THE CLASSIC ROCK MUSIC REPORTER: RICHIE FAULKNER JUDAS PRIEST GUITARIST TALKS ...NEW GREATEST HITS PACKAGE ... NEW PRIEST STUDIO ABUM... EUROPEAN SUMMER TOUR ...AND NEW ELEGENT WEAPONS RELEASE!

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

RICHIE FAULKNER JUDAS PRIEST GUITARIST TALKS ...NEW GREATEST HITS PACKAGE ... NEW PRIEST STUDIO ABUM... EUROPEAN SUMMER TOUR ...AND NEW ELEGENT WEAPONS RELEASE!

JUDAS PRIEST RELEASES

'THE BEST OF

JUDAS PRIEST'

WITH NEW STUDIO ALBUM FORTHCOMING WHILE PREPARING FOR SUMMER EUROPEAN

'FAITHKEEPERS' TOUR'

RICHIE FAULKNER AND ELEGANT WEAPONS RELEASE SOPHMORE STUDIO ALBUM 'EVOLUTION'

EXCLUSIVE ZOOM INTERVIEW

WITH JUDAS PRIEST/ELEGANT WEAPONS GUITARIST

RICHIE FAULKNER

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

W/RAY SHASHO

CLICK BELOW

TO WATCH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW

Richie Faulkner is an acclaimed English guitarist best known as a co-lead guitarist for the legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest. He joined the band in 2011 to replace founding member K.K. Downing. He is credited with injecting fresh energy into the band, helping revitalize their career and sound for subsequent studio albums like Redeemer of Souls, Firepower, and Invincible Shield. Faulkner is highly recognized for his blistering solos, tasteful phrasing, and use of Gibson Flying V guitars.

Judas Priest announced a major career-spanning collection titled "The Best of Judas Priest", released on June 19, 2026. The collection traces the evolution of the band and features 16 quintessential heavy metal tracks.

The band has also confirmed a return to the studio for new music and is gearing up for their summer European "Faithkeepers" tour. The tour starts: July 25, 2026, in Monchengladbach, Germany and Ends: September 21, 2026, in London, UK. Judas Priest is also set to record a New Studio Album sometime In 2026.

Also, Ritchie Faulkner’s Elegant Weapons return with their sophomore studio album, Evolution.

This quartet of lifelong musicians — guitarist Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest), vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG), bassist Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep), and drummer Christopher Williams (Accept) — have rallied around a collective vision. Together they’ve forged a signature style built on unforgettable riffing, surgically precise solos, bold grooves, and skyscraping hooks.

PURCHASE

'THE BEST OF

JUDAS PRIEST '

The Best of Judas Priest is a career spanning collection celebrating one of the most influential and enduring bands in heavy metal. Judas Priest have defined and redefined the sound and imagery of heavy metal for more than five decades. With over 50 million albums sold worldwide and more than 2.5 billion streams across their catalogue, their impact on music and culture remains unmatched. This special collection of 16 songs brings together some of the band’s globally revered recordings, including ‘Breaking The Law,’ ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,’ ‘Electric Eye,’ ‘Turbo Lover’ and ‘Painkiller.’ Together, these tracks represent key moments from across their catalog and trace the evolution of a band that helped shape the genre itself. The Best Of Judas Priest serves as both an accessible entry point for new listeners and a definitive collection for longtime fans looking to revisit the song that cemented the band’s legacy.

AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR MUSIC PLATFORMS

PURCHASE

THE NEW ALBUM

ELEGANT WEAPONS

ENTITLED

‘EVOLUTION’

Elegant Weapons, the heavy metal supergroup founded by Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner, released their sophomore studio album, Evolution, on April 24, 2026.Released via Exciter Records, the album features 11 dynamic tracks ranging from hard-hitting riffs to classic power ballads.

