Priestess

After watching these longhaired Canucks tear up the stage opening for Nashville Pussy at the Clubhouse Music Venue, I'm convinced they are the most impressive and diverse band in the current wave of retro metal-rock, surpassing such stellar company as '70s-sounding acts Wolfmother, Danava, and The Sword. They have incredibly hard-driving, huge-sounding songs with a classic metal feel — à la AC/DC-meets-Black Sabbath in radio-friendly format. On record, as on stage, they sound like rock monsters who've come to eat our souls with screaming guitar melodies, big choruses, chugging fuck-rhythms, power chords galore, and, God bless 'em, cowbell. Priestess cranks out plenty of melodic songs with stripper beats on Hello Master, but keeps its tough edge with meaty riffs and manly vocals. Highlights include "Time Will Cut You Down," a gritty power ballad, and the fast and furious "No Real Pain."