The Metal Voice recently spoke to Judas Priest Guitarist Richie Faulkner about the bands upcoming Studio album 'Invincible Shield' that will be released March 8, 2024 via Epic Records.
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U.K and USA Tour 2024 Tickets Here
Photo by Scott Braun- BRAUNNYC
Watch Interview here
When asked about the new album
"I think it's its own animal, as all the albums are. It's the character of the band that's been there for over half a century now. There is Halford, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill, Scott Travis. Scott's been there for 30 years. So there's that beautiful Legacy that they laid down along with K.K. Downing and Les Binks and Dave Holland and all those guys in the past. We always try to do something a little bit different. Whether it's musical or lyrical content or we always try to make it better, quote unquote. Better songs, better production, better solos, better Melodies. We always try and strive to do something that's better than the last one and it has its own unique quality. I think it's a less commercial record than Firepower because it kind of it Strays away from that three minute single as much as it could. "
When asked what he did different guitar wise on this album than on Firepower
"What I did differently this time was that we had a bit more time to develop riffs and solos and musical parts because of the lockdowns of the pandemic. So there were a few solos on this record which actually worked out. I don't usually do that. I usually play some off the cuff solos in the studio and then a little bit stick here and there and you build it around them. But a few of them on this record I actually worked out. I'm always trying to find my own voice. I'm always trying to find my own thing to say. Coming in after K.K. Downing who had such a unique voice and Glenn as well what am I going to say that's always been my journey? So I mapped out some of the guitar solos on this record which I don't usually do."
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When asked to talk about about some of the songs off the new album
'The Serpent and the King'
It's a fast screeching Priest track with Rob's banshee vocal style. That one had been around for a while with no vocals but we knew there was something in the song we knew there was an energy and when Rob put the vocals on I think it was one of the last ones that he came up with and just sent it over the top man. You know that Halford High register banshee whale is something that really in the dynamic flow of the record that's something that really makes the record and that song jump out. I really love that song it would be fantastic to play Live."
"Invincible Shield"
"It's one of those songs which has riff after riff after riff. Part of the solo goes off in a different direction. The solo is almost like a musical piece in itself it changes almost like Randy Rhoads (style) I was going for that. I wanted a Randy Rhoads type feel. It's a challenging song to play right until the very end. It's a great fun fast anthemic track and it sums up the title of the album really. iIt's all about i metal that we all know and love and it's our music and our community."
"Gates of Hell"
"It's got a tip of the hat to the 80s maybe uh but a good strong track."
"God as my witness"
"That's another fast one. This comes in after 'Crown of horns' which is a mid paste Anthem and there's a fade out on' Crown of horns' then this one jumps in uh this is Relentless this one that's a great track."
"Escape from reality"
"That was one of Glenn songs that he brought in to the sessions. It was a very kind of Sabathy midsection and Rob went with that dynamic as well but that was one of Glenn's ideas and we thought was strong. It has a different texture on the album both in Sonics and in sentiment of the vocal so we thought that was a good Dynamic to have in there."
"Sons of thunder"
"I think definitely reminds me of 'Hell bent for leather' in heart. That's another one on Glenn's. Glenn came to the session and he had this song 'Sons of thunder' we added a couple of bits and solo sections and stuff like that. And again that's Tipton. Hell bent for leather was Tipton too. So it's a testament to how he writes songs, short, sharp and to the point."
"Giants in the sky"
"Rob has that kind of way of having something meaningful but yet ambiguous as well. It's the Metal Gods that have passed, that music, their music will live on forever. The last words on Rob's final scream is you will never die and that kind of take as a reference to the music and these Metal Gods that we all hold in such high esteem that will live on forever."
Bonus Track: "The Lodger"
"It tells a story. It's Bob Halligan Jr that wrote that song, who's got a history with Priest you know, ('Take these chains' , Heads are gonna roll). Bob produced that song for us and gave it to us and it kept coming back you know. We'd work on other songs and then that one kept coming back and it's got a really unique, uh it's almost like a Broadway Type sentiment, Jack the Ripper type stuff."
When asked about Rob Halford's vocals on the song
"He connects the listener with them you know the sentiment of the song comes across. Rob's got such a diverse range as we all know he'll do the high stuff he'll do the low stuff and the stuff in the middle which really he's so Dynamic, he's not just like a one trick pony. He doesn't do one thing. Rob does so many things ,which makes him the metal god, the Undisputed metal god and uh it's fantastic to work with him."
Tour dates
JUDAS PRIEST: INVINCIBLE SHIELD TOUR DATES:
Thu Apr 18 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Fri Apr 19 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Sun Apr 21 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena
Wed Apr 24 – Bangor, ME – Cross Insurance Center
Thu Apr 25 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Sat Apr 27 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Center*
Sun Apr 28 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River
Wed May 01 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theatre
Thu May 02 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Sat May 4 - Kalamazoo, MI - Wings Event Center*
Sun May 05 – Maryland Heights, MO – St Louis Music Park
Tue May 07 - Huntsville, AL - VBC Propst Arena*
Thu May 09 - Daytona, FL - Welcome to Rockville^
Sat May 11 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sun May 12 - Mobile, AL - Mobile Civic Center Arena*
Tue May 14 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Thu May 16 - Columbus, OH - Historic Crew Stadium ^
Fri May 17 - Evansville, IN - Ford Center*
Sun May 19 – Washington, DC –The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue May 21 – Albany, NY – MVP Arena
Wed May 22 – Syracuse, NY – Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview
*Not a Live Nation Date
^Festival Performance
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