Last weekend, Judas Priest took the stage at the Power Trip festival. During their headlining set, they announced their 19th studio album to roughly 100,000 screaming fans. Today, the British metal trailblazers are giving fans the first taste of Invincible Shield with the timely single “Panic Attack.”
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Judas Priest has been on the Mount Rushmore of metal for more than five decades. However, they’re not showing their age on this new release. Instead, listeners will hear a band that is as tight as ever. Putting on “Panic Attack” is like jumping into a time machine and going back to the mid-’80s.
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Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner truly shine on the single. The guitar work on “Panic Attack” is exactly what longtime Judas Priest fans expect: fast, loud, and razor-sharp. Additionally, Rob Halford hasn’t lost a step over the years. His vocal delivery has all the soaring snarling goodness that fans have come to expect. Finally, Ian Hill and Scott Travis put down a groove that’s perfect for the mosh pit or headbanging in the car on the way to work.
“Panic Attack” might sound like it was pulled out of a time capsule but the lyrics are incredibly current. Under the full-on guitar assault and Halford’s nearly operatic vocals is a critique of the current online culture. The song appears to be a dissection of the ever-raging culture war and how things from the internet bleed into reality. The opening lines seem to point a gauntleted finger at a particular social media platform: The clamor and the clatter of incensed keys / Can bring a nation to its knees / On the wings of a lethal icon / Bird of prey.
If there is any question about the song’s subject matter, a couple of lines from a later verse will clear it up: Fiber optic mass hypnotic / Wild neurotic memes.
Invincible Shield hits record store shelves and streaming services on March 8, 2024. The album is currently available for preorder in a variety of formats.
Three days later, Judas Priest will embark on a world tour. The European leg of the trek starts on March 11 in Glasgow, Scotland. It comes to a close on April 8 in Paris, France. Uriah Heep, Saxon, and Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons will provide support on select dates.
Brace yourselves for Judas Priest Tour 2024 – the ultimate rock spectacle! Grab your tickets now and be part of the metal magic!
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