By BRIAN GIFFIN
JUDAS Priest’s last album was a late career creative resurgence that is close to unmatched in recent musical history. Firepower recaptured the very essence of what had made Priest such a pivotal and important heavy metal act in a way the previous post-2000 Halford albums had merely clutched at. Six years later it remains a towering paragon of metal, such a triumph that it will be hard for its creators to top.
After floating in on synths toward an explosion of steely riffing, “Panic Attack” opens Invincible Shield with every intention of keeping their flag flying high, with Halford in particular sounding invigorated and vital. His vocal performance across this album is nothing short of incredible as he hits at notes with the piercing screams he hasn’t quite pulled off since Painkiller – when he was fully half the age he is now. It’s amazing how good he sounds, and in turn how heavy and fresh Judas Priest manages to sound with Andy Sneap’s sharp, dry production, crunchy guitars and Scott Travers’ pummelling drums. “The Serpent and the King” and the title track keep the aggression and velocity high, at least keeping pace with Firepower.
The next couple of tracks dip a little in intensity but there’s no lack of spitfire guitar soloing and catchy choruses as only Priest can do. “Crown of Horns” drags a bit and “Escape From Reality” offers a bluesy trudge that they’re not well known for and just gets in the way of the faster tracks like “Trial by Fire”. Invincible Shield comes to an end with a fittingly epic tribute to fallen comrades Lemmy and Dio, with shades of Sad Wings and Sin After Sin bringing things to a powerful and emotional close.
With a couple of slower-paced clunkers, Invincible Shield isn’t quite at the barnstorming level of Firepower but it is certainly up there with their best, and at this stage of their storied career, one could hardly ask for more.
Buy Invincible Shield on CD or vinyl
