Release
date: May
18th
2018.
Label: Ripple
Music.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
High
Priestess – S/T –
Tracklisting
1.Firefly
10:11
2.Despise
08:03
3.Banshee
04:08
4.Take
The Blame 06:36
5.Mother
Forgive Me 05:04
6.Earth
Dive 06:40
Members
Katie
Gilchrest - guitars, vocals, organ
Mariana
Fiel - bass, vocals
Megan
Mullins - drums, percussion
Review
High
Priestess self-titled album sees the band play a heavy blend of
Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal that walks a fine line between classic
sounding Doom Rock and modern sounding Psychedelic Riffs. With razor
sharp production, High Priestess impress from the very start with
haunting melodies. The album is very progressive in places with the
band creating songs running from six, eight and ten minutes in
length.
Opening
track - Firefly - sees High Priestess opt for dark progressive doom
and gloom style of music. The psychedelic elements are slowly added
with the heavy Stoner Metal vibes appearing with the vocals making a
welcome appearance. The whole flow of the album is addictive and
flows with absolute confidence. Maybe a little bit too much at times.
High Priestess never outstays their welcome as the heavy progressive
sounds will keep you entertained from the start. There is a twinge of
Blues Rock contained on the album and is perhaps best encountered
from the gloomy and wonderful lyrics the band have written for the
album. Firefly is without question the standout track on the album.
Though
the other tracks held on the album are just as good with Despise,
Banshee and Earth Dive being the main ones to fully experience. The
vocals on Despise and Banshee took some time for me to get used to.
The clean vocals are superb though the higher pitched growls that
appear almost throw the song off course but they soon won me around
after a couple of more listens of actual song itself. High Priestess
are not your normal Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal band as they like
to experiment with their music and perhaps even play on the listeners
expectations of what a Doom/Stoner Metal band should actually be.
The
main strength of the album for me is the bass playing of Mariana.
Mariana provides a heavy and thunderous backdrop for High Priestess
to fully function from. High Priestess takes the best parts from the
Doom/Stoner Metal scene that has appeared over the last thirty years
or so and injects some much needed vitality and musical creativity.
This
album is already starting to win plaudits from within the Doom/Stoner
Metal community and it's richly deserved. As High Priestess provide a
no-holds musical experience you'll find very hard to ignore. Ripple
Music are releasing this album and it's good to see High Priestess
signed to the label. As I don't know who else could release this
album other than Ripple Music. You know what Ripple Music is known
for.
Though
this is High Priestess time to shine and they've created something
truly special here with their debut album.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Richard at Sheltered Life PR and Carl at Action PR for the promo.
High Priestess debut album is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via
Ripple Music.
You
can check out the exclusive Video Premiere of Firefly from High
Priestess spellbinding new album. Thanks to Todd and Matt over at
Ripple Music.
Links:
