Priestess

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Priestess is a Canadian heavy metal band formed, in Montreal, Quebec in 2003 by Mikey Heppner (vocals/guitar), Mike Dyball (bass), Vince Nudo (vocals/drums), and Dan Watchorn (vocals/guitar).

Biography

Priestess was formed in 2003. Mikey Heppner was playing with The Dropouts at the time when three of its members headed to New York to form The Stills. Left on his own, Heppner formed a new band in the form of Priestess. In 2005, the band released their debut album, Hello Master. The release was issued via Indica in Canada and on Ace Fu in the U.S. A major-label recording contract with RCA followed in January 2006. North American tour dates opening for Dinosaur Jr. followed that spring. Priestess also toured with The Sword, Early Man and Diamond Nights in the spring of 2006.

A remastered version of Hello Master arrived in June, and additional shows with the Riverboat Gamblers and the Bronx coincided with its release. Upon the album's re-release, tracks such as "Talk to Her" and "Lay Down" also began finding airplay on mainstream rock satellite stations such as Octane and Ink'd. On October 27, 2006, Priestess joined Black Label Society and Black Stone Cherry's already-in-progress tour which lasted until mid-December. Priestess toured with Converge and Mastodon from January 26 - February 17, 2007. The band toured Europe for their first time ever with thrash metal pioneers Megadeth as a part of their "Tour Of Duty" tour in June of 2007.

Priestess was joined by Murder By Death and Clutch on their North American 2007-2008 tour.

Priestess toured with GWAR and Cattle Decapitation in early 2009.

Recent Events

Despite being finished long before, the group's originally slated March 2009^[1] release date could not be met due to their American label's unwillingness to release the album as it was^[2]. The company wanted the group to keep writing and recording, but the band refused and left.^[3] The album, titled Prior to the Fire, was released in Canada on October 20, 2009, and will be released in the United States in early 2010. In November, a tour will follow, for which dates were announced on September 14. ^[4] On September 23rd, the song "Sideways Attack" was posted on the band's MySpace page.^[5] The track "Raccoon Eyes" can also be listened to on Indica Records' website.^[6] The group have signed with Tee Pee Records to distribute the new album in the United States, and will do so in February 2010. ^[7] The American edition will come in two special editions: both with two bonus tracks but only one with a T-shirt. ^[8]

Members

• Mikey Heppner - Lead vocals, lead guitar
• Dan Watchorn - Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Dyball - Bass guitar
• Vince Nudo - Drums, percussion, backing vocals.

Discography

Albums

• Hello Master (2006)
• Prior to the Fire (2009)

Singles

• "Run Home" (2006)
• "Lay Down" (2006)
• "Talk To Her" (U.S. Mainstream Rock #33) (2006)
• "Blood" (2007)
• "I Am The Night, Colour Me Black" (2007)

Gear

Heppner previously relied on a cherry Gibson SG as his main guitar, which, in early 2007, was replaced by a reissue Dan Armstrong Lucite guitar. Also Heppner used his Gibson Flying V at some concerts on his 2008 tour ^[9] Watchorn is always seen with a sunburst Gibson Firebird, while Dyball normally plays a Fender Precision Bass. Nudo uses a Ludwig Vistalite set with Paiste cymbals. For amplifiers, they all use Richtone stacks, which are made by an old friend of theirs in Montreal, Québec.

Trivia

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• "Everything That You Are" is featured in the Project Gotham Racing 4 soundtrack, as well as the ATV Offroad Fury 4 soundtrack.
• "Talk to Her" is in the soundtrack of NHL 07. ^[10]
• "I Am The Night, Colour Me Black" is track 15 in the soundtrack of Need For Speed: Carbon, as well as the soundtrack of NHL 2K8
• "Lay Down" is featured as a master track in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and in Guitar Hero Smash Hits, in Mountain Bike film New World Disorder 9, and in Bam Margera's second mix album, "Viva La Bands 2".
• "Run Home" is featured in the animated film Surf's Up
• "No Real Pain" is featured in the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam.
• "Two Kids" is featured in an episode of the HBO show Entourage.
• "Raccoon Eyes" is featured in the soundtrack of NHL 10.
• When Priestess was in the recording studio recording Prior to the Fire, the police told them to move the recording studio due to volume issues ^[11]

References

External links

• Official website
• Priestess at Allmusic
• Priestess at Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Priestess at MySpace
• School of hard rocks
• "Parce que ça sonne metal"
• MUSIC: Interview with Mikey Heppner of Priestess
• Richtone amplifiers' website