Judas Priest Launch Comic-Inspired Interactive ‘Guide to Heavy Metal’ Website
Pandemic be damned, Judas Priest are continuing to celebrate their 50th anniversary as a band, which actually came last year. Now, inspired by their own graphic novel, the legends have launched an interactive 'Guide to Heavy Metal' website.
The experience takes fans on a light tour of Judas Priest's five-decade history, from their founding in 1970 as the post-World War II generation's upbringing amid factories and other industrialization was reflected through new sounds in heavy music and an ambition to break away from a future in factory work.
Each chapter comes with its own series of black and white comic book panels to drive the narrative, which flashes forward to the modern day with a pair of guitar tutorials from Richie Faulkner, who replaced the iconic K.K. Downing on guitar in 2011. Question-and-answer session video clips are also available to watch and so is Loudwire's own 'Loud List' of 10 Unforgettable Judas Priest Moments, which was included in the interactive experience as well.
Visit Judas Priest's Guide to Heavy Metal website here.
After being sidelined throughout 2020, Priest made their long-awaited return to the road on their '50 Heavy Metal Years' tour earlier this year. Following a performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Kentucky in September, Faulkner was rushed to the hospital and underwent an emergency heart surgery. It was later learned that his aorta ruptured onstage while he flawlessly played set-closer "Painkiller" before seeking medical attention. The guitarist has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering, resulting in a postponement of the band's remaining 2021 tour dates.
Not long after, singer Rob Halford revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and is thankfully now in remission.
Judas Priest's Reflections – 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music box set is also out now.