Judas Priest has entered the studio to record their next album, the successor to Invincible Shield, which was released in 2024.
In an interview with The Metal Voice, guitarist Richie Faulkner revealed that the band spent about a month in the studio during February, working on the foundations of new material. “We started recording. Yes, we were in the studio for a month in February, laying the groundwork. I don’t know if I can say that, but I already said it” [transcription via Blabbermouth]. The musician didn't go into detail about deadlines or a release date, but made it clear that the initial sessions focused on building the structures of the songs.
In addition to the album, the musician also commented on the progress of a documentary, The Ballad of Judas Priest, which will explore the band's history.
“I appear for a few minutes, which is more than it should be, actually. In terms of
Judas Priest's history, the band's rise, the legacy and everything else, I think my participation is fitting, almost at the end. They created what we know as Judas Priest. They created the heavy metal sound we know, with those albums from the '70s and '80s and Painkiller in the '90s, they created all of that. I'm happy to have my 15 seconds of fame at the end. But it's great. I'm proud to be a part of it, of course,” said Richie Faulkner.
Directed by Tom Morello and filmed alongside documentary filmmaker Sam Dunn, the film traces the trajectory of Judas Priest from their working-class origins in Birmingham, England, to their rise as heavy metal icons and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The documentary also includes testimonials from vocalist Rob Halford, who addresses personal topics such as coming out in 1998 and reflects on social injustices that have motivated him throughout his career.
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