Judas Priest have shared a new single titled ‘The Serpent and the King’, which marks the fourth glimpse at their upcoming album, Invincible Shield.
The trash track features pummelling drums, aggressive guitars and Rob Halford‘s powerful falsetto. “When good and evil go to war we leave it up to fate, since time began they fought for man incurring love and hate,” he declares before launching into the chorus.
The fourth single follows on from ‘Panic Attack’ and ‘Trial By Fire’ which arrived in late 2023, as well as ‘Crown of Horns’ from earlier this year. All four singles will appear on Invincible Shield, which has been in the works since 2020.
The record will mark the heavy metal band’s first full-length offering in almost six years following the release of Firepower. It will also mark their 19th album as a band.
According to guitarist Richie Faulkner, the record will bring their 1970s sound into the contemporary. He told Audio Ink Radio, “It’s ’70s Priest, but it’s not a retro album, by any means. It’s the influence of ’70s Priest in the progressive sense, but it sounds like Priest in 2023.”
Following the release of the new record, Judas Priest will embark upon a tour of the United Kingdom and Europe, taking to stages in London, Paris, Vienna and more. Additionally, a North American tour will follow in due course.
The new track arrives shortly after Halford recently claimed Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne is deserving of a knighthood “for the joy he’s given people over the years.” Last year, Judas Priest deputised for Osbourne at Power Trip after he was forced to pull out due to health reasons.
Invincible Shield is set for release on March 8th, 2024 via Epic Records. ‘The Serpent and the King’ is out now, listen below.
