“THERE’S FIRE AND DOOM!”

Rob Halford’s track-by-track guide to Invincible Shield

PANIC ATTACK

The album opener easily delivers on Rob’s promise that the first three tracks are a calculated throat-grab – a full-throttle bid to pound your soul into absolute submission. Frenzied tempos and blazing, razorwire riffs dominate the hyper-addictive single throughout. Of its meaning, Rob says, “Panic Attack is looking at the Internet and the way that we tend to look at the more ominous, darker sides of what it can be utilised for.”

THE SERPENT AND THE KING

Lest anyone wonder if the mighty Priest might be slowing down, this cut soars at a velocity reached by few tracks in their storied catalogue. With Rob flexing his legendary vocal range and waves of fist-pumping solos, this will be an instant fan favourite. Says Rob: “The Serpent is the Devil and the King is God and they’re locked in battle.

You see all this light and hope and glory, and you see all of this fire and doom and death and destruction. I thought, ‘God, that’s so metal!’”

INVINCIBLE SHIELD

Building upon the unrelenting force of its predecessor, the title track opens with a siege of scorching riffs and a marauding thrust, leading to a triumphant chorus and a jaw-dropping solo that recalls the very best of Defenders Of The Faith-era Priest.

“It’s the statement about this band being an invincible shield in metal, and what we feel we are as a band,” explains Rob. “It’s also a thank-you to our fans, because every one of our fans is holding an invincible shield.”

DEVIL IN DISGUISE

Guitarists Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton don’t simply rekindle that old Priest magic here, they tap into breathtaking waves of fretted interplay, trading riffs and leads with chestbeating swagger. “When someone is presenting themselves in one way but you can see another side of their personality that they’re trying to hide,” says Rob, “they are a devil in disguise.”

GATES OF HELL

A simmering beast, this delivers all of the signature elements that define Judas Priest: screaming guitars, a hard-driving rhythm with an utterly pummelling bassline, and defiant, horn-throwing lyrics about metal maniacs crashing through the gates of Hell. Rob lights up at the song’s very mention, exclaiming, “This track is great! I just love the idea of Judas Priest roaring through the gates of Hell on Harley-davidsons.”

CROWN OF HORNS

This brooding, tempestuous offering injects a fierce late-70s hard rock sheen and labyrinthine prog riffs, reaching a fiery crescendo. Sidestepping themes

of metal, machines and battle, this one finds the frontman unguarded and introspective. “This is a very reflective track,” he says.

“It’s about bearing your own pain and responsibility and all that that entails.”

AS GOD IS MY WITNESS

Befitting its empowering messages, this mixes scything riffs and intense speeds in an unambiguous show of force.

It’s no less than a seismic reminder that before the likes of Slayer, there was Judas Priest. According to Rob: “This one’s about standing up for yourself, believing in what you’re capable of doing, and succeeding.”

TRIAL BY FIRE

Another mid-paced number with surging riffs and a chorus destined to echo throughout the stadiums of the world on their latest tour. The words carry a deep, personal meaning for Rob, while still being intended as a bright beacon of optimism and hope for the faithful. “In today’s world,” says Rob, “the public can be judge, jury and executioner, so you have to be in a place where you respect your own value and worth and you’ll fight for it every step of the way. Hence, life can sometimes be a trial by fire.”

ESCAPE FROM REALITY

Dive headfirst into the soul of Turboera Priest with this behemoth of a midtempo anthem. It’s a cerebral pilgrimage, chugging through the brain’s crevices – a spiritual hideaway bathed in the glow of glistening melodic solos and atmospheric thunder. “This is about getting lost in metal,” says Rob. “Just floating away and going to that place where only metal can take you.”

SONS OF THUNDER

Roaring and impressive, the taut, distorted riffs and propulsive grooves here are masterfully calibrated for maximum headbanging. Catchy as hell, with glistening leads and a singalong chorus. “This is a reimagination of Hell Bent For Leather,” says Rob, “rolling on thunder and being unstoppable and having camaraderie. In my mind I see millions of metal maniacs on bikes roaring across the desert.”

GIANTS IN THE SKY

Ending with a towering salvo of classic metal, Invincible Shield’s closer is a captivating ode to Dio, Lemmy and the enduring power of radio. Rob says: “Radio has this really special way of communicating to us, no matter where we might be – whether you’re in the car, whether you’re at home, whether you’re at work on a break, whether you’re at school on a break, whatever. You listen to the radio and you’re listening to these giants in the sky.

The giants are Ronnie and Lemmy, as I visualise them. Right now, they’re floating around in the Heavens.”