Delivering The Goods! Judas Priest tear down the house for Bloodstock’s 25th anniversary

'Stand tall, I’m young and kinda’ proud / I'm still on top as long as the music's loud!' Rob Halford's iconic howl rattles every eardrum in Catton Park as You've Got Another Thing Coming launches Judas Priest's feverishly-awaited Sunday night finale at Bloodstock. And even if the first half of that famous lyric might be pushing it a bit nowadays, the latter is truer than it’s ever been. Staggeringly so.

Sun has just about set on the festival's bumper 25th anniversary, but the very, very best is saved for the last. This weekend has seen the UK's August metal gathering welcome back American metal champs Lamb Of God and break new ground with deathcore upstarts Slaughter To Prevail, but it’s bookended by the same classic British metal on which it was founded. Having kicked off with old friends and NWOBHM black sheep Saxon, it ends with true Midlands royalty.

Obviously, seeing Priest rip it up this close to home is absolutely fantastic. "Are you ready for some Judas Priest-style heavy metal?!" asks Rob, teasing the biggest, most clearly multi-generational crowd of the weekend. Even with end-of-fest expectations through the roof, many simply aren’t.

They deliver the same outrageous opening run as Wacken last week, roaring on into Metal Gods and a deafeningly-sung Breaking The Law, Rob demonstrating some impressive pelvic looseness, swinging his hips during the disco-tinged final charge. There's a rainbow laser display and a glittering disco ball for The Sentinel. A magnificent Turbo Lover unfurls as suggestively as ever, accompanied by footage of relentlessly pumping pistons. The massive tuning-fork crucifix sigil shines through the video display, and clad in black leather and chrome, the band look every inch The Metal Gods. If it’s not literally heavy metal Heaven, it’s as close as this dusty, sunburned rabble will find on Earth.

"We love this festival," says Rob, paying homage to Bloodstock itself, deservedly headlining for the third time. "It's such a special place for us in the world of heavy metal. We named this the Faithkeepers Tour because you keep the faith and keep Judas Priest alive after 56 years Delivering The Goods.”

He pauses a moment, wheezes playfully, feigns a cough, then drops the best news all weekend.

“Oh, and we've been working on a new album for you. It's sounding pretty good..."

Critics could pick holes. Rob misses a few of his highest notes here and there. At the end of a long, hot weekend, most of this audience look more ready for a bath and bed than to give their energetic all. And Victim Of Changes feels particularly overextended this evening, noticeably lacking the accessible, razorblade momentum of, say, Panic Attack or Halls Of Valhalla in front of this largely casual crowd. But by the unassailable final run of Painkiller into an encore of Electric Eye, Hell Bent For Leather and Living After Midnight, it’d take a miserable bastard to deduct points from this set for the ages.

‘THE PRIEST WILL RETURN!’ promise the big screens as they finally leave the stage. On tonight’s evidence, you wouldn’t bet against them sounding somehow bigger and better than ever all over again. As gloriously steely as it is sublime.

Bloodstock returns to Catton Park on August 5 – 8 2027.

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• Far from Terrible! How Slaughter To Prevail triumphed at their Bloodstock headline debut
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