JUDAS PRIEST: 'Epitaph' Concert Film To Be Broadcast Tonight On VH1 CLASSIC

The U.S. broadcast premiere of JUDAS PRIEST's new concert film, "Epitaph", is scheduled for tonight (Saturday, May 25) at 8 p.m. Eastern time on VH1 Classic.

For more information, visit VH1.com.

A unique live career retrospective, "Epitaph" will be made available on Blu-ray and separate DVD on May 28 through Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. This release precedes a new studio album by JUDAS PRIEST which the band are working on now.

Says the band: "The 'Epitaph' world tour came to an exciting conclusion at the renowned Hammersmith Odeon (now known as the Apollo) in London. Knowing our fans around the planet recognize that venue for many legendary metal moments, and of course with JUDAS PRIEST being a British metal band it was the perfect gig for us to film and record. Big thanks as always to you our metal family of fans — so start banging your heads one more time with us as we scream together 'The PRIEST is back!'"

JUDAS PRIEST's current lineup comprises lead singer Rob Halford, lead guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis.

Heavy metal historians will regard "Epitaph" as the most far-reaching live concert recording in the band's career. The set revisits the climactic closing date of the 50-week "Epitaph" world tour, captured live at London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo on May 26, 2012. Adding to the drama is the fact that this was JUDAS PRIEST's final large-scale world tour ever.

"Epitaph"'s 23 tracks represent at least one song from every one of the band's 14 studio albums, from 1974's "Rocka Rolla" ("Never Satisfied") to 2008's "Nostradamus" ("Prophecy"). In the special case of "British Steel", four songs are featured: "Rapid Fire", "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and perennial set closer "Living After Midnight". Others exempted from the one-song-quota are the LPs which appeared before and after "British Steel". The first of these is 1979's "Hell Bent For Leather" (U.K. title: "Killing Machine") which lends the title song as well as "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)". The other LP is 1982's "Screaming For Vengeance", source of "The Hellion", "Electric Eye" and "You've Got Another Thing Coming".

"They have epitomized the genre with their Harley riding frontman, rapid-fire guitar assaults, and spectacular stage shows," wrote journalist Bryan Reesman in his liner notes for 2004's leather-bound, metal-spiked "Metalogy" box set. "Influential, innovative, and exuberant in expression," he wrote, "they are the true Metal Gods who have been as unwavering in their desire to expand the boundaries of their music as they have been in crossing international borders to deliver it to their disciples.

"Unabashedly committed to their cause, and unrepentant in proclaiming themselves a true heavy metal band even when others have shied away from the term, Judas Priest have forever been defenders of the faith."

"Epitaph" track listing

01. Battle Hymn (L)
02. Rapid Fire (F)
03. Metal Gods (F)
04. Heading Out To The Highway (G)
05. Judas Rising (M)
06. Starbreaker (C)
07. Victim Of Changes (B)
08. Never Satisfied (A)
09. Diamonds And Rust (C)
10. Prophecy (N)
11. Night Crawler (L)
12. Turbo Lover (J)
13. Beyond The Realms Of Death (D)
14. The Sentinel (I)
15. Blood Red Skies (K)
16. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) (E)
17. Breaking The Law (F)
18. Painkiller (L)
19. The Hellion (H)
20. Electric Eye (H)
21. Hell Bent For Leather (E)
22. You've Got Another Thing Coming (H)
23. Living After Midnight (F)

Album index:

A - from "Rocka Rolla" (originally issued 1974, on Gull Records)
B - from "Sad Wings Of Destiny" (originally issued 1976, on Gull Records)
C - from "Sin After Sin" (originally issued 1977, on Columbia Records)
D - from "Stained Class" (originally issued 1978, on Columbia)
E - from "Hell Bent For Leather" (originally issued 1979, on Columbia; aka Killing Machine in UK)
F - from "British Steel" (originally issued 1980, on Columbia)
G - from "Point Of Entry" (originally issued 1981, on Columbia)
H - from "Screaming For Vengeance" (originally issued 1982, on Columbia)
I - from "Defenders Of the Faith" (originally issued 1984, on Columbia)
J - from "Turbo" (originally issued 1986, on Columbia)
K - from "Ram It Down" (originally issued 1988, on Columbia)
L - from "Painkiller" (originally issued 1990, on Columbia)
M - from "Angel Of Retribution" (originally issued 2005, on Epic Records)
N - from "Nostradamus" (originally issued 2008, on Epic)