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)
Traitors Gate
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tower looms into my view
I sense my execution's closing
With darkness all around me
The axe is ground to end my days
The raven's cry proclaims repentance
Out of the dark
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Into the storm
I'm gonna win
Killer of sin
Saved by the traitors gate
A man betrayed for treason
I only wanted what was right
To bring a purpose by rebellion
The storm is soon arriving
And rain will wash away my blood
This walk of death will bring survival
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Ready to die
Carry the day
Bury the lie
Tear down the traitors gate
Forgive me for my sins
I meant no harm to you
So let the axe man fall
To justify what I begin
Where will you be tomorrow
Now they've removed this mortal coil
I hope and pray I bring you freedom
For Honor, God and country
This world can be a better place
As I ascend from my conviction
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
River of blood
Turning the tide
Cause of the flood
Destroying the traitors gate
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Losing my head
Blunt of the axe
Alive when I'm dead
Escape from the traitors gate
The lyrics of "Traitors Gate" by Judas Priest tell the story of a man who has been betrayed for his actions of rebellion. He is on his way to his execution, and the river shows no mercy. As he approaches the tower, he senses that his execution is near. He hears the sound of the axe being sharpened to end his life, and the raven's cry proclaims his need to repent.
However, he is not afraid, and he is determined to leave his mark and be free from the traitors gate. He faces his death with courage and hope, believing that his death will bring freedom and a better world. He asks for forgiveness for his sins, and he knows that his actions were for honor, God, and country.
In the end, he is ready to die, and he escapes from the traitors gate. The lyrics of the song are filled with themes of hope, courage, and rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
The river shows no mercy
The river is indifferent to my fate and will not save me.
The tower looms into my view
The tower is a reminder of my impending execution and its presence is overwhelming.
I sense my execution's closing
I can feel that my execution is imminent and I am running out of time.
With darkness all around me
I am surrounded by darkness, both physical and emotional.
The axe is ground to end my days
The executioner's axe is being sharpened to put an end to my life.
The raven's cry proclaims repentance
The raven's cry symbolizes the need for repentance before death.
Out of the dark
I am emerging from a place of fear and uncertainty.
Into the light
I am moving towards a place of hope and freedom.
Leaving my mark
I am determined to leave a legacy behind, despite my unjust death.
Free from the traitors gate
I have broken free from the prison that held me captive as a traitor.
Into the storm
I am ready to face the challenges and chaos that lay ahead.
I'm gonna win
Despite the odds, I am optimistic about my chances of achieving my goal.
Killer of sin
I have overcome my sins and am now free from their burden.
Saved by the traitors gate
The traitors gate, which was once a symbol of my imprisonment, has become my savior.
A man betrayed for treason
I have been accused of betraying my country, despite my true intentions.
I only wanted what was right
My actions were motivated by a desire to do the right thing, even if it went against the authorities.
To bring a purpose by rebellion
I rebelled against an unjust system in the hopes of creating a better world.
The storm is soon arriving
I sense that a decisive moment is approaching that will determine my fate.
And rain will wash away my blood
The rain will cleanse the earth of my blood and serve as a symbol of my sacrifice.
This walk of death will bring survival
My willingness to face death has given me a newfound appreciation for life.
Ready to die
I have accepted my fate and am at peace with the idea of dying.
Carry the day
I am determined to make a difference even in death.
Bury the lie
I hope to expose the truth about my unjust execution and the lies that led to it.
Tear down the traitors gate
I want to destroy the symbol of injustice that imprisoned me for so long.
Forgive me for my sins
I seek forgiveness for any wrongs I may have committed in the fight for justice.
I meant no harm to you
My actions were not meant to hurt anyone, but to bring about positive change.
So let the axe man fall
I am ready to face my executioner and put an end to my suffering.
To justify what I begin
I hope that my death will bring meaning and purpose to the cause I fought for.
Where will you be tomorrow
I wonder what will become of my legacy and if my sacrifice will have a lasting impact.
Now they've removed this mortal coil
Now that I am dead and gone, I hope that my spirit will live on and inspire others to fight for justice.
I hope and pray I bring you freedom
I fought for freedom for all and hope that my actions have made a difference.
For Honor, God and country
My actions were driven by a sense of duty to honor, God, and country.
This world can be a better place
I have faith that the world has the potential to be better and more just, and that my sacrifice was not in vain.
River of blood
My blood serves as a powerful symbol of my sacrifice and the fight for justice.
Turning the tide
My death has turned the tide and brought about positive change.
Cause of the flood
My death has served as a catalyst for change and has led to a flood of positive action.
Destroying the traitors gate
My legacy includes the destruction of the symbol of injustice that once imprisoned me.
Losing my head
I am facing the possibility of losing my life in service of a greater cause.
Blunt of the axe
The executioner's axe will end my life, but my spirit will live on.
Alive when I'm dead
My legacy will continue to inspire others even after my physical death.
Escape from the traitors gate
I have broken free from my prison and my death will inspire others to fight for freedom and justice.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, RICHARD FAULKNER, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@IAmDawnPatrol
The river shows no mercy
The tower looms into my view
I sense my execution's closing
With darkness all around me
The axe is ground to end my days
The raven's cry proclaims repentance
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Into the storm
I'm gonna win
Killer of sin
Saved by the traitors gate
A man betrayed for treason
I only wanted what was right
To bring a purpose by rebellion
The storm is soon arriving
And rain will wash away my blood
This walk of death will bring survival
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Ready to die
Carry the day
Bury the lie
Tear down the traitors gate
Forgive me for my sins
I meant no harm to you
So let the axe man fall
To justify what I begin
Where will you be tomorrow
Now they've removed this mortal coil
I hope and pray I bring you freedom
For honour God and country
This world can be a better place
As I ascend from my conviction
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
River of blood
Turning the tide
Cause of the flood
Destroying the traitors gate
Out of the dark
Into the light
Leaving my mark
Free from the traitors gate
Losing my head
Blunt of the axe
Alive when I'm dead
Escape from the traitors gate
@thesentinel5523
Priest are the GOATS IDGAF Greatest Heavy Metal Band EVER!!!!!!!!!
@annaaurora81303
🌹😘👑
@oldskoolbanger
i agree their 80s look was ssooooooo cringe though lolzzzz
@LordGandor3
Scorpions get my vote.
@LordGandor3
Priest comes in 2nd followed by Queensryche & Maiden
@LordGandor3
Steve Clarke's Def Leppard comes in 5th
@ShinDSER
"This walk of death will bring survival" is jawdropping. Rob's voice is still really good.
@thegoodthebadandthenasty5843
It's only been getting better lol.
@curtisyue182
I think you mean "SURVIIIIIIIIVAAAALLL"
@KK-tt6ui
Hip hop head here, but I don’t forget where I come from. Straight 80’s baby: 80’s pop, rnb, rock, and metal! Peace