Judas Priest are packing it in after 40 years of heavy metal power and glory. That's right, the British metal legends announced that their 2011 world tour will be Priest's final trek. But fret not, Priest fans. They'll blanket the planet with one final victory lap dubbed 'Epitaph.' Clearly, Priest will be going out with a bang on one last major global trek, and we can't blame them.

While it will be painful to imagine a world without Judas Priest on tour, we acknowledge that Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing and Ian Hill are already in or approaching their 60s and they've been touring since they were young men.

They've colored our world with heavy metal for 40 years, and it's not a crime to retire from live performing.

Priest promise that they will hit all their major markets and that they will develop a set list of the songs that made them a metal institution and household name since their inception.

Priest will launch the tour in Europe, with the following festivals already confirmed. The band will announce more dates imminently.



Judas Priest farewell tour dates


6/9 -- Sweden Rock Festival, -- Sweden

6/11 -- Sauna Festival -- Finland

6/17 -- Copenhell Festival -- Copenhagen, Denmark

6/19 -- Hellfest -- Nantes, France

6/22 -- Gods of Metal Festival -- Milan, Italy

6/25 -- Graspop Festival -- Belgium

7/23 -- HIgh Voltage Festival -- London, UK

8/5 -- Wacken Festival -- Germany

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