JUDAS PRIEST: 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' 50th-anniversary archival edition to be made available during 'Faithkeepers' summer 2026 tour
22-07-2026
Exciter Records has announced the release of JUDAS PRIEST‘s “Sad Wings Of Destiny (Original 1976 Masters)”, a newly restored 50th-anniversary archival edition that will make its debut in CD format exclusively at merchandise stands during JUDAS PRIEST‘s “Faithkeepers” summer 2026 European tour.
Created to celebrate one of heavy metal’s most influential and enduring albums, this landmark restoration returns to the original 1976 analog stereo master tapes to present the album’s original mixes with exceptional fidelity and clarity while preserving the sound, dynamics, and character that established “Sad Wings Of Destiny” as a cornerstone of heavy metal history.
The restoration project began with the careful preservation and high-resolution transfer of the original analogue master tapes at British Grove Studios in London under the supervision of Tom Allom and Luie Stylianou. The newly restored audio was then mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios in London, preserving the spirit and integrity of the original recordings.
This anniversary edition also restores the band’s intended running order, opening with “Prelude” and allowing listeners to experience the album as it was originally conceived in 1976.
“There have been numerous releases and reissues over the decades by different companies in different territories,” said Michael Closter, founder of Exciter Records. “When Exciter Records acquired the original analogue master tapes, we were presented with a rare opportunity to return directly to the source. By carefully restoring the tapes, preserving them digitally for future generations, and creating a new master from those original recordings, we believe we have created the most faithful presentation of the original ‘Sad Wings Of Destiny’.”
Premiering during the “Faithkeepers” summer 2026 European tour, this tour-exclusive CD marks the opening chapter of Exciter Records‘ 50th-anniversary celebration of “Sad Wings Of Destiny”. Additional projects and archival releases are planned throughout the commemorative campaign, further exploring the legacy and evolution of one of heavy metal’s most important recordings.
JUDAS PRIEST said in a statement: “‘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.”
Exciter Records president Michael Closter added, “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.”
Fifty years after its arrival, “Sad Wings Of Destiny” remains a towering achievement that helped forge the sound and spirit of heavy metal itself. Further details about the upcoming anniversary releases will be announced in the coming months.
In a 2015 interview with OC Weekly, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford said that “Sad Wings Of Destiny” was his “personal favorite” PRIEST album. “I really love that album,” he said. “It has a lot of good things going for it, and it’s an important album for us as a band and for heavy metal music in general. It’s just a very solid and representation of a lot of the best of PRIEST: the riffs, the tempo the songwriting and vocals. It still stands the test of time and is one of my personal favorites to this day, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love our other works.”
For more information, visit ExciterRecords.com.
In a recent interview with Mike Hsu of the 100 FM The Pike radio station, current JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if there is a “timeline” as to how much longer PRIEST can keep touring and recording new albums. He responded: “I don’t have it. I mean, I joined the band on a farewell tour, and that was 15 years ago. So if I know anything about those guys, they live for it too. We’re doing another record. We’re doing another tour this year. And I’ve seen the cycle. We do a new record and we get fired up to play live. And then you play live and you get fired up to do some more tunes in the studio. You do the album and you get fired up to go out again. And they’ve been doing that for 50 years. So I don’t see that that changing anytime soon. So, yeah, I mean, if history tells us anything, it’s that they’re gonna be around for a while.”
Last year, bassist Ian Hill told Shaggy of 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick that Faulkner‘s addition to the band’s lineup largely contributed to PRIEST‘s decision to stay on the road a decade and a half after the legendary British heavy metal group announced its “farewell” tour. Asked what has kept PRIEST going strong and not calling it quits, as was the original plan, Hill said: “Richie Faulkner. (Laughs) Yeah, he came, he replaced Ken (original PRIEST guitarist Kenneth ‘K.K.’ Downing), who went off to do his own thing .Of course, the whole idea was to slow down a little bit and to take the workload down a notch. But Richie came along with boundless enthusiasm and all this energy, and he just sort of rubbed off on the rest of us. And here we are three albums, three tours, four tours later — well, five tours later, if you count the (2011-2012) ‘Epitaph’ (‘farewell’) tour — and we’re still going strong. I mean, we’re motoring. We’re loving it. We really are.”
When Shaggy noted that PRIEST last two albums, 2024’s “Invincible Shield” and 2018’s “Firepower”, are some of the stronger LPs in the PRIEST catalog, Ian said: “I (feel the same way), yes. I do, very much so. It’s something we always try and do, is try and take a step forward with each album. I mean, you’re learning stuff all the time, and whatever we learn, we try and put it into the next project. And we’ve done that right from the very start, right from way back in early ’70s. And it’s important that you do it, because it keeps you modern and it keeps you relevant. And you can sort of make that connection with the younger fans, which is important. I mean, the original fans are all our age, and they’re all sort of expiring. But we’ve been able to make that connection with the younger people. And you look down from stage, and you see people in late teens, early twenties, what have you. And they’re loving it, and it’s not just the new stuff that they’re loving — they’re singing along to the older stuff, 20, 30 years old, what have you. So you’ve got them interested in that and they’ve gone back into the heritage of the band and started to look at some of the earlier material. And it’s great news — not just for us, but it’s great news for metal in general, that these people are still getting interested into it.”
“The Ballad Of Judas Priest”, a new documentary about legendary Grammy-winning English heavy metal band JUDAS PRIEST and their epic journey to the top of rock and roll, will receive its world premiere at the 76th Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival, set to take place February 12-22.
