Metal Gods Collide One Final Time: Metallica and Judas Priest Announce Historic Farewell Tour

 Rolling Stone Magazine

The earth just shifted under the feet of every rock and metal fan around the globe. Two of the most iconic names in heavy music—Metallica and Judas Priest—have officially announced their final joint tour, a once-in-a-lifetime event that is already being hailed as the most epic farewell the metal world has ever witnessed.

Dubbed The Final Forged Alliance, the massive tour will span continents, tear through stadiums, and celebrate over a century’s worth of heavy metal history between them. This is no ordinary reunion. This is not nostalgia. This is two of the most powerful live bands of all time closing their monumental chapters together—shoulder to shoulder, amp to amp, roaring into the night.

A Legacy Etched in Steel

For Metallica and Judas Priest, this isn’t just a tour—it’s a victory lap across decades of influence, innovation, and immortality.

Metallica, the kings of thrash, emerged from the underground in the early 1980s and never looked back. From Kill ‘Em All to Master of Puppets, The Black Album, and 72 Seasons, they’ve shattered sales records, sold out stadiums, and helped turn heavy metal into a global language. With James Hetfield’s growl, Lars Ulrich’s relentless drive, Kirk Hammett’s solos, and Robert Trujillo’s thundering rhythm, Metallica remain the pulse of modern metal.

Judas Priest, meanwhile, paved the way for them—and for so many others. Formed in Birmingham, England in 1969, Priest laid the foundations of what would become heavy metal’s golden standard. Rob Halford’s operatic vocals, twin-guitar assaults from Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, and a legacy of defiance and leather-clad rebellion made them legends long before Metallica ever picked up their first riffs.

Together, these two giants have reshaped rock. Now, they’ll share the stage one final time.

A Tour Built on Brotherhood

The announcement came via a joint press conference in Los Angeles, streamed live to tens of millions of fans around the world. Standing side by side were Rob Halford and James Hetfield—two titans who have long respected each other’s craft, philosophy, and impact.

“We’ve toured the world, we’ve broken bones, we’ve broken records,” Hetfield said. “This isn’t a goodbye to music. It’s a thank you. To the fans, to the road, to the life that forged us.”

Halford added, “Metallica and Judas Priest—our blood runs through this genre. And now we’re bringing it all together. This tour isn’t just about playing songs. It’s about saying farewell in the loudest, most righteous way possible.”

The love and mutual respect between the two bands was evident. This isn’t a competition. It’s a celebration. A brotherhood built over riffs, tours, and mutual scars.

Cities, Stages, and Shockwaves

The Final Forged Alliance tour kicks off in April 2026 in Mexico City, where both bands have famously drawn record-breaking crowds. From there, it will blaze across South America, Europe, Asia, and North America before culminating in a two-night blowout in Birmingham, the very birthplace of heavy metal.

Key stops include:

• Mexico City (Opening Night)
• São Paulo
• Madrid
• Berlin
• Tokyo
• Sydney
• Los Angeles
• New York City
• Toronto
• Chicago
• Birmingham (Final Two Nights)

Every show promises an extended set from both bands, with joint performances rumored for a few iconic classics—though details remain tightly under wraps.

“We’ve been jamming,” Kirk Hammett teased. “There’s a few surprises. Fans are going to hear songs we’ve never played together before. Stuff you’d never expect.”

In terms of production, insiders say this will be Metallica’s most ambitious tour setup since WorldWired, featuring immersive multi-stage rigs, massive LED visual storytelling, and state-of-the-art sound systems. Judas Priest, known for their thunderous entrances and stage theatrics, are rumored to be unveiling a brand-new stage design that pays homage to their 50-year history.

More Than Music — A Cultural Moment

Beyond the music, the tour represents something far greater: the final passage of the old guard. As rock and metal evolve, and newer generations take the torch, The Final Forged Alliance stands as a reminder of where it all began—and who kept the fire burning.

Metallica and Judas Priest are more than just bands; they are cultural institutions. They’ve influenced movies, video games, fashion, protest movements, and the very spirit of rebellion. Halford’s coming out in the late ‘90s broke ground for LGBTQ+ representation in metal. Metallica’s battles over streaming and artistic rights sparked industry-wide change.

This tour, then, is also a farewell to a certain era of music. A world before algorithms, before viral fame. A world where everything began with four guys in a garage and a Marshall amp turned all the way up.

The Emotional Weight of Goodbye

Of course, any farewell comes with emotion. Fans have already taken to social media expressing everything from joy to heartbreak.

“I was 14 when I saw Priest in ’84 and Metallica in ’86,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Now I’m 54, and I get to see them together. I’m not ready to say goodbye, but I’ll be there screaming every word.”

The bands themselves have acknowledged the emotional magnitude of this moment.

“Playing these songs with my brothers in front of the people who built us—it’s hard to describe,” Hetfield said. “There’ll be tears. There’ll be blood. But most of all, there’ll be volume.”

A Farewell Etched in Fire

Tickets go on sale next month, with pre-sale access granted to fan club members and special edition vinyl pre-orders of the commemorative Final Forged Alliance tour EP—a limited-release collaboration album rumored to feature studio duets between the two bands.

VIP packages will include meet-and-greets, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and even the opportunity to witness a pre-show soundcheck. For diehards, this is the end-of-an-era experience they’ve always dreamed of—but never believed could actually happen.

And yet here we are.

Final Thoughts

In a world of fleeting trends and disposable sounds, Metallica and Judas Priest have always stood apart. They didn’t just survive the decades—they ruled them. And now, united by legacy, loyalty, and the raw power of live music, they’re walking into the sunset on their own terms.

This isn’t just a tour.

It’s a thunderous goodbye to the age of titans.

It’s heavy metal history being written in real time.

So to every fan who ever raised a fist in the front row, who blasted “Painkiller” at full volume or whispered the opening to “Nothing Else Matters” at 3 a.m.—this one’s for you.

Grab your ticket. Grab your vest. Tune up your voice.

Because The Final Forged Alliance is coming.

And it will never happen again.

Tour Dates, Tickets, and More Info: Visit [metallica.com] and [judaspriest.com] for official details and city-specific pre-sales.