Whenever a band has been playing music as long as Judas Priest, they really have something to prove.
They can no longer use their core fan base as a crutch, and simply perform songs from their glory days, unless they don’t mind seeing their crowds dwindle in size. Thankfully, Judas Priest blew away Orlando this past Wednesday with fresh blood and fresh music, that reminded lifelong fans why they are the Metal Gods, as well as introduced new listeners to their signature brand of heavy metal.
Whenever the band took the stage at the Hard Rock Orlando, it was immediately apparent who the new force was propelling the band. Guitarist Richie Faulkner, who joined Judas Priest in 2011, exhibited a dominant stage presence that only supplemented what was already a stellar musical production. Judas Priest had multiple screens displaying unique visuals to accompany each song, and two songs never used the same images. The stage configuration also featured drummer Scott Travis on a raised platform that helped show off his incredible energy during the show.
Even with a fantastic set and energetic performances, Judas Priest’s show would have been nothing without stellar song selection. Thankfully, their set included some of the best songs from every era of the band, and even tracks from their newest album sounded fantastic live.
In fact, the songs from Judas Priest’s latest release is one of the factors that made the show so good. Few groups are able to capture what once made them so historic. But thanks to the additional songwriting courtesy of Richie Faulkner and lead singer Rob Halford’s still incredible voice, Judas Priest’s album, Redeemer of Souls, managed to present another important step for the band, that only reminded fans of the reasons they fell in love with the group in the first place.
Given how few albums and tours Judas Priest may have in them, fans have no excuse to miss a chance to see them live. Thanks to an intricate stage design, energetic and charismatic performances from Richie Faulkner and Scott Travis, along with Rob Halford’s incredible vocal range, Judas Priest have managed to re-establish their place in the history of heavy metal.
