Release
date: April
10th
2020.
Label: Ripple
Music.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Casting
The Circle –
Tracklisting
1.Casting
the Circle 05:10
2.Erebus
3.The
Hourglass 06:46
4.Invocation
5.Ave
Satanas
Members
Katie
Gilchrest: Guitar / Vocals
Megan
"Whiplash" Mullins: Drums
Mariana
Fiel: Bass / Vocals
Review
High
Priestess new album Casting The Circle carries on the band’s style
of Psychedelic Doom Metal first heard on their celebrated 2018 debut
album. The band are also continuing their journey with Ripple Music
and you know my thoughts already about that great label. I saw High Priestess play a local shitty dive in my home-town of
Newcastle Upon Tyne when they supported Cities Of Mars on their
European Tour. And they exceeded my expectations with their blend of
heavy based Occult/Doom/Psych Rock outlook on life.
So I was eagerly looking forward to this album and it doesn’t disappoint. This hugely talented power-trio know most importantly at how to write an excellent riff and add cool melodic vocals to the mix. The atmosphere is always evolving with moments of Classic Doom Rock/Metal spliced with the modern sounding Psychedelic Stoner Metal vibes that seem quite bleak and brooding at times.
The
opening two songs – Casting The Circle and Erebus – shows you
that the band have spent the past two years honing their craft and
playing some deeply heavy Progressive Sounds that combine everything
good from the last 40 years or so of Hard Rock/Metal but still
pushing the boundaries of the genre even further.
Both
songs are slowly played but High Priestess know when to move things
up a gear and allow the album to become a heavier “out-of-body”
experience where the riffs ultimately consume you. The lyrics are
emotionally poetic and
the vocals just add an extra layer of class to the overall flow and
feel of the album. This is still very much a Doom Metal album but
High Priestess but their own unique spin on things and it’s quite
emotionally distant whilst still offering a warm natured and
addictive approach as well.
The
album does have a “Drone” based quality to it where the music
lingers from one dramatic heavy moment to the next. High Priestess
pay homage to their musical heroes past and present quite often on
this release and still sound very much their own band.
Third
song – Hourglass – opens with a Classic Doom/Garage Rock riff
that has a distorted 70s crazed sound to it all and the beautifully
played “Blues Rock” vibe soon gives way to a heavier style of
Psychedelic based Doom/Stoner Rock. The lush lead vocals from Katie
are always thrilling but she’s superbly backed up by Megan and
Mariana who offer a bewitching style when singing in unison.
The
real standout and highlight of the album is the 17 minute plus epic
of Invocation. This song feels
like a mini-rock opera with it’s many different strands of music
that the band put together. Expect this song to go in quite a few
different directions with the band focusing mostly on Progressive
Doom/Stoner Metal with a deep appreciation for Classic Rock, Prog
Rock and Heavy Metal.
High
Priestess are aiming for bigger and better things on this album and
they succeed on every level. As this is the type of album that could
raise their profile even further within the Doom/Stoner Metal
Community.
Overall,
Casting The Circle is a bewitching journey into the darkness of
Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal that will surprise you in many
different ways. This is an essential album to own. No doubt….
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Purple
Sage PR for the
promo. Casting
The Circle will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from Ripple Music
on April 10th
2020.
Links:
