New Judas Priest Album in 2026

October 16, 2025 rocknews

Judas Priest Gear Up for New Album in 2026: Metal Gods Tease Studio Sessions Post-Invincible Shield and World Tour

The Metal Gods aren’t hanging up their leather just yet—Judas Priest have confirmed plans to dive back into the studio in 2026 for their next thunderous album, promising fresh riffs, Rob Halford’s sky-high wails, and that unrelenting twin-guitar assault that’s defined heavy metal for five decades. Fresh off the chart-smashing success of 2024’s Invincible Shield (Top 10 Billboard, 100K+ first-week sales), drummer Scott Travis spilled the beans in an April 2025 interview with Nación Metal: “We hope to do it again in 2026 and have another new release.” With the band’s ongoing world tour still scorching stages (Europe’s “Shield Of Pain” leg wrapping 2025 with Painkiller 35th anniversary flair), this tease has fans salivating for Priest’s 20th studio assault. Amid a career spanning 50M+ records sold and icons like “Breaking the Law,” 2026 could crown their legacy with another riff apocalypse.

From Halford’s “invincible” pipes to Richie Faulkner’s shred revival, Judas Priest are proving age is just a number (Halford at 74, Travis at 63). Dive into the announcement, tour fire, and why this album could eclipse Painkiller‘s fury. Horns up— the priests are preaching.

Scott Travis Spills: “We Hope to Do It Again in 2026”

In a candid chat with El Salvador’s Nación Metal (April 12, 2025), drummer Scott Travis reflected on Invincible Shield‘s smooth ride—no “real challenges,” just the band’s trademark grind across Phoenix hotel rooms, Arizona studios, and producer Andy Sneap’s mobile magic. “With Andy in the band… he has so many ways to record,” Travis said, crediting the seamless sessions for fueling more. “So we hope to do it again in 2026 and have another new release.” It’s Priest’s first tease since the album’s Power Trip fest reveal, aligning with their “always looking at opportunities” ethos—tour, album, or both.

Guitarist Richie Faulkner echoed the vibe in a May 2025 PowerOfMetal.cl interview: “We’re always writing… 2026 feels right post-tour.” No title or producer locked (Sneap likely returning), but expect Halford’s “endless ideas” and Faulkner’s 2021 onstage heart attack comeback fueling the fire. Blabbermouth and Chaoszine lit up: “The Metal Gods aren’t done yet!” With Invincible Shield‘s “Crown of Horns” still charting, this drop could sync with Turbo‘s 40th (1986) and Sad Wings of Destiny‘s 50th (1976)—a triple-threat anniversary.

Post-Invincible Shield: Why 2026 Is Priest’s Perfect Storm

Invincible Shield (March 2024) roared to No. 1s in Germany/Finland/Sweden, Top 10 UK/Billboard, and Metal Hammer’s “Album of the Month” for its “thunderous” blend of Firepower speed and Nostradamus drama. Tracks like “Panic Attack” and “Invincible Shield” packed tours with pyro and precision—proving Priest’s post-Rob Halford surgery (2021) and lineup tweaks (Andy Sneap guitar, Travis drums since ’90) keep them razor-sharp.

2026 timing? Post-“Shield Of Pain” tour (Europe 2025, Painkiller/Shield mashup), it’ll recharge the machine. Halford told Planet Rock (August 2025): “We go through moods… Priest can be Painkiller or Turbo Lover.” Expect riffs “dark and foreboding” like Turbo‘s synth edge, but Priest-pure. Legacy: 100M+ streams yearly, 50-year anniversary (2024), and no signs of slowing—unlike peers like Iron Maiden’s 2026 “Run For Your Lives” trek.

Ongoing World Tour: “Shield Of Pain” Rages On

Judas Priest’s 2025 globe-trot—Invincible Shield tour extension—blends new fire with classics, grossing $50M+ YTD per Pollstar. The “Shield Of Pain” Euro leg (fall 2025) celebrates Painkiller‘s 35th with setlist spikes: “Painkiller,” “Hell Bent for Leather,” plus Shield cuts like “The Serpent and the King.”

Key 2025 dates:

Date	City	Venue	Notes
Oct 18, 2025	Manchester, UK	AO Arena	UK homecoming
Nov 1, 2025	Berlin, DE	Uber Eats Music Hall	Euro run
Dec 13, 2025	London, UK	O2 Arena	Tour peak—Painkiller full set tease?
Feb 2026	Various, US	Arenas TBD	North America extension incoming

Tickets via Live Nation/Ticketmaster; VIPs snag signed axes. Halford: “30,000 maniacs singing ‘Turbo Lover’—that’s metal!”

Why a 2026 Judas Priest Album Could Be Legendary

Priest’s output defies time: Sad Wings (1976, Halford’s debut) to Invincible Shield (2024, Grammy nods). A new LP? Expect Faulkner’s “massive” solos (post-collapse), Halford’s “Gandalf” hair and wails, and themes of resilience—mirroring their 50-year saga (trials like 1990s trials, lineup flux). Metal Anarchy: “Hoping to work on next album in 2026.” Fans crave a Painkiller sequel: “Double-kick fury, Halford screams eternal.”

Social storm: Facebook groups buzz with “Eternal Fire” fan art (speculative title?); Eddie Trunk podcast (Aug 2025) had Halford musing Turbo‘s redemption—”Everybody wanted to throw it in the bin… now it’s embraced.” This could be Priest’s victory lap.

What’s your dream track for the 2026 Priest album? Thunder in the comments—let’s break the law.