Review: Judas Priest Invincible Shield
Judas Priest formed in 1969 and released their debut album Rocka Rolla in 1974. That means they’ve been at this metal game for over fifty years! And it’s hard to overstate the influence of Judas Priest. They’ve had a remarkable career filled with landmark albums that have earned them a place right beside Black Sabbath as architects of heavy metal. Truly, the genre would not be where it is today had Judas Priest not come along and left their mark on metal.
And now, here it is 2024, and Priest are back with their 19th studio album Invincible Shield. So how does this one stack up against the rest of their (mostly) legendary discography? Well, that depends…
Ask an old fossil like myself which album is the best Priest album, and they’ll probably name one from the band’s 70’s era like Sad Wings Of Destiny or Stained Class (my two faves). There’s a dynamism to those first five records that is virtually unmatched by any other 70’s hard rock/metal act save for Zeppelin or Sabbath. They were pioneers in the truest sense of the word on those albums, stretching the boundaries of what metal was and could be, blazing a trail that’s still being followed to this day.
Other long-time fans might list an 80’s classic like British Steel or Screaming For Vengeance as their favorite Priest document. These were the entry points for a lot of people (or Point Of Entry, if you will), myself included. Indeed, these are the albums that finally helped the band break big in America thanks to now classic tracks like “Living After Midnight,” “Breaking The Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.”
Younger Judas Priest fans often gravitate towards 1990’s Painkiller, a shockingly heavy album at the time, especially after the pandering hair metal of Turbo and the lackluster Ram It Down (let us never speak of that “Johnny B. Goode” cover again). It’s a solid album, but back in the day, some of the old guard (i.e. me) got the impression that the band was playing musical catch-up, finally dipping their toes into heavier styles a bit late in the game after the success of thrash bands like Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth. Still, It is perhaps the most “modern” sounding album of the initial classic Priest era, and still holds up to this day.
I suspect that how one reacts to Invincible Shield will largely depend on how one feels about the previous Priest eras. Chances are, if you’re a fan of Painkiller, you’ll like this one too. But let’s dig in a little deeper, shall we? Here’s my brief track-by-track analysis:
“Panic Attack”
Sounds like a bit of keyboards in the intro. Good build-up. This is decent as far as album openers go, but it’s also very similar in structure, tone and tempo to “Painkiller.” I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a re-write, but there’s definitely a template here. Some cool Maiden-esque guitar harmonies around the 3 minute mark. Lyrically, Priest have never been overtly political, but these lyrics are certainly timely and topical, about the knee-jerk reactions people often have when they see something online, whether it’s true or not. I mean, as a lyricist, no one’s going to mistake Rob Halford for Bono, but it’s nice to see him stretch out a bit.
“The Serpent And The King”
Good vs. evil, heaven vs. hell, God vs. Satan. This is a well-worn metal trope that’s been explored ad nauseum for decades. Clichéd lyrics aside, this is a pretty solid effort musically, with Rob employing his higher register to great effect. Solid double-bass work from drummer Scott Travis, and the whole thing barrels along at a chugging, breakneck pace that’s just shy of thrash. Chorus could’ve used some fleshing out, but, other than that, this is some fairly satisfying meat n’ potatoes metal.
“Invincible Shield”
Full-on speed metal here featuring layered vocals by Rob nicely blending his mid-range and higher-end. A little reminiscent of “Ram It Down.” Some power metal elements as well, especially with the medieval imagery in the lyrics and the sing-along harmonies of the chorus. Still, unnecessarily clocking in at almost seven minutes, this one quickly wears out it’s welcome.
“Devil In Disguise”
Just sort of plods along and goes nowhere. Sorry, but this is filler.
“Gates Of Hell”
I’ve always been a sucker for the anthems that celebrate metal in general and the metal lifestyle, and this one definitely falls into that category. It’s radio-friendly traditional metal, driven by some simple but effective riffing by Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton and a hooky chorus from Rob. You’ll find yourself absent-mindedly humming this one hours after you hear it.
