Featured in the new issue of the legendary Kerrang!, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford is featured in a career-spanning interview. During the chat he discusses coming out as gay back in 1998, and how attitides towards homosexuality haven't changed all that much since. Following is an excerpt.

Halford: “We’ve still got a long way to go. I think the LGBTQ (community), as we call ourselves now, still have to figure a lot out in terms of equality. But much like metal was regarded as the black sheep of rock’n’roll – with people being like, ‘Oh, you don’t like heavy metal, do you? That’s not music. That’s crap’ – you can apply that same thing to the gay community. It’s a similar experience in some of its elements. But then again, it’s 2018 and we still talk about sexual orientation, skin colour, or ‘my religion’s better than yours’. You’d think there would have been some kind of change and people would have moved on after such a long time. Now that I’m moving through my OAP heavy metal years (laughs), I thought a lot of it would be gone by now. And it’s a shame. We don’t really get to spend a lot of time on this planet together, so there’s no point in wasting it being divided. Love yourself, love each other, and love heavy fucking metal!”

On August 2nd, Judas Priest were inducted into The Hall Of Heavy Metal History at Germany's Wacken Open Air Festival. The ceremony took place just before the band performed one of the biggest shows of their current Firepower world tour.

"We have made sure that Judas Priest finally gets the Induction and respect they truly deserve," says Pat Gesualdo, Founder / CEO of The Hall Of Heavy Metal History. "We thank them for the decades of hard work and dedication to Heavy Metal, an art form they helped establish."

An official statement from the band reads: "Judas Priest are thrilled and honoured to accept induction into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History and be amongst so many of our friends. This also sends a great message of inclusion for the metal community around the world, and keeps us defending the metal faith together."

Judas Priest’s latest studio album Firepower was released March 9th via Epic Records. Co-produced by Tom Allom and Andy Sneap, the 14-track album has become one of the most successful of the band’s entire career - landing in the Top 5 in 17 countries (including their highest chart placement ever in the US), and scoring their highest charting commercial rock radio single in decades with “Lightning Strike”. The band’s new music video, “No Surrender”, can be seen below.

“’No Surrender’ captures the true metal fighting spirit and metalheads around the world find a united voice within the message of this song,” says the band. “When you honestly believe in yourself and live your life the way you have the right to with no surrender, then nothing will ever stop you from living your dream.”