High Priest are a US doom metal band and this is their debut album.
Invocation combines classic doom metal with elements of heavy metal, hard rock, stoner, and grunge. Across 45 minutes High Priest impress with their charismatic and vibrant take on a well-worn style.
The music on Invoation is a synthesis of old and new influences, skilfully drawing out the aspects of the different styles from various eras to produce songs that just won’t quit. High Priest’s blend of traditional and contemporary ingredients results in something very tasty indeed. High Priest manage to somehow sound both cutting edge and timeless.
High Priest offer a refreshingly multicoloured take on classic sounds. This is undoubtedly the sort of thing you’d file under doom/stoner/etc., but it’s also more than that. This is a band that are somehow greater than the sum of their parts. Their sound, their riffs, the vocals, are all striking and immediately make you think that you’re experiencing something special. Repeated spins cement this firmly, revealing a well-crafted, heartfelt album that’s highly compelling and enjoyable. The songs do very well to combine their various parts well, all under the seamless and surprisingly warm aegis of traditional doom metal.
Invocation is in some ways like its album cover; deceptively simple at first glance, yet the more you look, the more you see. Invocation contains the sort of detail that is hidden in plain sight, within huge riffs and gorgeously emotive vocals.
Ever since I first heard 2019’s wonderful EP Sanctum I have had high hopes for this band, and they have not disappointed. Invocation is an incredibly strong album, and I urge you to spend some time with it if you’re at all a fan of the style.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 