Priestess - Hello Master

by Adrian Huggins

published: 8 / 5 / 2007

Label: Lime Records
Format: CD

Strong and classic-sounding hard rock on new album from impressive new Canadian rock band Priestess, who seem destined to be huge

Review

Priestess are the latest in an increasingly long line of impressive Canadian rock bands to peddle their worth on our fair shores. They play the sort of music that when done well is great, uplifting and fun but when done badly is nothing short of an atrocity. Priestess fall on the credible side of that line. Their music blends together the finer elements of classic rock bands like AC/DC, Def Leppard and Black Sabbath with gargantuan riffs. The fact that they have recently been touring the States with metal behemoths Mastodon speaks volumes and should go some way to giving you an idea of what to expect. ‘Hello Master’ kicks off with the lead single ‘I am the Night, Colour Me Black’. This sets the tempo for the album with pounding drums and bass line that tempts you in before smacking you round the chops with some lovely guitar work in the vein of Led Zeppelin and Van Halen. There is no mistaking what Priestess are here to do, which is rock like a mother fucker. ‘Lay Down’ which follows has a similarly retro rock style, bounding along like the finest Thin Lizzy tune and dripping with rock n’ roll attitude. There seems nothing contrived or insincere about them. At no point do you feel like you are listening to a pub covers band in their 40'a as mid life crisis sets on. ‘Living like a Dog’ and ‘Performance’ are perfect examples of this as both have multi-layered sing-along choruses and drumbeats which make them sound like AC/DC and Def Leppard having some sort of big haired, guitar-based dual. Upon first listen to many of these songs they sounds classic, as if they have been around for years. Set to help destroy middle England over the summer at the Download festival, Priestess have all the makings of a band that will inject some much needed energy no nonsense playing into modern music. The instant choral hooks of ‘No Real Pain’ and ‘Run Home’ have the potential to become summer anthems. They are a fun band but do not stray too near to the novelty sound of the Darkness. With zero cheesiness and no ballads looming anywhere near, Priestess do a great job of balancing the classic styles which are responsible for their birth, with a modern feeling of not slowing down at any point throughout the album. The guitar solos are intricate but never over the top and the drums keep the pace going all the way through ‘Hello Master’. This is complimented by the honest vocals from Mikey Heppner which sound like those of someone who lives for rock n’ roll. They are a band that will be huge.

Track Listing:-

1 I Am The Night, Colour Me Black
2 Lay Down
3 Run Home
4 Two Kids
5 Talk To Her
6 Time Will Cut You Down
7 Everything That You Are
8 The Shakes
9 Performance
10 Living Like A Dog
11 No Real Pain
12 Blood