Rob Halford thinks we have a big problem in today’s world.
The Judas Priest vocalist recently sat down with Planet Rock for an interview and revealed the inspiration behind the song ‘Trial By Fire,’ explaining:
“Thinking of the words, it’s a reference to the way that judgment and misconstrued perceptions and ideas can be put on you. And going deep, that’s the society that we live with today. People can rush to judgment, people can bring in their own ideas and agendas that tip the balance of truth.”
Halford Thinks We Live In Lies
He went on to talk about the dangers of lies:
“We live in a world today now where lies can be pushed so strongly and so forcefully by powerful figures that a lie becomes the truth. And that’s a terribly dangerous place to be. So, we’re utilizing that type of open forum and discussion and bringing it into this title, ‘Trial By Fire.’”
Halford’s Words On The Band’s Latest Album
‘Trial By Fire’ is one of the songs from Judas Priest’s nineteenth studio album, ‘Invincible Shields.’ It came out on March 6, 2024. Halford previously spoke about the record:
“We’ve said for as long as I can remember that we make these records to truly represent who we are and what we’re about at this specific moment in time. ‘Invincible Shield’ is in its own lane on the heavy metal highway. And much like a lot of us, we avoid replication. We’re not a formula band. With Priest, we blew the doors off the rules of heavy metal.”
In the album, Judas Priest worked with producer Andy Sneap. Rob also reflected on Sneap’s impact on their effort:
“He’s such a craftsman in the production sense. It’s not easy to produce a band. We’re like these really difficult animals full of tantrums and stamping your feet and holding your breath, all that kind of stuff that you go through the drama of making a record. And he, like most producers, he’s a bit like a psychiatrist. He’ll lead you through the emotions to get the best possible performance. Andy did a wonderful job…he’s got it all.”
Priest is currently on the road for their North American tour. The trek kicked off on April 18 at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut. The band will end the tour on May 22 in Syracuse, New York.
You can watch Rob’s entire chat below.