British heavy-metal icons Judas Priest brought their farewell tour, aptly dubbed “Epitaph,” to nearly 4,000 fans Sunday night at the Allen Event Center. Frontman Rob Halford and his four band members spent two hours tracing the 42-year career of the pioneering entity. Almost every Judas Priest album was represented in the extensive set list, from the 1974 debut Rocka Rolla to 2008’s Nostradamus.

The songs were accented with pyrotechnics, strobe lights, lasers and a platform decked out in chains. A video screen behind the drummer, who was perched atop a staircase, occasionally displayed album covers as indicators of the upcoming track. Halford — still a towering presence in black leather, bald head shining — loved to introduce the numbers. He also spent time thanking the die-hards for decades of their admiration.

He also liked to dress the part. He was a metallic Grim Reaper during “Prophecy,” a fierce tune from Nostradamus. Donning a cop cap, Halford rode a motorcycle onto the platform for “Hell Bent for Leather.” For “Judas Rising” and “Starbreaker,” he sparkled in a glittery black trench coat.

Most impressive was his voice. At 60, Halford commands bloodcurdling, high-pitched wailing and barrel-deep growling. He used an echo effect on his microphone, but those notes were all his. The band’s sound was ferocious. With every machine-gun guitar riff and pounding, rhythmic drumbeat, I was reminded of metal’s true essence. These guys have spent a lifetime crafting an identifiable style, look and persona. That attention to craftsmanship is absent in modern metal. Today it’s just roaring, anonymous intensity.

Judas Priest will be missed. “Epitaph” rolls for about another seven months, first in the United States and then overseas. But we’ll have the memories of this final tour, a fist-pumping blast that brought us staples “Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” “Turbo Lover” and “Blood Red Skies.”

The show’s two opening acts offered divergent examples of metal showmanship. A revamped Thin Lizzy, featuring lead singer Ricky Warwick, worked diligently delivering 45 minutes of personable, old-fashioned hard rock ’n’ roll. On the flip side, Black Label Society, fronted by Zakk Wylde, was disappointing. Wylde’s 10-minute guitar solo was repetitive noodling, and he barely acknowledged the crowd, making the performance rather detached.

After months of detailing Vince Neil’s legal issues, I have to say it feels good to write about Motley Crue and music for a change. The Crue launched their South American tour Saturday in Santiago, Chile to a packed house at the Movistar Arena. The band held a press conference before the show, where they addressed their first visit to the city. “This is the first time a lot of people have seen Motley Crue,” said Neil. “I think they’re going to be very surprised and very happy, so…we’re just a great rock n roll band.” This isn’t Vince’s first trip to the continent; he toured there as a solo artist in early 2010 to rave reviews, and the experience wasn’t lost on him. “This is the first city I stopped in [during] the first part of the short tour,” said Neil. “I’m really excited to be back. You guys are crazy, and I’m really excited for these guys (points to Nikki and Tommy), it’s their first time here. We’ll have some fun together.”

Tickets for both shows are available though www.ticketek.com/ar