There are bands without whom metal would sound different today. JUDAS PRIEST belongs at the top of this list. Formed in Birmingham in 1969, they laid the foundations for countless metal subgenres with their two-part guitar leads, thunderous riffs and Rob Halford’s unmistakable voice. They provided the blueprint that generations of bands still play by today. Anyone who listens to metal today hears traces of JUDAS PRIEST – and that is precisely why their commitment to Reload 2026 is a historic moment.

They will be taking to the Reload Festival stage for the very first time in 2026 – as one of our three headliners. This is a milestone for us. This band has paved the way for pretty much all the acts in our line-up in the first place.

With JUDAS PRIEST, live means no half measures: powerful, precisely played songs. Guitars that cut through the crowd like glowing blades. Rob Halford, who makes the air vibrate with his voice between glistening highs and brute force. Thundering drums that reverberate in the chest. And a stage presence that doesn’t just fill the room, but takes it over completely. Their set is a journey through the history of metal – from legendary anthems such as Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight to high-speed blasts like Painkiller.

Expect a resounding statement that heavy metal is as relevant and indestructible as ever in 2026 – and that legends don’t live in the past, but rewrite it every night.