Priest - Body Machine

July 15th 2022

(CD Album)

****

Inject yourself with a dose of the 'Body Machine'!!!

Priest are a band that I have really been into for quite a while so I was looking forward to their new album 'Body Machine', the album was released on July 15th, 2022. So I know it has taken me a while to write about it, and this is because it's a really difficult write up for me to do. This is because I love Priest, and want to give the pro's and cons of the record and review it fairly. We all know the history of the band, and that some members were in the infamously big Metal band Ghost, but I don't really think we need to or want to go into that. It has been said in other pieces, and doesn't really have any relevance to the new record 'Body Machine'. And that Priest are a band that really stands out on it's own, so should be reviewed as of this.

The album get's on point from track number one, which is the single 'A signal in the Noise'. It has a heavy rhymic beat to it at the beginnig, and reminds me a little bit of Depeche Mode's 'People are People'. Well if it went a little bit EBM, as the song goes on it flips into classic Priest sounding vocals from Mercury... like you would hear in earlier hits like 'The Cross' and 'Call my Name'. One of the best moments of this track is the haunting melody on the keys that comes in later on. This is classic 80's keyboard sound, that has given a new tint. This sound continues with the tracks 'Ghost Writer', which again is Depeche Mode sounding and has a very repetative beat. I really think this song is very Vince Clarke (Erasure / Depeche Mode / Yazoo) inspired, it is a little repetative at times... but this does get more interesting near the end of the song as Priest mix it up a bit. Keyboardist Salt and Sulfur are key as they create the melodies that got throughout the album, with the vocals by Mercury giving them new depths.

The album kicks then in with 'Hell Awaits' it verges on Industrial with it's beats like say Jager 90 or maybe even Nitzer Ebb, I love that they are trying to mix things up and these it not so similar to what they have done before. These is continues on 'Phantom Pain' which sounds like some of Andy LePlagua (Combichrist / Icon of Coil) Electronic music, mixed with the haunting sound of Priest. It again has the catchy chorus, and a dark feeling to it and almost The 69 Eyes style vocals. Some of the voice samples in this song really makes it, leading on to almost instrumental track 'Blacklisted' nicely. The vocals on this sound very similar to the American band Orgy, but they a few and far between. 'Perfect body Machine' is very 80's Pop, and sounds like it has been lifted off a major motion picture soundtrack.

I can see why they went with 'Techno Girl', as one of the main singles off the record. It has the right feel to it, I know people will think I am mad but in places reminds me of 'Einstein a Go,Go' by Landscape or some of the music by Art Nouveau who later on became KajaGooGoo. I wouldn't say this sounds like KajaGooGoo, Art Nouveau to people that don't know are in ways a very different band. It's the sound, and the way the song is sung that makes me think of the New Romantic era and singers like Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet). The Retro sound and SynthWave / RetroWave is really coming in and in places Priest have this, mixing it with EBM, Electro and Electronica in a really interesting way. There is so much to talk about on this record, so many twists and turns. And when you get to the last three tracks, you feel do I really deserve more... they already have delivered so much.

And you get so much more than you wanted, with the haunting slow track 'Crystalline Lace', the Pop night time single 'Nightcrawler' and 'Keep on Burning'. 'Nightcrawler' actually is my favourite song on the album, it's so different on the other tracks on the album. And I love to play this on the way home from a gig, also would love to hear this in a bar down Soho... it would really set a nice seen. There is a really nice video to go along with this song, if you have not seen it... then you can on this page. The album ends on a nice little number 'Keep on Burning', which really is just a little catchy Pop song that could have been recorded by Erasure, Bright Light, Bright Light or maybe even Steps. It's just a really nice Pop song, that would fit in any Pop chart / Eurodance chart or in a Gay club. It just has that feel to it, and I have to say this is for me the other standout moment / song on the album

Watch! the Video for 'Nightcrawler' Below...

I have to say that 'Body Machine' is a little more repetative than previous albums 'New Flesh' and 'Cyberhead', but I feel the band wanted it this way and their is a whole feel surrounding the whole album. I like it when bands give an album a feel and concept, it shows that they have an idea about how they want to progress or deliver a message or the way they want people to see them. Question is though did I like the album as much as the previous two releases, and if I am honest I really have to say no. But this is no fault of the band, this is a personal preference and some of my friends say 'Body Machine' is their favourite record. I have to say my personal favourite is 'New Flesh', it has so many great songs on it 'Vaudeville', 'The Cross', 'The Pit' and 'Nightmare Hotel'. For me there is no beating these, and if Priest finally do. They will probably have released one of my favourite albums of all time... and I really hope they do.

Review by Dan Devour