With just a few days to go until the highly anticipated Monsters of Rock 2025 Judas Priest bassist and founder Ian Hill spoke with Wikimetal about his expectations for coming to Brazil. In a relaxed and laughter-filled chat, Hill talked about the band's latest album, Invincible Shield , which has been a highlight of their live shows.
Furthermore, Ian Hill also shared his thoughts on the new generations of heavy metal and offered a glimpse into the future of Judas Priest. The band, one of the festival's headliners, will also perform a special show alongside Queensrÿche in São Paulo .
Judas Priest will take the stage on April 19th at Monsters of Rock in Allianz Parque (tickets available here ) and the following day, April 20th, Queensrÿche will join them at Vibra São Paulo .
Check out the full interview with Ian Hill from Judas Priest:
Shows celebrating Invincible Shield
Wikimetal: Before starting the Shield of Pain 2025 , you'll be playing in some South American countries, including Brazil, at Monsters of Rock 2025. What can we expect from this show specifically?
Ian Hill: Well, it will be a continuation of the Invincible Shield that we've been doing for the past year to promote the album. The setlist will be a mix of new songs, along with the classics that fans love, plus other songs from our catalog. We aim to keep the setlist familiar for the audience because there's nothing worse than playing something unfamiliar and feeling that moment of silence. So, we want everyone to have fun. The show will be a typical Priest show, with lots of lights, lots of noise… The motorcycle will be there, some parts of the stage will move… It's going to be a lot of fun!
WM: This year's shows celebrate Invincible Shield , an album that received incredible feedback from critics and fans. What does this album mean to you, and how much of it will we see at Monsters of Rock ?
Ian Hill: We'll have time to play three or four songs from the new album. It's always difficult to put together a setlist because we have so many songs, and when a new album comes out, we need to make room for it, which means someone's favorite will have to be left out. We'd love to play the whole album, but there simply isn't enough time. Regarding the album, it took a long time to come out because of the pandemic, which disrupted the recording process. But that also gave Richie, Glenn, and Rob plenty of time to refine the songs before we went into the studio. The result is a much more musical and polished album than the previous ones because we had plenty of time to get it exactly how we wanted it.
Judas Priest and Queensrÿche
WM: At your solo show in São Paulo on April 20th, Queensrÿche will be your opening act. How do you see the connection between the audiences of the two bands?
Ian Hill: Ah, heavy metal is like a community, isn't it? Everyone seems to get along. And Queensrÿche is a great band, we've worked with them several times before. Besides being great musicians, they're incredible people. So, it's going to be a great event, we're really looking forward to it.
Wikimetal: Will the setlist for this solo show be the same as the other shows in Brazil?
Ian Hill: Yes, yes, I believe it will be the same.
WM: In an interview with Metal Ode last year, you mentioned that seeing a young audience at your shows makes the band feel modern and relevant, even after more than 50 years in the business. How do you see this new generation of heavy metal fans, especially at festivals like Monsters of Rock , which often attract many young people?
Ian Hill: Yes, they are the future, aren't they? I always say that there are people who want more than just pop music. They don't just want to sing the chorus, they want to hear the guitar solos, the drum patterns, the bass lines… And there will always be people like that, who demand a different kind of music. And, at the moment, heavy metal is filling that need and is always evolving, keeping up with the young people who come to the shows. It's an incredible feeling. Heavy metal has a great future and I hope it continues that way.
Priest's responsibility to the future of metal.
WM: Once, in an interview with a national media outlet, you said: “You Brazilians are just as crazy as we are, it’s a perfect combination.” Now, returning to Brazil for three shows this year, is that feeling still the same? What do you expect from these shows in front of the Brazilian audience?
Ian Hill: No, I don't feel the same way… I think you guys are even crazier! [Laughs] I hope you're as receptive as you've always been. We've always been very well received in Brazil and we feel an incredible energy seeing the audience having fun. You really know how to enjoy a show better than anywhere else. So, we're looking forward to feeling that vibe again on stage!
WM: In 2015, during an interview at the Fezen Festival Judas Priest 's greatest contribution to heavy metal was continuing to make music. Ten years later, with two new albums released, do you still believe that this is the band's greatest contribution? Or would you add something more today?
Ian Hill: Yes, that's right. That's our job, to create music. We've been lucky that you've always enjoyed what we've released. We don't follow rules when we start composing, we simply do what comes from within and follow that path. And you've always received our work incredibly well. I hope it continues that way!
Richie Faulkner joining the band
WM: We always hear from you and the other band members about the special friendship you share. When Richie Faulkner joined Judas Priest, you mentioned the energy he brought to the group. What was it like building that friendship and integrating him so naturally, both on stage and in the studio?
Ian Hill: Well, when Richie joined the band, 14 years ago, he went straight on the road, playing Ken's (KK Downing) . At first, he tried to keep the sound as close to the original as possible to ensure the band's continuity. But beyond that, it was an essential period for us to get to know each other better. There's nothing like living on the road with someone for a year to understand who that person really is. This eliminated any discomfort when we went into the studio, because we already knew how he would react to everything. He brought enormous energy to the band, gave us a new lease on life, took years off our shoulders, both for me and for Rob (Halford) and Glenn (Tipton) . And he continues to do that to this day. It's been a great journey with him!
The future of Judas Priest
WM: Perfect! To wrap things up, can you tell us a little about Judas Priest's future plans?
Ian Hill: Well, this year is already pretty much booked up with touring. After South America, we're going back to Europe and later in the year we'll be back in the United States, hopefully with Alice Cooper . Next year, we'll see about new music…
WM: Thank you, Ian! I wish you and the band all the best for your upcoming tours and shows, and we're waiting for you here!
Ian Hill: Okay, thank you, I appreciate it. It was a pleasure. Bye-bye, Larissa!
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