Priest - Electronica takes over London

*****

The future of Electronic music

Priest ***** are a band I will talk about when I am talking about the future of Electronic music, their catchy songs are equally as good and imaginative as bands such as the Pet shop Boys and Depeche Mode. But they have the imagery and vision of bands that have been coming out of Sweden and Europe in the last few years. A movement that Priest are one of the pioneers of, and I have to say in my opinion do it the best. Where Darkwave bands like Freakangel, Hocico, and Combichrist have embraced the heavier edge of Electronic music verging on Industrial and Metal Priest have gone to the side of chart music and Pop with catchy chorus' and chart anthem esq. sound. Once you have heard a Priest song you just can't get it out of your head, they have been driving me mad on train journeys because I find myself humming them the full journey.

The last time I saw Priest was when they toured the UK with Aesthetic Perfection, a band we have also been following and enjoying for years. Priest have not really played the UK that much, this is their first UK headline tour and it is nice to see that a good crowd has turned out to see them in London tonight. They are supported by the spooky Craven, please check out our review of him. And it does not seem like much time from doors to their performance, I think maybe the stage at the Boston Music Rooms is a little smaller than the band is used to... but this just helps to make the evening more intimate and memorable. Most of the songs in the set come from the band's debut 'New Flesh' with a few gems from their second album 'Cyberhead' and their upcoming album 'Body Machine' which is due to be released on Cleopatra Records this year.

Priest singer Mercury comes onto the stage looking like a cross between something from 'Blade Runner' and 'Tron', with his red eye laser beam being guided onto the crowd like he is going to assassinate them. Breaking into catchy songs like the infamous 'The Pit' and the infectious 'Nightmare Hotel', which all the crowd knows every word to. I really love the track 'Nightmare Hotel' reminds me of an uptempo version of the 'Hotel Gansevoort' by Patrick Cleandenim, I always wondered what he would be like if he went even more Electronic and faster... I think he would sound like Priest. I think this is one of the reasons I like Priest so much, they are an evolution of all the Pop and Electronic music that I love. They also know how to put on a great live show, and Mercury knows how to use the stage to the best of his ability.

Priest have embraced Synth-Wave and influences of acts like Carpenter Brut on their new single 'Techno Girl', which is already a live favourite. Mercury really takes center stage in the band's performance with the other members Salt and Sulfur being a little too far back for my liking. I would like them to be more involved in the band's performance because at times you feel they should be more prominent like they are in the band's encore which is really great. I do know that they have not been able to bring their full show over, like their video screens because of the size of the venue and the cost of transporting equipment at the moment. So I think the whole stage setup is probably different from what they are used to. And even though I have made this point, it does not affect the band's performance too much which is one of the best I have ever seen from an Electronic band.

New songs like 'A Signal in the Noise' show a great new direction for the band, but for me, it's songs like 'The Cross' and 'Vaudeville' that really stand out tonight. 'The Cross' shows a great connection between Priest and the fans, while 'Vaudeville' shows that the band could be a mainstream chart band. Like is also shown in the memorable 'History in Black', which is just such a classic Pop song. Priest's set goes by way too fast, and you wish they had more time to play the songs they haven't played yet. But as they say, a good band, leaves you wanting more. Priest for me are the perfect Electronic band, and I can't wait to see them again.

Review and Photo's by Dan Devour

Priest - Setlist 
----------------------
The Pit
Nightmare Hotel
Techno Girl
Dead Ringer
Let your body Go
A Signal in the Noise
Beacon of Light
The Cross
History in Black
Neuromancer
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Obey
Vaudeville

Check Out! the Video for 'A Signal in the Noise' Below...