The heavy metal community has a bit of a love-hate relationship with "farewell" tours. We've seen them all. KISS has had about five of them. Mötley Crüe literally signed a "cessation of touring" agreement and then tore it up a few years later. So, when Judas Priest announced the Epitaph World Tour back in 2011, there was this collective gasp of "is this really it?" mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Honestly, at the time, it felt like the end of an era. K.K. Downing had just walked away, which was a massive blow to the twin-guitar attack that basically defined the genre. Enter Richie Faulkner, the "new guy" who looked like a young K.K. and played like his life depended on it. The tour was meant to be a final victory lap, a massive thank you to the fans. And while the band didn't actually retire—thank the metal gods for that—the resulting judas priest epitaph cd and video releases remain a polarizing, fascinating, and essential piece of the band's history.
What People Get Wrong About the Epitaph Release
There’s a weird bit of confusion when you go looking for the judas priest epitaph cd. If you're scouring the shelves for a standalone, official 2-CD jewel case that matches the DVD or Blu-ray, you might be looking for a while.
Basically, the "Epitaph" project was primarily marketed as a concert film. It was released in May 2013 on DVD and Blu-ray, capturing the final night of the tour at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on May 26, 2012. While you can find digital audio versions and some regional "deluxe" sets that include the audio, it never quite got the same "Live After Death" or "Unleashed in the East" standalone CD treatment that fans expected.
You’ve probably seen the "Epitaph" tracklist floating around and noticed something insane. They played 23 songs. But it wasn't just a "greatest hits" set. The mission statement for this tour was to play at least one song from every single studio album featuring Rob Halford.
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Think about that for a second. That meant digging into Rocka Rolla for "Never Satisfied." It meant pulling out "Starbreaker" from Sin After Sin. It was a deep-dive history lesson performed at 120 decibels.
The Richie Faulkner Factor
You can't talk about the judas priest epitaph cd without talking about Richie Faulkner. Imagine the pressure. You're replacing a founding member in a band that has been together for 40 years. The fans are skeptical. The stakes are "final tour" high.
But Richie didn't just fill a gap; he electrified the band. If you listen to the live recordings of "Blood Red Skies" or the frantic "Painkiller" on this set, there is a certain "fire" that feels fresh. Glenn Tipton and Rob Halford have both gone on record saying that Richie’s energy is the reason they didn't actually retire. They were having too much fun.
The audio on the Epitaph release is crisp. It’s heavy. It’s got that modern, beefy production that makes Scott Travis’s double-kick drums sound like a demolition crew.
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The Setlist: A Metal History Lesson
Usually, live albums are predictable. You know you're getting "Breaking the Law." You know "Living After Midnight" is coming. But Epitaph threw some curveballs that still make collectors seek out the audio.
- Never Satisfied: A raw, bluesy cut from the 1974 debut. Hearing it with 21st-century gear is a trip.
- Blood Red Skies: A massive, cinematic track from Ram It Down that rarely got the love it deserved until this tour.
- Prophecy: Representing the Nostradamus era. Love or hate that concept album, this track slaps live.
- Night Crawler: A fan favorite from Painkiller that sounds absolutely menacing here.
The setlist isn't just a list; it’s a narrative of how heavy metal evolved. From the 70s rock-influenced sounds to the speed metal of the 90s and the symphonic touches of the 2000s.
Is the Epitaph Audio Better Than "Battle Cry"?
A few years after Epitaph, Priest released Battle Cry, recorded at Wacken Open Air. A lot of fans prefer Battle Cry because it feels more like a "band back in their prime" than a "farewell."
However, the judas priest epitaph cd (or the audio ripped from the Blu-ray, let's be real) has a unique atmosphere. Hammersmith Apollo is legendary. The acoustics of that room combined with the "final show" energy of the London crowd created something special. Rob’s vocals are particularly impressive here, especially considering the 50-week mammoth tour that led up to this recording.
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Sure, there are moments where you can hear the strain—he's a human being, not a machine—but the "Metal God" still hits notes that singers half his age would dodge.
Why You Should Care in 2026
We're living in a time where legacy acts are often criticized for "phoning it in." But Epitaph is proof that Judas Priest doesn't know how to do that. It captures a moment of transition that could have been the end, but instead became a new beginning.
If you're a completionist, you need this set for the rarities alone. Finding a high-quality live version of "The Sentinel" or "Beyond the Realms of Death" is easy, but finding them alongside "Starbreaker" and "Never Satisfied" on the same night? That's rare.
How to actually get the "Epitaph" experience:
- Check the Digital Stores: The audio is often available on streaming services, even if the physical CD is a bit of a ghost in some territories.
- Go for the Blu-ray: If you have a decent home theater or even just good headphones, the 5.1 surround sound mix is way more immersive than a standard stereo CD.
- Watch the Crowd: If you do get the video version, watch the faces in the London crowd. It’s a mix of joy and "please don't let this be the last time."
The judas priest epitaph cd is a document of survival. It’s the sound of a band looking back at 40 years of leather and studs and realizing they still had more to give. It’s not just a live album; it’s a testament to the fact that you can’t kill the Metal Gods.
If you’re looking to round out your Priest collection, don’t sleep on this one just because it was marketed as a video. The audio stands on its own as one of the most diverse setlists in the history of the genre.
Actionable Insight for Collectors: If you are searching for a physical copy, look for the "Epitaph" DVD/Blu-ray releases from Legacy Recordings (Sony). Many of these versions contain a digital download code or were released in regions like Japan with bonus audio discs that are much higher quality than the standard bootlegs found online. Always verify the catalog number on sites like Discogs to ensure you're getting an official press with the full 23-track setlist.