Judas Priest release update about their new album and announce a 50th anniversary edition of ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’

Richie Faulkner, guitarist for Judas Priest, was questioned about “The Ballad Of Judas Priest,” the eagerly awaited documentary about Priest and the band’s storied ascent to the top of the rock and roll world, in a recent interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, as per Blabbermouth.

Well, it’s really well put together, and it goes through the story, obviously, of where they started and what they went through and everything like that and talks to different people about Priest’s influence on them. And there’s a great bit in it where they go back to, I think it’s a working man’s club in Aston [United Kingdom] or somewhere like that, where they played their first show, and Ian’s in there and he’s sitting down, and it’s still there. And he’s in the club, and you can see the stage where they performed and everything. It’s still there, man. And it’s great, as a fan, to see that stuff. I haven’t seen that stuff before. So it’s really good. When it comes out, you should definitely check it out.

When asked if he would be featured in the documentary and if it would discuss his time in the band, Faulkner responded as follows.

I’m in it for a couple of minutes, which is more than I should be, really. In terms of Priest’s story and the rise of Priest and the story and the legacy and stuff, I think I’m in it an appropriate amount, kind of near the end. It’s about them, really; it’s not about me… They created what we know as Priest. They created the heavy metal sound that we know and those albums in the ’70s and ’80s and ‘Painkiller’ in the ’90s, they created that old stuff. I’m just happy to be there for my 15 seconds of fame at the end of it. But it’s a great thing. I’m proud to be a part of it, of course.

Richie made this statement on his part in Priest.

I say all the time, I’m part of a team. They’ve been doing it for 50-odd years. I’m part of the team now, and it is the crew and the management and everyone that pitches together to make that machine roll. And I can see how they’ve been doing it for that long. I’ve said to you guys before — they love it. And we’ll do a tour and then we’ll get excited and do an album, and then you get excited for the album and do another tour. So I can see how it happens. And we’re doing another album, and we’ll probably tour that.

When asked if Priest is currently working on a new album, Faulkner responded as follows.

We’ve started recording it. Yeah, we were in the studio for a month in February laying the foundation. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that, but I’ve said it.

The historic 1976 album “Sad Wings of Destiny” by Judas Priest, which helped define the sound and aspirations of heavy metal, celebrated its 50th anniversary yesterday in the United States (on March 23 in the United Kingdom). Fifty years after its publication, it is still recognized as one of the most important records in the history of the genre, inspiring countless musicians and fans. When it was first released in March 1976, “Sad Wings Of Destiny” was a significant turning point in Judas Priest’s songwriting, musicianship, and sound identity. The album, which included well-known songs like “Victim Of Changes,” “The Ripper,” “Tyrant,” and “Dreamer Deceiver,” established a new benchmark for fusing pure metal fury with progressive structure.

“Sad Wings Of Destiny” is still regarded as one of heavy metal’s most significant recordings and served as a model for the genre’s development thanks to its twin-guitar attack, soaring vocals, and ambitious compositions. The master rights to the album have been acquired by Exciter Records and its publishing company Reach Music in collaboration with Judas Priest, giving the band and its creative collaborators back control of this seminal work. Exciter Records is now producing special editions of “Sad Wings Of Destiny” to celebrate its lasting legacy and mark the song’s golden anniversary.

The goal of the special editions is to produce genuinely definitive renditions of “Sad Wings Of Destiny” by going back to the original multitrack and master tapes. These editions, which were created in association with Judas Priest, offer a new degree of accuracy, clarity, and sonic depth. In keeping with the strategy used for “Rocka Rolla”‘s 50th anniversary, the project will feature both audiophile-quality pressings of the original album and freshly remixed and remastered versions.

‘Sad Wings Of Destiny’ was a defining moment for us as a band. It’s where we really began to shape the sound and identity that would carry through everything we’ve done since. To see it recognized 50 years on — and to have it presented in new editions — is incredibly meaningful. – Judas Priest

We’ve returned to the original master tapes for ‘Sad Wings Of Destiny’ — untouched for decades — and we’re excited and honored to bring these definitive editions to fans worldwide. – Michael Closter of Exciter Records

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