How cool is this?! Heavy metal royalty hits the big screen!
The Ballad Of Judas Priest just premiered at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin. The documentary tracks the rise of Judas Priest from Birmingham’s working-class grind to global metal superstars.
Co-directed by filmmaker Sam Dunn and Tom Morello in his directorial debut, the film leans into legacy, unity and defiance.
Morello didn’t dodge the politics at the premiere.
He pointed out that while only a few Priest songs are overtly political, the band’s existence is. Latino fans. Gay couples. Metal lifers bringing their kids. “That unity,” he said, “is a model for how we might all do better.”
Frontman Rob Halford agreed.
From “Raw Deal” on Sin After Sin to climate warnings on Stained Class, to coded shots on 2024’s Invincible Shield, Halford says the message is there if you’re listening.
“Breaking The Law” wasn’t rebellion cosplay. It was Thatcher-era frustration set to steel. A revolution song born in 1980.
The film also pushes back on the tired “sex, drugs and hedonism” stereotype. Dunn calls “Breaking The Law” a key moment in proving metal had something real to say about working-class struggle.
Stats don’t lie.
Over 50 million records sold.
19 studio albums.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
And with Invincible Shield, the first metal band to release studio albums 50 years apart.
Current touring lineup:
Halford. Ian Hill. Richie Faulkner. Andy Sneap. Scott Travis.
All these years later and Judas Priest is still breaking the law!
