Thomas Howell and Judas Priest Announce Final Joint Farewell Tour, Cementing a Legendary Legacy in Metal History
In a moment that shook the rock and metal world to its core, iconic actor-turned-metal-god Thomas Howell and heavy metal titans Judas Priest announced their final joint farewell tour, “The Final Reckoning,” during a press conference streamed live from Birmingham, UK — the birthplace of heavy metal.
This tour, a once-unthinkable collaboration, marks the culmination of a decade-long alliance between the unlikeliest of heroes and one of the genre’s founding fathers. And for fans who followed the wild, leather-clad arc of Thomas Howell’s astonishing second act, it feels like the fittingly grand finale they never dared to imagine.
From Ponyboy to Power Chords
Thomas Howell, known to most as the beloved Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders, stunned the entertainment industry in 2015 when he reemerged not on the silver screen, but in a shadowy London basement venue. With a microphone in one hand and a whiskey bottle in the other, he fronted a surprise set of Judas Priest covers under the pseudonym “Howlstorm.”
The performance went viral overnight, with metal fans initially skeptical — and then stunned — by Howell’s raw vocal power, guttural growls, and unexpected stage presence. Within a year, he was sharing stages with underground bands across Europe and had officially joined Judas Priest for select appearances as a “guest vocalist.” By 2020, he was dubbed “the bastard son of Halford and Dio” by Metal Hammer magazine.
“Honestly, I was just following the fire in my gut,” Howell told a sold-out crowd at Wacken Open Air Festival in 2021. “I never left acting. I just realized metal was the role I was born to play.”
Judas Priest: Welcoming a New Chapter
For Judas Priest, who had already weathered the storms of lineup changes and generational shifts, Howell’s emergence injected fresh energy into a band that had nothing left to prove — but still plenty left to say.
Rob Halford, the legendary “Metal God” himself, shared lead vocal duties with Howell during their 2019-2023 tours. Their dynamic — part theatrical, part spiritual — created what fans lovingly called “the twin priesthood,” a dual-vocal approach that fused classic power with unhinged charisma.
“We saw in Tom a purity,” Halford said at the press conference, his mirrored shades reflecting the spotlight. “He wasn’t trying to be someone else. He was just a raw conduit of the music. That’s what Priest is all about.”
Now, with Halford approaching his 75th birthday and Howell eager to return to creative ventures beyond music, the two have chosen to go out with one last blaze of glory.
The Final Reckoning Tour
Billed as a 50-date international journey across five continents, The Final Reckoning promises an epic sendoff steeped in spectacle, nostalgia, and unapologetic heavy metal fire. Fans can expect dual-headliner performances, reimagined setlists, and appearances from former Priest members, including K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, for select shows.
“Expect dragons, fire, choirs, motorcycles, and maybe even a jet,” joked Howell at the conference, clad in studded black denim and wearing a pendant shaped like a flaming horseshoe — a nod to his stage persona, “The Iron Mustang.”
Stops include major stadiums in Tokyo, Berlin, São Paulo, Los Angeles, and, of course, Birmingham, where the final show will take place next August. That concert, titled Reckoning Night, is expected to be simulcast worldwide and released as a live album and concert film.
Fans who register early will receive limited edition memorabilia, including a “Final Reckoning” comic book chronicling Howell’s journey from teen heartthrob to heavy metal messiah.
Legacy of the Outsider
Beyond the riffs and the roaring crowds, Howell’s venture into metal has been lauded for its sincerity. He never cashed in on nostalgia or played the novelty card. Instead, he immersed himself fully — touring non-stop, studying the craft, and even co-writing two of Priest’s later singles, including “Ashes of Avalon,” a doom-laden power ballad that became a surprise radio hit in 2022.
Critics who once rolled their eyes have long since recanted.
“He redefined what it means to be an outsider,” said Kerrang! editor Jamie Doyle. “Howell didn’t just step into metal. He reshaped its mythology.”
The cultural impact has already left its mark: a biopic titled Steel & Spirit, loosely based on Howell’s metal rebirth, is in pre-production, with the actor himself set to co-direct.
Halford & Howell: Brothers of the Flame
Though the tour marks an end, both men made it clear this isn’t goodbye forever. Halford hinted at future writing projects, possibly a joint memoir or spoken word collaboration. Howell, meanwhile, plans to return to indie filmmaking, with two scripts in development — one rumored to be a fantasy-metal opera.
“We’ll always be brothers of the flame,” Halford said, clasping Howell’s shoulder during the announcement. “But this is the right time to take the final bow together — not as icons, not as idols — but as fans of the music that made us.”
As fans prepare for the sonic thunder of The Final Reckoning, one thing is certain: Thomas Howell’s name is now etched forever into the scrolls of metal history — an outsider who rode the lightning all the way to
