ROB HALFORD: 'We're Proud Of Everything That's Related To This Glorious Life That JUDAS PRIEST Has Had'

JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford has recorded an audio message for the listeners of BBC Radio 2's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" about the band's just-released new studio album, "Invincible Shield". Introducing the title track from the LP, Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hello, Radio 2 'Rock Show'. This is Rob Halford, the Metal God from JUDAS PRIEST. Our brand new album, 'Invincible Shield', came out today. Yes, it's been unleashed.

"'Invincible Shield', the 19th studio album from JUDAS PRIEST. We started in 1974 with 'Rock Rolla', and here we are over 50 years later. What a glorious life this band has had. All thanks to you guys. You know you've kept the faith alive with us. You're our inspiration, this metal community that we cherish and that we love and that we treasure together with our treasure trail of metal.

"We made this album all over the place, 'Invincible Shield'. We did some tracking in, uh, the U.K. out here at home, we did some tracking in Nashville, and we did some tracking in the hell fires of Phoenix. I tell you when it's 48 Celsius outside, you definitely know the metal's burning inside. We do whatever we've gotta do to make the best British heavy metal that we can make, and we're proud of it — we're proud of everything that's related to this glorious life that JUDAS PRIEST has had.

"This album, like every album that we've made, has got its own identity, its own character, like all of them have acquired over the years. It seems as time goes by, these albums become more important, don't they? They're like a time machine. If you listen to 'British Steel', we take you back to the '80s, [if you listen to] 'Painkiller', we take you back [to the early '90s]. We're always forging ahead, we're always pushing those metal boundaries and seeing what we can do next. And Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist who is suffering from Parkinson's disease] was pushing the boundaries with us. Glenn was with us every step of the way, from the initial writing sessions here in the U.K., where we started to make these tracks, myself and Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] and Glenn. What a hero this man is. And recently we had the opportunity to have a fantastic moment when he came out on stage with us at that already-legendary Power Trip festival in California. The metal maniacs went ballistic, and we hope that you guys here in the U.K. will get the same opportunity. He comes out when he can — whenever Glenn is in the in the right place to do what he loves to do with this band, he'll be on that stage. So let's hope we see him somewhere on this British tour.

"Let's wind it up, shall we? Thanks again, guys. I'm going to cut to the main cut, if you call it that, on 'Invincible Shield', the title track. I love the attitude, the aggression, the distinct British metal flavor of the title track from 'Invincible Shield', the album.

"This is 'Invincible Shield' on the BBC Radio 2 'Rock Show'. Turn it up."

"Invincible Shield" was released on Friday, March 8 via Sony Music.

The release date for PRIEST's follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" was announced last October during the band's performance at the Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

"Invincible Shield" marks PRIEST's first album since Faulkner experienced a life-threatening heart emergency, while Halford quietly battled prostate cancer.

JUDAS PRIEST will hit the road in support of "Invincible Shield" on a headlining spring U.S. tour with special guests SABATON. The trek kicks off April 18 in Wallingford, Connecticut.

"When I walk out onstage later this year, at age 73, dressed the way I do, that's real, man," Halford, who will turn 73 in August, told Revolver magazine.

"There's so much conviction within that whole experience that it has formed its own invincible shield. It's impossible to destroy. It's this permanent expression of what metal is about, who we are as a band, and who our fans are.

"Internally, we all have our own invincible shields. We all have this power that doesn't get released until a specific moment. Externally, we have the battle vests, the leather, the studs, the rings, the whips, the chains, the handcuffs, the bike — it's all the invincible shield of heavy metal."

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.