In an exclusive clip from the upcoming Judas Priest documentary, frontman Rob Halford discusses the origins of the band's 1980 hit 'Breaking the Law,' tying it to social unrest in Britain. The film, 'The Ballad of Judas Priest,' premieres at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. It features interviews with notable musicians reflecting on the band's legacy.
Judas Priest's 'Breaking the Law,' released in 1980 on the album British Steel, drew inspiration from the British working class's protests against Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's conservative government. "‘Breaking the Law’ is a revolution song," Halford said in the clip. "You’d watch the news every night and you see all this conflict going on. With the pain and the suffering of some of the British working class people. Rioting and striking because of their rage."
The song's music video depicts the band robbing a bank using loud guitars instead of guns to steal a British Steel gold record. Halford explained, “We’re not going into the bank to steal the money, we’re going into the bank to steal the album. Maybe it was just a metaphor of you cannot cage this music, you cannot put this music behind bars.”
Directed by Tom Morello and Sam Dunn, 'The Ballad of Judas Priest' explores the band's 50-year history, from its formation in Birmingham, England, to induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The group released its debut album Rocka Rolla in 1974 and Invincible Shield in 2024, marking it as the first metal act with albums 50 years apart. Over that period, Judas Priest has produced 19 studio albums.
The documentary includes interviews with Halford, other band members, Billy Corgan, Lzzy Hale, Run-DMC’s Daryl McDaniels, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Dave Grohl, Kirk Hammett, Jack Black, and the late Ozzy Osbourne. McDaniels commented, “‘Breaking the Law’ is like some Ice Cube shit, if you read the lyrics.”
Morello and Dunn stated, “While some may know Judas Priest for their huge hits that have shaped the heavy-metal genre, there is so much more to their story. Tracing their incredible 50-year journey, this film will capture how Judas Priest both defined the sound and look of metal, but also made it a more inclusive place along the way.” The band added, “We have lived and breathed metal for over five decades, and finally in this documentary we are summoning our congregation to officially witness our lives uncensored, in a never-before-seen way … the cassock comes off, revealing Priest in all its metal glory.”