I'd forgotten about Priestess until they woke me up at SXSW. It's not surprising my mind wandered. It's also not surprising they got my attention in a live setting: For a few years, the Montreal quartet depended on unending tours to get their newer sounds outside the practice space and recording studio. They released their well-received debut Hello Master in Canada in 2005 (and the States in 2006) and finished their sophomore effort in 2008, but had to fight with then-label RCA, who reportedly didn't think it contained a proper "single," to release it. RCA ostensibly never found that elusive single so they dropped the group, who were allowed to take Prior To The Fire to a new home. It's been out a couple months now. If you haven't taken a listen, the closer "Trapped In Space & Time" offers a good entryway. Intentional or not, that title and the song's lyrics ("five long years," etc.) also offer a nice fuck you to RCA.
Priestess - "Trapped In Space & Time"
To create a proper bookend, here's the video for flanged opener "Lady Killer."
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Prior To The Fire is out via Tee Pee. You can catch them live on the aforementioned tour with High On Fire, Bison B.C., and Black Cobra.
