JUDAS PRIEST's IAN HILL: RICHIE FAULKNER Has 'Breathed New Life Into The Band'

In a new interview with IndiePower.com, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill commented on the fact that he and his bandmates sound rejuvenated, full of energy and passion on their recently released album, "Invincible Shield". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think a lot of it is probably down to [PRIEST guitarist] Richie [Faulkner]. He's had a lot of input in, especially the last album, the new album, 'Invincible Shield'. He came along to sort of breathe new life into the band. Things were getting a little bit jaded back there at one point. I think it might have been one of the reasons Ken [former PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing] left. But [Richie] came along with boundless enthusiasm and it's all rubbed off on the rest of us. He came, and the first thing he did was the 'Epitaph' tour [in 2011], and the whole idea behind that was to slow down. That didn't quite happen. We've been working harder than we've ever done. Like I say, a lot of that's down to him and, of course, the enthusiasm of everyone else. We love what we do. We really do. That's why we do it. And it would be strange if we didn't do it. So, like I say, he's allowed us to continue at this level anyway."

Hill also talked about the feeling in the PRIEST camp as he and his bandmates prepare for the second North American leg of PRIEST's tour in support of "Invincible Shield", which kicks off in early September in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He said: "Like I say, we love what we do. And at the end of a leg of a tour, you get your instrument, you put it in a cupboard and say, 'Okay, that's it.' A couple of weeks later, you're starting to open the cupboard and peek in: 'Is it still there?' The next thing you know, you're just itching to get out there and get on with it. So the feeling in the band is great. Morale is high, and we're loving it. We're still loving it. And we're looking forward to getting back out and playing to you guys. We did most of the East Coast and part of the Midwest on the first leg, and we're getting down to the West Coast, and, again, Midwest, the Southern part, on the second leg."

JUDAS PRIEST recently announced leg two of its "Invincible Shield" tour with special guest SABATON. The all-time greats will take over new markets in North America this fall with an additional 23 performances.

Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on September 13 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec and makes stops in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California; Phoenix, Arizona and more before wrapping up with three shows in Texas on October 22, 24 and 26.

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the spring 2024 U.S. leg of the "Invincible Shield" world tour on April 18 at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.