Judas Priest

Judas Priest - Invincible Shield

Despite already having more than half a century of career, I think it's arguably accepted that present days Judas Priest is enjoying one of their best eras ever. Redeemer Of Souls was a truly enjoyable album and to say Firepower is an all-around fan favorite is an understatement to say the least. So, six years after their last full length, the Priest is back with a new album and, taking in account its predecessor, expectations are high (justifiably so). Enters Invincible Shield. So, what does it bring?

A full-on Turbo era synth filled intro starts the whole thing and, since I'm far from being a fan of that era, this kind of makes me fear the worst. But once that Turbo Lover throwback sounding flanger (excellent detail) hits the speakers, Panic Attack turns out to be an anthemic classic Priest tune mixed with truly Painkiller like passages. At first it seems to be quite an impossible mix but somehow the band pulls it in a pristine way, and IMO turns out to be a top tier opener. Speaking of top tier, The Serpent And The King simply sounds stellar! And this thing is vicious, taking no prisoners throughout its full throttle attack (its verses remind me of Halford's Betrayal). The title track is the most faithful display of quality, pure 80's muscular up-tempo Heavy Metal I've listened to in years. Seriously, if this thing was released in any of the late 80's genre's albums it would feel 100% at home. And once again it sounds great, so this is an impressive three headed beast to open the album with, as far as I'm concerned.

The next trio takes a much more radio friendly approach, yet the overall quality level doesn't take a dip. Devil In Disguise is an incredibly addictive tune, sounding like something that came out straight out of the Screaming For Vengeance/ Defenders Of The Faith period. And, despite not being a copycat of any sorts, Gates Of Hell has the same feel to it when compared with the prior song and, IMO, is also great quality Heavy Rock like Priest material. Unlike many others I'm not the biggest fan of Crown Of Thorns but, nonetheless, there's no denying it's a quality smooth rocker and sure has its important role in the album's dynamic as a whole. As God Is My Witness brings back the heaviness with a bang based upon a relentless double kick display and lightning-fast guitar riffage. Despite liking it tons it features strong Leather Rebel resemblances, not being the more original tune from the lot. On the other hand, Trial By Fire is a dramatic and intense mid-tempo, widening even more the corners of the Heavy Metal spectrum Invincible Shield covers.

Not content with an already quite diversified album, Priest throws Escape From Reality in our way, something that reminds me of Rob Halford's band Fight's debut album: slow heavy, sludge filled groovy riffs contrast with the verse's unsettling fingerpick guitar melody, making out of this bad boy yet another great track. Sons Of Thunder is perhaps my least favorite song from the album, a run-of-the-mill up-tempo motorcycle Heavy rock tune. Now, the same can't be said about Giants In The Sky. To be fair the record's closer is an epic homage to the fallen icons that were pivotal while building the foundations of Heavy Metal (mainly Dio and Lemmy), and by doing so not only Judas Priest composed a truly intense and compelling track but also reveal a sense of humbleness that IMO always has been a part of the band. To be fair, Priest is - to say the least - as important as the icons they pay tribute to here. Yet that doesn't keep them from, in a certain way, looking up to these fallen comrades and praising them. What a great key to close the album with!

Overall, Invincible Shield is a great album. By no way reinvents the wheel (nor it slightly tries to do so) but still manages to throw some curve balls our way while successfully rehashing some elements the band hasn't visited for decades (like Turbo or War Of Words), yet creating a considerably cohesive record. I'll go as far as saying it sounds more solid than compared its predecessor as an album: while IMO Firepower unnecessarily extends itself for 14 tracks (and by doing so misses the opportunity to even rival Painkiller, Sad Wings Of Destiny, Stained Class or Defenders Of The Faith as one of the band's top 4 albums ever), Invincible Shield comes to me as a tighter release almost devoid of any "fat" to trim. Yet, I must say I prefer Firepower a tad bit more since its high points are ridiculously amazing (especially its first 4 tracks). Nonetheless, Priest's new album is still one of the best metal albums I listened to in ages. Man, to keep this quality level after 50 plus years of doing this thing is insane to say the least. And you know what's even more insane? It's the fact that, if the advanced age or health issues of the collective allows them to push forward, I believe Judas Priest still has lots to offer before they're done.

8/10
 
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I must say that this album is exceptionally good. There are virtually no weak elements, the band sounds great and sounds such that fans old and new can enjoy it. I like it so much that I've been listening to it much more often than The Mandrake Project since its release, although the comparison is very unfair. Judas Priest showed that after so many years it is possible to record a well-recorded and fast album without taking shortcuts or lazy production.
 
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