ROB HALFORD Says It's 'Inevitable' That There Will Be Another JUDAS PRIEST Studio Album

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, who turned 73 last month, was asked if there will eventually be a follow-up to the band's latest album, "Invincible Shield", which arrived in March. He responded: "Well, it's what we do. I think most bands will tell you that their relevance is based on their music and where they are at that particular moment in their in their life as a band and that's always sustained by the new music that you create. So even though we haven't gone into that world yet, into that new world of PRIEST music, I think that it's inevitable there will be something else. When it will happen. I have no idea."

Rob continued: "This band thrives on the metal that we make, the time that we spend with each other, 'cause there's a lot of love in this band for each other. We appreciate that we need time downtime to go and be who we are outside of the band, which is important, so you can decompress and take a deep breath and rest and chill and then prepare for the next metal assault. But this is what PRIEST has been doing. Fifty years ago, we started with [PRIEST's debut album] 'Rocka Rolla'. Fifty years later, we have 'Invincible Shield'. So, at some point, there's gonna be another one, obviously."

"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.

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the summer/fall 2024 leg of its "Invincible Shield" North American tour on September 13 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Produced by Live Nation, the 23-date tour with special guest SABATON is making additional 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 launched the spring 2024 U.S. leg of the "Invincible Shield" world tour on April 18 at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.