The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s and the departure of singer Rob Halford in 1992. Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replaced Halford in 1996 and recorded two albums with Judas Priest, before Halford returned to the band in 2003. The current line-up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis. The band's best-selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, with their most commercially successful line-up featuring Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, guitarist K. K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album.
Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on heavy metal bands. Judas Priest's image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s. The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal. Despite a decline in exposure during the mid-1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and having their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series. In 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Priest
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Stained Class (1978)
Killing Machine (1978)
British Steel (1980)
Point of Entry (1981)
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Defenders of the Faith (1984)
Turbo (1986)
Ram It Down (1988)
Painkiller (1990)
Jugulator (1997)
Demolition (2001)
Angel of Retribution (2005)
Nostradamus (2008)
Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Firepower (2018)
Invincible Shield (2024)
Judas Rising
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Came out of nowhere
Blinded the darkness
Creating the storm
War in the heavens
Vengeance ignited
Torment and tempest
Attacks like a swarm
Forged out of Flame
From chaos to destiny
Bringer of pain
Forever undying
Judas is Rising
Eternal betrayer
Ice cold and evil
Taking no prisoners
Dark prince of the world
Humanity trembles
Enslaving you sinners
You can't beg for mercy
For none will be saved
The burden of sin
Echoes the prophecy
Ascending from hell
Forever despising
Judas is Rising
Their faith is revealed
Deceivers are crying
By crucified steel
Evangelizing
Judas is Rising
Judas is Rising
The lyrics to Judas Priest's "Judas Rising" depict biblical themes of war and betrayal, specifically focusing on the story of Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus. The first verse sets the tone with intense imagery of a lightning bolt that blinds the darkness and creates a storm, representing the chaos and violence of the events to come. The second verse introduces the character of Judas as an "eternal betrayer" who is "ice cold and evil," taking no prisoners and enslaving sinners.
The chorus, "Judas is Rising," cements the idea of Judas as an antagonist in this story, forever despising and unrepentant. The third verse speaks of faith and deception, with deceivers crying and the use of "crucified steel" as a metaphor for the power of the cross. The final repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that Judas is a powerful force that continues to rise and torment humanity.
Overall, the lyrics are a powerful depiction of the biblical story of Judas Iscariot, using vivid imagery and intense language to convey the gravity of the betrayal and its ongoing impact.
Line by Line Meaning
White bolt of lightning
An unexpected and powerful event has occurred
Came out of nowhere
The event is surprising and seemingly without cause
Blinded the darkness
The event illuminates a previously hidden truth
Creating the storm
The event sets in motion a chain of events that will be tumultuous
War in the heavens
A battle is taking place among the gods or powerful beings
Vengeance ignited
Someone seeks retaliation for a perceived wrongdoing
Torment and tempest
Pain and chaos ensue
Attacks like a swarm
The situation is overwhelming and unrelenting
Forged out of Flame
Something has been created with great intensity and passion
From chaos to destiny
A seemingly random occurrence has resulted in a predetermined fate
Bringer of pain
Someone or something causes harm and suffering
Forever undying
The source of pain is eternal and will never fade away
Judas is Rising
The betrayer is making a comeback
Eternal betrayer
Someone who has always been dishonest and disloyal
Ice cold and evil
The betrayer is cruel and lacking in compassion
Taking no prisoners
The betrayer is ruthless and won't spare anyone
Dark prince of the world
The betrayer is a powerful and malevolent force
Humanity trembles
People are afraid of what the betrayer will do
Enslaving you sinners
The betrayer will subject people to a lifetime of suffering
You can't beg for mercy
Pleading for forgiveness won't have any effect
For none will be saved
No one will escape the betrayer's wrath
The burden of sin
People will be punished for their wrongdoing
Echoes the prophecy
The punishment was foretold in advance
Ascending from hell
The betrayer emerges from a place of great suffering and misery
Forever despising
The betrayer will never forgive or forget
Their faith is revealed
People's true beliefs and loyalties are exposed
Deceivers are crying
Those who have been dishonest are regretful and remorseful
By crucified steel
People are being punished in a brutal, gruesome way
Evangelizing
People are spreading the word about a religious message or teaching
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind