Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill says the band could one day continue even if its classic members are no longer around, making it clear that he does not believe any one person is truly untouchable in the long run. Speaking to Metal Journal in a recent interview published by Ultimate Classic Rock on May 25, 2026, Hill said there is “no reason” Judas Priest could not keep going with a different lineup if he or singer Rob Halford eventually stepped away.
Hill explained that the band has already survived plenty of lineup turnover over the years. He pointed out that Judas Priest has already worked through “about six or seven drummers, four guitarists and two vocalists,” and said that if the situation ever required it, the band could keep moving with new musicians. His view was simple: “nobody’s irreplaceable, so you never know.”
That does not mean Hill is planning to retire anytime soon. The bassist, who has been with Judas Priest since 1970, said he would only start thinking seriously about hanging it up if the band’s performance level began to slip. He stressed that as long as the group can still deliver 100% onstage, he sees no reason to stop. But if it no longer feels right or the band cannot give everything to the show, then it might be time to call it a day.
Hill’s comments come at a busy time for Judas Priest. He also revealed that the band is deep into work on its next studio album. According to Hill, the group has already finished most — if not all — of the backing tracks, with only one possible extra song left to cut. He said the band had been in Phoenix working with Halford on vocals over the last few weeks, and that the album is now in the vocal-tracking stage.
He described the upcoming record as “a great classic Priest album,” adding that it would be “a little bit more traditional” but with some quirks in the mix. Hill also said he expects the album to arrive in spring 2027, which lines up with earlier reports that the band had started working on its follow-up to 2024’s Invincible Shield.
That detail matters because Judas Priest has not exactly been slowing down. Invincible Shield was released on March 8, 2024, and the band has continued touring and working while also celebrating its long legacy through new documentaries and archival projects. The group is officially still active with Halford, Hill, guitarist Richie Faulkner, drummer Scott Travis, and longtime touring guitarist Glenn Tipton still credited in the Judas Priest camp even though Tipton stopped touring in 2018 because of health issues.
Hill’s comments also fit a broader pattern in the band’s history. Judas Priest have never been afraid of change, and Hill’s remarks make it clear he sees that flexibility as part of the group’s strength rather than a weakness. The message is not that the current lineup is disposable; it is that the band has always been bigger than any one roster.
For fans, the headline is both practical and emotional. On one hand, Hill sounds realistic about age, performance, and the future. On the other, he is making it plain that Judas Priest still has plenty left to do. The band is writing, recording, and thinking ahead, and Hill’s answer suggests that when the time eventually comes, Judas Priest may choose evolution over ending completely.
In short, Ian Hill is not announcing an ending. He is setting the terms for what could come after the classic-era chapter eventually closes. The band still feels alive, the new album is taking shape, and Hill’s message is blunt but confident: Judas Priest can keep going, because in heavy metal, history is important — but nobody is permanent.
