Killing Machine was Judas Priest’s fifth studio album, released in November 1978. The album saw Judas Priest head towards a more commercial style; however it did still contain the dark lyrical themes as heard in their previous albums. At about the same time, the band members adopted their now-famous "leather-and-studs" image. The track"The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown)" an early Fleetwood Mac cover, was added to the running order in the US.

The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added. The bonus track "Fight for Your Life" was the "original" version of Judas Priest's "Rock Hard Ride Free" from their Defenders of the Faith album.