Under cover of the cool night air, the mighty Judas Priest hit the Shockwave stage on Day three of Aftershock with unmistakable swagger and fire in their bellies. Kicking off with Invincible Shield’s Panic Attack, the British metal icons remind us that their fifty-year reign has been built on more than just nostalgia – it’s been forged in the fires of riffs, attitude and an endless supply of stadium-shaking anthems.

Rob Halford, the Metal God himself, stands front and center, looking every bit the part in his studded black leathers and gleaming nose ring. He strides across the stage, eyes blazing as he screams, “The Priest is back! Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s go!!” And with that, they launch into You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.

Right from the start, it’s obvious that Priest are firing on all cylinders – a feat that’s far from guaranteed after fifty years in the trenches and with two guitarists who don’t predate 2010. But Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap absolutely crush it from the word go, nailing everything from the lightning-fast solos to the locked-in, twin-fretted assault on tracks like Turbo Lover and Electric Eye. By the time they hit the tail end of Sinner, they’ve morphed into a two-headed beast, feeding off each other’s energy and syncing perfectly on both the blistering leads and bone-crushing riffs.