Judas Priest, “Breaking the law” and the pain of the working class

“The ballad of Judas Priest” is the title of the new documentary co-directed by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and dedicated to the over fifty-year career of Judas Priest. The project will be presented as a world premiere at the 76th edition of the Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival, scheduled from 12 to 22 February. To temper the wait, the first preview extract of the docu-film has been shared, in which frontman Rob Halford is seen telling the inspiration behind the band’s classic “Breaking the law”, originally released in 1980 as the second extract from the sixth studio album “British steel”.

The song was written by Judas Priest in the midst of Margaret Thatcher’s government, and addresses many of the frustrations rooted in the hearts of the working class of the time. In the video taken from “The ballad of Judas Priest”, Halford explains:

“‘Breaking the law’ is a revolutionary song. At the time, you watched the news every night and saw all these conflicts. With the pain and suffering of part of the British working class. Riots and strikes born out of anger.”

Co-directed by documentarian Sam Dunn and Tom Morello, in his directorial debut, “The ballad of Judas Priest” aims to celebrate “the band’s lasting impact on music and culture with an influence that goes far beyond metal”, we read in the presentation of the docu-film. The documentary therefore tries to capture “the passion, resilience and lasting legacy of a group whose music and story continue to inspire generations.”

As reported by Blabbermouth, Dunn commented: “I’m super proud to announce that our Judas Priest documentary will premiere at the Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival this February. We can’t wait for all German metalheads to get a first look at it.”

Morello and Dunn further explained: “Some know Judas Priest for their huge hits that shaped the heavy metal genre, but their story is much broader. Tracing their incredible 50-year journey, this film will show how Judas Priest defined both the sound and aesthetic of metal, while also helping to make it a more inclusive environment. We are grateful to the band for giving us such intimate, unfiltered access to their lives and can’t wait to bring this film to the metal masses around the world.”