The first preview clip from the film, in which PRIEST singer Rob Halford talks the inspiration behind the band’s classic song “Breaking The Law” was premiered on Rolling Stone and can be viewed below.
PRIEST wrote “Breaking The Law” in 1980 during the unrelenting throes of Margaret Thatcher‘s reign, and the song addresses many frustrations sitting immovably at the core of the working class at the time.
“‘Breaking The Law’ is a revolution song,” Halford says in the clip. “You’d watch the news every night and you see all this conflict going on. With the pain and the suffering of some of the British working class people. Rioting and striking because of their rage.”
Co-directed by documentary filmmaker Sam Dunn and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE‘s Tom Morello in his directorial debut, “The Ballad Of Judas Priest” celebrates the legendary band’s lasting impact on music and culture with their influence reaching far beyond metal. Featuring unforgettable anthems and pop culture staples like “Breaking The Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, “The Ballad Of Judas Priest” captures the passion, resilience and enduring legacy of a band whose music and story continue to inspire generations.
Dunn commented: “Super proud to announce that our JUDAS PRIEST doc ‘The Ballad Of Judas Priest’ will premiere at Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival this February. Beyond excited for all our German metalheads to get the first look.”
Rising from humble, working-class roots in Birmingham, U.K., to become global rock legends, JUDAS PRIEST didn’t just help shape heavy metal culture — they forged it. Widely credited as being one of the pioneers of the heavy metal genre in the 1970s, JUDAS PRIEST has sold more than 50 million records and released 19 studio albums for their legion of dedicated fans around the world. In 2022, they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. With their 2024 album “Invincible Shield”, the band became the first heavy metal act to release studio albums 50 years apart. The album drew widespread acclaim, receiving a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance”.
JUDAS PRIEST said: “We have lived and breathed metal for over five decades, and finally in this documentary we are summoning our congregation to officially witness our lives uncensored, in a never-before-seen way…the cassock comes off, revealing PRIEST in all its metal glory!”
Co-directors Morello and Dunn said: “While some may know JUDAS PRIEST for their huge hits that have shaped the heavy metal genre, there is so much more to their story. Tracing their incredible 50-year journey, this film will capture how JUDAS PRIEST both defined the sound and look of metal, but also made it a more inclusive place along the way. We are grateful to the band for allowing us such intimate, unfiltered access to their lives and look forward to bringing this film to the metal masses around the world.”
The documentary is a production of Banger Films and directed by Sam Dunn and Tom Morello. Producers include Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. It is executive produced by Tom Morello, Rick Krim, Sheila Stepanek and Jayne Andrews. Tom Mackay, Krista Wegener and Abby Davis serve as executive producers for Sony Music Vision. Sylvia Rhone is executive producer for Epic Records. The film is presented and distributed by Sony Music Vision.
JUDAS PRIEST‘s current touring lineup consists of singer Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap and drummer Scott Travis.
Previously JUDAS PRIEST have announced the details of their 2026 “Faithkeepers” European tour.
The trek will kick off less than a year after PRIEST teamed up with Alice Cooper for a 22-city North American co-headlining tour this fall.
PRIEST is continuing to tour in support of its 19th studio album, “Invincible Shield”, which debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
JUDAS PRIEST 2026 “Faithkeepers” tour dates:
Jul. 26 – Neu-Ulm, Germany – Wileysportpark
Jul. 28 – Warsaw, Poland – Torwar
Aug. 2 – Ostrava, Czech Republic – Ostrava Arena
Aug. 4 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Nepala Arena
Aug. 6 – Halle, Germany – Messehalle
Aug. 12 – Tilburg, The Netherlands – O13
Aug. 16 – Carhaix-Plougher, France – Motorcultur Festival
Aug. 18 – Pamplona, Spain – Navarra Arena
Aug. 20 – Valencia, Spain – Navarra Arena
Aug. 23 – Goarshausen, German – Loreley Amphitheatre
In a recent interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked about the possibility of a follow-up to “Invincible Shield”, which came out in March 2024. He said: “There’s plans to go back into the studio in the new year. So when it’ll be released, I don’t know. It’s a long process. We’re in no rush either, so it’ll be a while. But the recording is gonna happen, it looks like, next year.”
Asked if he and the other members of PRIEST have started writing new music at all on the road, Ian said: “I know Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] has. He’s got quite a few ideas together, yeah. So we’ve got a head start there.”
As for PRIEST‘s touring plans in support of the next studio album, Hill said: “Well, that’ll happen as well. Obviously, if you have an album, you have to go out and tour with it. So, yeah, that’ll happen too.”
“Invincible Shield” entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande‘s “Eternal Sunshine”.
Last summer, JUDAS PRIEST released an official cover version of BLACK SABBATH‘s “War Pigs” ahead of the Ozzy Osbourne-fronted heavy metal legends’ final concert this weekend.
Watch “War Pigs” below.
JUDAS PRIEST have released their last studio album, “Invincible Shield” on March 8, 2024,
“Invincible Shield” track listing:
01. Panic Attack
02. The Serpent And The King
03. Invincible Shield
04. Devil In Disguise
05. Gates Of Hell
06. Crown Of Horns
07. As God Is My Witness
08. Trial By Fire
09. Escape From Reality
10. Sons Of Thunder
11. Giants In The Sky
Deluxe edition bonus tracks:
12. Fight Of Your Life
13. Vicious Circle
14. The Lodger
The cover artwork for the CD and vinyl versions of “Invincible Shield” can be found below.
To order “Invincible Shield”, visit shop.judaspriest.com.
Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.
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