British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have kicked off their 2026 'Faithkeepers' world tour with a performance at Germany's BOBfest on July 25.

The 17-song set at Monchengladbach's SparkassenPark featured two 1970s classics — 'The Ripper' and 'Delivering The Goods' — which had not been performed live since March 21, 2019.

The show marked the beginning of the European leg of the tour, which launched less than a year after PRIEST co-headlined a 22-city North American tour with Alice Cooper last fall.

The tour is in support of the band's 19th studio album, 'Invincible Shield', which debuted at No.

18 on the Billboard 200 and entered the U.K.

chart at No.

2, behind Ariana Grande's 'Eternal Sunshine'.

PRIEST's highest previous U.K.

chart achievement was with 1980's 'British Steel', which reached No.

4, while their 2018 album 'Firepower' entered the chart at No.

'Invincible Shield' is the band's fifth Top 10 album, following 'British Steel', 'Firepower', 2014's 'Redeemer Of Souls' (No.

6), and the 1979 live album 'Unleashed In The East' (No.

10).

The album landed at No.

1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reached No.

5 in France, No.

8 in Italy, and No.

16 in Australia.

During the 2025 'Shield Of Pain' European tour, PRIEST played seven tracks from their 1990 album 'Painkiller', celebrating its 35th anniversary.

The set included 'All Guns Blazing', 'Hell Patrol', 'A Touch Of Evil', 'Night Crawler', 'One Shot At Glory', and 'Between The Hammer And The Anvil', in addition to the title track.

When the band first announced the 2025 'Shield Of Pain' tour in the fall of 2024, they described it as a 'rare' and 'unique set' that would include 'beloved classics' and 'defend the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe'.

The 2026 'Faithkeepers' world tour continues to build on this legacy of classic metal performances and chart success."