Priestbird - In Your Time (Kemado)
3/5
By: Matt Tomiak
With a name that sounds like a silly made-up heavy metal band - it would surely fit in well on a line-up that also included Bill & Ted's Wyld Stallions - and a ludicrous, Led Zeppelin- aping sleeve, New York's Priestbird (formerly known as Tarantula A.D.) at first appear a faintly preposterous proposition. The opening track, the rasping, turgid cod-goth pomp of 'Life Not Lost' does not augur well.
But things rapidly improve. 'Season Of The Sun' and 'Hand That Draws' are both lingering, stately J. Spaceman-style epic prog elegies; all brooding guitars, imperious solos, unsettling hushed vocals and are altogether much better.
The sludgy riffs and mystical lyrical bent of 'Smoke & Pain' strengthens the Led Zep links, whilst fleeting, slender instrumentals such as 'Jackyl' and 'Guest Room' and hypnotic drone of the title track all help to provide a healthy balance. In fact, across the entirety of 'In Your Time', the purely 'metal' moments represent less than 50% of the running time. An abrasive, lo-fi, BRMC-style acoustic secret track simply adds to the appealing variety.
Priestbird overcome those inauspicious early signs to present an album whose diverse appeal extends beyond strict fans of the genre.
Watch the video to 'Season of the Sun' HERE.
Artists in this article: Priestbird
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