Judas Priest | Invincible Shield

March 13, 2024 Publisher Music Reviews 0

by Dan Skiba
— Guest Columnist —

Celebrating 50 years (holy crap!) since the release of their first album, Rocka Rolla, on the tiny Gull Records Label, Judas Priest has defied all odds and continues to keep the Traditional Metal bulldozer rolling come hell or high water … or even an anomaly of various health issues. The Metal Gods have refused to throw in the towel … and amazingly continue to thrive while creating some of the best music the Traditional Metal genre has to offer.

Now in 2024 comes the release of Invincible Shield, the follow-up to the very highly regarded Firepower release, which certainly could have been the band’s swan song. After all, between charting higher than ever before, constant touring, and an induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, what else can the band be expected to accomplish with Invincible Shield? Try “album of the year” for starters …

Invincible Shield hits the ground running with its first 3 tracks, “Panic Attack,” “The Serpent and the King,” and the title track. They are all fast-tempo rockers showcasing both skill and attitude. Plenty of tasty riffs, impressive guitar solos, powerful drumbeats, and of course … outstanding vocal performances by The Metal God himself. How he is able to still hit the high notes in his 70’s is truly amazing.

Like with many Priest albums, the band takes you to various places with their songs … some futuristic and violent, some reflective, some invoking rally cries. Arguably no band in the Traditional Metal genre has ever tapped into the souls of their fan base quite as well as Priest has with both their lyrics and thousands of watts of power.

The deluxe version contains 3 bonus tracks … all as worthwhile as the core 11, with the last track written by Bob Haligan Jr., called “The Lodger”. As you might expect, this track has a different vibe than the rest, and has an Alice Cooper feel as Halford repeats the lyrical line “Vengeance is mine”, providing quasi-psychotic imagery. Overall, it’s clear the band put substantial effort into Invincible Shield and it’s a must-have for all Metal fans, Traditional Metal or otherwise.

Genre: Traditional Metal

Line-up:
Rob Halford – Vocals
Glenn Tipton – Guitars
Richie Faulkner – Guitars
Ian Hill – Bass
Scott Travis – Drums

Label: Epic Records