“Crown Of Horns”
One of the more melodic Priest songs we’ve heard in recent years, this one is definitely Rob’s baby. It features some nice vocal harmonies, a really catchy, hooky chorus, and lyrics that seem truly sincere. One could definitely interpret this a couple of ways; I heard it as Rob coming to terms with his legacy and accepting his role as “The Metal God,” but one could also view it as almost a straight-up Christian metal song. Either way, this is definitely one of the stand-out tracks on the album.
“As God Is My Witness”
Much like the opening track “Panic Attack,” this one reaches back to Painkiller for musical inspiration, bearing a striking resemblance to tracks from that album like “One Shot At Glory” and “Between The Hammer And The Anvil.” A familiar but reasonably effective revenge fantasy/anthem of empowerment.
“Trial By Fire”
OK, I’m officially calling this one a re-write. Sounds almost identical to “Judas Rising” from the Angel Of Retribution album.
“Escape From Reality”
Ian Hill’s bass is the anchor here, with Rob once again employing the layered vocal approach of blending highs and lows in the chorus. The slow tempo almost brings this one into doom metal territory, which is unusual for Priest. Rob even sounds a little Ozzy-esque in the bridge. Still, the whole thing feels a little uninspired, and the lyrics are utterly forgettable. Next.
“Sons Of Thunder”
Whoa, is that a gang vocal chorus I hear? Not something we usually hear on a Judas Priest album, but I dig it! Biker anthem or another ode to metal fans, I can see this one going over very well live. They’re certainly not re-inventing the wheel here, but it’s a fun up-tempo number that will probably sound amazing blasting out of your car stereo speakers. Good summertime driving music.
“Giants In The Sky”
Rob has said in interviews that this is an homage to his friends Lemmy and Ronnie James Dio, metal legends who left us way too soon. The lyrics are a little too obvious, but the sentiment is there. Nice little Spanish guitar interlude at the 3:20 mark too, followed by a heartfelt vocal from Rob. This is a good example of a song that will probably be even better in the live environment than it is on record.
And the bonus tracks:
“Fight For Your Life”
Rob told Apple Music that he really wanted this song to be part of the main tracklist and not just a bonus cut, but he got out-voted. His bandmates did the right thing. An all-too obvious attempt to deliberately write a sports anthem (“it’s when I score and drive/ that makes me come alive”), this one just plain sucks.
“Vicious Circle”
The main riff here is pretty similar to the one in “The Toxic Waltz” by Exodus. Perhaps Priest were trying to write their own ode to the mosh pit? The lyrics would suggest otherwise (something about personal relationships or politics or both, who knows), but it didn’t hold my interest long enough for me to give a shit either way.
“The Lodger”
Oof, this is awful. Overwrought and undercooked, it feels like a concept in search of a song. Seems like they were going for some sort of moody film vibe on this one, but it never quite makes it there. Which is too bad, because it was written by Bob Halligan, Jr. If you’re not familiar with the name, he’s a songwriter who wrote the Priest songs “(Take These) Chains” and “Some Heads Are Gonna’ Roll),” both of which I really like. The thing is, if you’re going to use an outside songwriter, he should bring something unique to the table, and this is just more lazy and unnecessary filler.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s nice that after 50+ years, Judas Priest still has the ambition to get back into the studio and crank out a new album rather than just coasting on their greatest hits. But there’s nothing new here. Post-Painkiller, the band seems to have found a formula that they’ve largely stuck to ever since. And that might be all you want from Priest. After all, that formula worked just fine for AC/DC and Motorhead, why not Judas Priest too? And to be fair, there is a lot to like here, especially if you’ve enjoyed the last three or four albums; this is in a similar vein. But I have to be honest: when I get a hankering for some Judas Priest, will I be reaching for Invincible Shield…or will I be once again drawn by the siren song of Sad Wings Of Destiny? I suspect Destiny wins that battle every time.
FINAL VERDICT: Not terrible, but not essential.