Judas Priest aren't slowing down despite being this far into their career. Bassist Ian Hill has confirmed that the metal gods are eyeing a return to the studio in 2026 to begin recording the follow-up to last year's Invincible Shield.
Speaking with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, Hill revealed that while fans will have to be patient, plans are firmly in motion: "There's plans to go back into the studio in the new year. So when it'll be released, I don't know. It's a long process. We're in no rush either, so it'll be a while. But the recording is gonna happen, it looks like, next year."
According to Hill, guitarist Richie Faulkner has already been stockpiling riffs and ideas while on the road: "I know Richie has. He's got quite a few ideas together, yeah. So we've got a head start there."
And naturally, once the album is finished, Hill says the band will take it on the road: "Well, that'll happen as well. Obviously, if you have an album, you have to go out and tour with it. So, yeah, that'll happen too."
Invincible Shield, released in March 2024, marked Judas Priest's nineteenth studio album and was hailed as a late-career triumph. Now, with new material already in the works, the metal icons show no signs of hanging up their leathers just yet. In the meantime, you can at least check out Judas Priest's cover of "War Pigs" with the late and great (that still feels weird to type) Ozzy Osbourne on vocals.
You can also catch Judas Priest on tour with Alice Cooper and Corrosion Of Conformity at one of the dates below.
10/2 Clarkston, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
10/4 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
10/5 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
10/7 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheatre
10/10 Colorado Springs, CO Broadmoor World Arena
10/12 Salt Lake City, UT Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/14 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
10/15 Wheatland, CA Toyota Amphitheater
10/18 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/19 Inglewood, CA Kia Forum
10/22 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
10/23 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater
10/25 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater
10/26 Houston, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
8/9 Burton Upon Trent, United Kingdom Bloodstock Open Air 2026
