Judas Priest Celebrate 'Sad Wings of Destiny' With Interactive Scrapbook and New Master Tapes

Exciter Records has launched 'The Early Years', an interactive scrapbook designed to transport fans back to the formative era of Judas Priest. The digital experience features a collection of archival photos, videos, and memorabilia from the periods surrounding 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings of Destiny'.

The scrapbook serves as a hub for the 50th-anniversary celebrations of 'Sad Wings of Destiny', which features a pair of distinct releases. The first, 'Original 1976 Masters', is sourced from analog tapes preserved for decades. This version is available on hand-poured Solar Flare vinyl and a CD featuring liner notes by Bryan Reesman and the previously unreleased 1976 version of 'Diamonds and Rust'.

To see it recognised 50 years on — and to have it presented in new editions — is incredibly meaningful.

Accompanying the archival release is a 'Remixed & Remastered' edition. Both versions restore the band's intended track listing, beginning with the atmospheric 'Prelude'. The 'Original 1976 Masters' was made available for streaming on 2 October 2026, with physical formats arriving on 9 October.

Exciter Records and Reach Music acquired the master rights to the album, returning control to the band. In a statement, Judas Priest noted that the record was a defining moment where they began to shape the identity that would carry through their entire career. Exciter Records president Michael Closter added that they are honoured to bring these definitive editions to fans worldwide, having returned to tapes that remained untouched for decades.