You can stream or purchase the album across all major platforms using the Exciter Records Evolution Stream link. You can also pick up physical media like the CD directly via Darkside Records or Rough Trade.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT

JUDAS PRIEST

VISIT

https://judaspriest.com/

OFFICIAL Website

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJudasPriest/

Facebook

https://www.instagram.com/judaspriest/?hl=en

Judas Priest Instagram

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT

ELEGANT WEAPONS

VISIT

https://elegantweapons.exciterrecords.com/

Elegant Weapons Official website

https://www.richiefaulkner.com/

Richie Faulkner oFFicial website

https://www.instagram.com/falconfaulkner/

Richie Faulkner Instagram

https://open.spotify.com/artist/68LxTdkzuDW3cnp83NKfpQ?nd=1

SPOTIFY

youtube.com/channel/UCqdC4CpGCouDxCCQ83qwB1g?sub_confirmation=1

YOUTUBE

https://www.facebook.com/elegantweaponsband

FACEBOOK

JUDAS PRIEST

Discography

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)

ELEGANT WEAPONS

Discography

Studio Albums

Horns for a Halo (2023)
Evolution (2026)

Judas Priest

On Tour

Jul 25 Sat

Bobfest 2026 @ 12:00 PM

Mönchengladbach, Germany

Jul 26 Sun

MESSEHALLE @ 8:00 PM

Halle, Germany

Jul 28 Tue

TORWAR I Hala Widowiskowa @ 8:00 PM

Warszawa, Poland

Jul 31 Fri

Wacken Open Air 2026 @ 12:00 PM

Wacken, Germany

Aug 2 Sun

OSTRAVAR ARENA @ 8:00 PM

Ostrava, Czechia

Aug 4 Tue

Tipos Arena @ 8:00 PM

Bratislava, Slovakia

Aug 6 Thu

WILEYSPORTPARK @ 8:00 PM

Neu-ulm, Germany

Aug 9 Sun

Bloodstock Open Air 2026 @ 12:00 PM

Burton Upon Trent, United Kingdom

Aug 12 Wed

O13 @ 8:00 PM

Tilburg, Netherlands

Aug 14 Fri

RE-LOAD FESTIVAL @ 8:00 PM

Bremen, Germany

Aug 16 Sun

MOTOCULTUR FESTIVAL @ 8:00 PM

Carhaix-plouguer, France

Aug 18 Tue

NAVARRA ARENA @ 8:00 PM

Salinas De Pamplona, Spain

Aug 20 Thu

Roig Arena @ 8:00 PM

València, Spain

Aug 23 Sun

LORELEY AMPHITEATRE @ 8:00 PM

Sankt Goarshausen, Germany

Aug 25 Tue

Pula Arena @ 8:00 PM

Pula, Croatia

Aug 28 Fri

Park Ušće @ 8:00 PM

Belgrade, Serbia

Aug 29 Sat

VIDAS ART ARENA @ 8:00 PM

Sofia, Bulgaria

Sep 1 Tue

BUDAPEST ARENA @ 8:00 PM

Budapest, Hungary

Sep 3 Thu

PARCO S. VALENTINO @ 8:00 PM

Pordenone, Italy

Sep 5 Sat

TEATRO CLERICI @ 8:00 PM

Brescia, Italy

Sep 7 Mon

Fiera del Levante @ 8:00 PM

Bari, Italy

Sep 9 Wed

CAVEA AUDITORIUM PARCO DELLA MUSICA @ 8:00 PM

Rome, Italy

Sep 11 Fri

Festhalle Bern @ 8:00 PM

Bern, Switzerland

Sep 12 Sat

Zenith @ 8:00 PM

Strasbourg, France

Sep 14 Mon

DECINES-CHARPIEU, LDLC ARENA @ 8:00 PM

Lyon, France

Sep 15 Tue

FLOIRAC, ARKEA @ 8:00 PM

Bordeaux, France

Sep 17 Thu

ARENA ZENITH @ 8:00 PM

Paris, France

Sep 18 Fri

Forest National @ 8:00 PM

Bruxelles, Belgium

Sep 21 Mon

Eventim Apollo @ 8:00 PM

London, United Kingdom

RICHIE FAULKNER

APPEARS

JUNE 16TH 2026

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

WITH

RAY SHASHO

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