does precisely the identical factor twice and is a pressure to be reckoned with, nonetheless, in spite of everything these years.

The title, Invincible Defend not solely represents the victories and hardships of the collective band, however these of their followers, too, in line with Halford.

The 72-year-old “Metallic God” emphasised the significance of writing music that may join with Priest followers — or “heavy metallic maniacs” — and having the ability to present them that they’re not alone in no matter troubles they face.

For many years, Halford has been an advocate for acceptance and empowerment of these inside not simply the heavy metallic neighborhood, however for people from all walks of life.

The Dwelling After Midnight singer recounted the loneliness he felt for the primary 25 years of being part of Judas Priest and feeling like he needed to disguise his sexuality as a distinguished determine within the music neighborhood at a time the place it was not as well-received.

It wasn’t till he publicly got here out throughout an MTV broadcast in 1998 that he felt really like himself.

“Tolerance and inclusivity is one thing that that I received’t cease speaking about. This complete enterprise of being embraced and feeling not alone and feeling (like) a part of a gaggle of individuals which are all feeling the identical manner is basically particular and distinctive to the metallic world.”

And although Halford has confronted prejudice alongside the best way, Halford has paved the best way for a number of generations of metalheads and LGBTQ2 members and says that the collective thought of embracing one another’s variations has improved considerably since his profession started.

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Previous to unleashing the pummelling Invincible Defend, Priest shared 4 of the 11 tracks as singles, providing a mere style to their loyal followers.

He made clear that whereas Tipton’s battle with Parkinson’s has slowly deteriorated his stamina, his compositions are nonetheless very a lot current. And the place Tipton was not in a position to report a phrase or solo to his greatest capability, Faulkner stepped in and replicated it as precisely to his bandmate’s fashion as potential.

Glowing on the unimaginable reception they’ve acquired, Halford couldn’t include his pleasure for followers to listen to the remainder of it, including an eagerness to get again out on the highway.

Taking Tipton’s place on the highway as soon as once more shall be touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who additionally produced Invincible Defend — his second time producing for Priest. Fortuitously for some followers, Tipton has beforehand made a handful of appearances on the highway for the band’s encore.

Although Priest have but to announce Canadian tour dates, Halford has shared fond reminiscences of travelling the nation by way of tour bus from coast-to-coast, and is promising the band will return within the close to future.

“I’ve pushed all the breadth of Canada, and it’s essentially the most wonderful factor. I really feel very, very fortunate that I’ve been in a position to. It’s only a stunning nation,” Halford mentioned, including, “We shall be coming again.”

Judas Priest will start the primary leg of the Invincible Defend world tour in Glasgow, Scotland on March 11, making their manner by the U.Ok., U.S. and a number of other European nations till July.

In addition to choose tracks from the 53-minute spanning mammoth that’s Invincible Defend, Halford guarantees diehard followers a wholesome dose of the classics, in addition to “two or three” deep cuts.

You may watch a condensed model of our interview with Rob Halford above.

‘Invincible Defend’ is now out there worldwide at judaspriestinvincibleshield.com.

March 11 – Glasgow, ScotlandMarch 13 – Leeds, EnglandMarch 15 – Dublin, IrelandMarch 17 – Bournemouth, EnglandMarch 19 – Birmingham, EnglandMarch 21 – London, EnglandMarch 24 – Frankfurt, GermanyMarch 25 – Munich, GermanyMarch 27 – Dortmund, GermanyMarch 29 – Prague, Czech RepublicMarch 30 – Krakow, PolandApril 1 – Vienna, AustriaApril 3 – Basel, SwitzerlandApril 5 – Lyon, FranceApril 6 – Assago, ItalyApril 8 – Paris, FranceApril 18 – Wallingford, Conn.April 19 – Newark, N.J.April 21 – Studying, Penn.April 24 – Bangor, MaineApril 25 – Boston, Mass.April 27 – Youngstown, OhioApril 28 – Indianapolis, Ind.Might 1 – Rosemont, Ailing.Might 2 – Minneapolis, Minn.Might 4 – Kalamazoo, Mich.Might 05 – Maryland Heights, Mo.Might 07 – Huntsville, Ala.Might 09 – Daytona, Fla.Might 11 – Alpharetta, Ga.Might 12 – Cell, Ala.Might 14 – Charlotte, N.C.Might 17 – Evansville, Ind.Might 19 – Washington, D.C.Might 21 – Albany, N.Y.Might 22 – Syracuse, N.Y.