In a historic announcement that has sent shockwaves through the heavy metal community, legendary bands Judas Priest and Iron Maiden have revealed a joint farewell tour titled **“The Metal Titans Final Roar,”** scheduled for 2026
Historic Announcement: Judas Priest and Iron Maiden Unite for Joint Farewell Tour “The Metal Titans Final Roar” Set for 2026
*London, UK – July 3, 2025* — In a moment that has shaken the core of the heavy metal world, two of the genre’s most iconic and influential bands — **Judas Priest** and **Iron Maiden** — have officially announced a joint **farewell tour** titled **“The Metal Titans Final Roar,”** scheduled to kick off in 2026. The news, revealed simultaneously on both bands’ official websites and social media channels, marks a monumental event in music history and an emotional farewell for millions of fans around the globe.
This unprecedented tour will be the **first and last time** these two titanic forces share the same stage for a full-scale co-headlining global tour — a dream pairing decades in the making. For fans, it’s not just a concert; it’s the closing chapter of an era that redefined rock music forever.
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### **A Farewell Fit for Legends**
Set to begin in **March 2026**, “The Metal Titans Final Roar” will span **over 50 cities worldwide**, including stops in North America, Europe, South America, Japan, and Australia. The tour promises to be a heavy metal spectacle unlike anything ever witnessed — a celebration of over **100 combined years** of music, defiance, and legacy.
Each show will feature **individual headline-length sets** by both bands, showcasing their most legendary tracks, fan favorites, and a few deep cuts for die-hard followers. Special collaborative performances between Iron Maiden and Judas Priest members have also been teased, including a rumored **dual encore set**.
> “This is more than a tour. It’s a salute to everything heavy metal stands for,” said **Rob Halford**, lead vocalist of Judas Priest. “For over five decades, we’ve carried the torch, and now, we pass it on with one last, thunderous roar.”
> Iron Maiden’s **Bruce Dickinson** echoed the sentiment: “We’ve conquered the world stage many times over, but this will be the ultimate ride — loud, proud, and unforgettable. Maiden and Priest — side by side — one last time. Let’s make it count.”
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### **The End of an Era**
For both bands, the tour symbolizes a long, proud journey nearing its epic conclusion.
**Judas Priest**, formed in Birmingham in 1969, are widely considered the pioneers of the leather-and-studs heavy metal aesthetic. With genre-defining albums such as *British Steel*, *Screaming for Vengeance*, and *Painkiller*, Priest fused power, melody, and rebellion into a sound that inspired countless bands.
**Iron Maiden**, who emerged from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in 1975, brought theatricality, technical precision, and mythological storytelling to the genre. Albums like *The Number of the Beast*, *Powerslave*, and *Seventh Son of a Seventh Son* cemented their status as global icons. Their mascot, **Eddie**, remains one of the most recognizable symbols in music.
Combined, the bands have sold over **200 million albums**, headlined nearly every major rock and metal festival on Earth, and influenced virtually every metal band that followed in their wake.
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### **Fan Reaction: Reverence and Sadness**
The announcement triggered an emotional tsunami across the internet. Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok exploded with tributes, setlist predictions, and heartfelt memories shared by lifelong fans. Within hours, hashtags like **#FinalRoarTour**, **#MetalTitans**, and **#FarewellPriestMaiden** began trending globally.
> “This is the Super Bowl of heavy metal,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “If you’re a metalhead, this is your pilgrimage.”
> “My dad took me to see Maiden when I was 13,” said another. “Now I’ll take my son to their last show. Full circle. Legends.”
Even fellow musicians expressed reverence. Metallica’s **James Hetfield** posted: *“No Priest, no Maiden? No Metallica. Respect to the gods.”*
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### **Legacy Secured**
Both Judas Priest and Iron Maiden have been inducted into various Halls of Fame and have received lifetime achievement awards for their contributions to music. But perhaps the greatest tribute is the generation-spanning loyalty of their fanbases.
More than just bands, Priest and Maiden have always embodied the spirit of metal — *loud, unyielding, and unapologetically rebellious*. Their music has provided anthems of empowerment, resistance, and catharsis for millions of listeners around the world.
> “We were never about trends,” said Halford. “We were about truth. And the truth is — metal lives in the hearts of its fans. Forever.”
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### **What to Expect on Tour**
While full details are expected in the coming months, organizers have confirmed:
* **Massive arena and stadium shows**
* **Dual headlining performances**, alternating closing sets
* **Brand new stage productions**, including redesigned versions of Iron Maiden’s legendary “Eddie” set pieces and Judas Priest’s iconic motorbike entrance
* **Exclusive farewell tour merchandise**
* Special **VIP fan experiences**, meet-and-greets, and historical exhibits celebrating each band’s legacy
There are also rumors of a **commemorative live album or documentary** being produced throughout the tour, capturing the historic collaboration from backstage to encore.
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### **Final Thoughts**
“The Metal Titans Final Roar” is more than a farewell tour — it’s a monument to the music that raised generations, defined rebellion, and transformed the soundscape of rock forever. As the last power chords of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden ring out across the world stage, fans will not just be witnessing the end of a tour — they’ll be celebrating the legacy of two bands who *made heavy metal a way of life*.
Whether you’re a lifelong headbanger or a new fan drawn by the gravity of greatness, this tour offers a final chance to stand in the presence of metal royalty.
**The countdown to the Final Roar begins. One last time — up the irons and scream for vengeance.**
