Rob Halford might be biased, but he has some high opinions of Judas Priest, thanks to Tony Iommi.

When asked about the beginnings of heavy metal by Marc Maron, The Metal God said, “Some say there was the great band called Blue Cheer, ‘Summertime Blues’ was a really heavy song. Some people suggested the name heavy metal was from a Steppenwolf song, ‘heavy metal thunder’ [from ‘Born To Be Wild’].”

He continued, “But as far as the sound, this is the great debate. Using [Black] Sabbath as a primary example…I’ve always pushed that Sabbath were a heavy metal band, but my friend Tony Iommi will always go, ‘No, we’re like a rock band, a hard rock band. I said, ‘No, you’re heavy metal.'”

Halford concluded, “So, I will take that trophy that Judas Priest were the first ever, definitive heavy metal band…It’s a definitive sound, it’s a well-honed craft that came from these guys in the band that all had their own definition of what this heavy sound, this heavy experience should be.”

Judas Priest recently released their first single in five years, “Panic Attack.” The single is the first off the band’s upcoming album “Invincible Shield” which will be released on March 8, 2024.