menu

High Priests

Chicago, IL

RIYL: Mclusky, KEN mode, Metz, Frodus, The Icarus Line, Hot Snakes, Brainiac & The National Acrobat

When it comes to rock and roll, less is more. A trio, when done correctly, can be an absolute exemplification of this. Everyone from ZZ Top to Motörhead to Husker Du showed us how much of a racket that could be made by just three people . In an age of acts filled with too many amps, effects and t-shirt designs, it’s refreshing to see artists who embrace a more minimal approach to music making. Enter Chicago noise rock trio High Priests.

Coming together in the fall of 2013 with former and current members of The Brokedowns, Wide Angles and Post Child, the members of High Priests bonded over their mutual love of bad jokes, blunts and frequent viewings of the Karp documentary. With no immediate goals in mind, the band set out to simply play noisy and discordant music that was far removed from their current projects. Now after over four years of writing, rehearsing and playing live, High Priests are preparing to release their debut full length this Spring.

Their forthcoming LP Spinning was engineered at Kildare Studios by Joe Gac (of Meat Wave). The album boasts a bombastic production value, showcasing the songs with a spaciousness that perfectly fits their arrangements. Spinning accomplishes the rare feat of finding a balance between a lo-fi basement recording and something on the more professional end of the sonic spectrum, resulting in an album filled with equal parts grit and clarity.

Opener “Control” wastes no time establishing the High Priests sound, with drummer Mustafa Daka relentlessly bashing his drums with a Grohl-like enthusiasm. Bassist Justin Gutierrez provides an angular and looping bassline while guitarist and vocalist Mike Alesi pushes his voice to it’s absolute limit while providing the song with smart and memorable guitar lines. “Night Train” exhibits the band’s penchant for letting a song breathe and build, with a free and easy middle passage that showcases their ability to build a song up, tear it down and build it up once again in less than three minutes. Album closer “All You” finds the band at their most Touch & Go-esque, recalling some of the label’s more memorable late ’80s and early ’90s roster. The mathematical precision and groove of the song is certain to please fans of that particular label as well as era contemporaries like Polvo and Hoover.

All of us at Triple Eye Industries are thrilled to include High Priests as part of our continually growing roster. Welcome to the family, guys.

Releases

Artist Photo Gallery

Release Reviews

TEI-031: Spinning

“

A minimalist approach to making heavy rock sees High Priests blast out thrilling noise. The filthiness that encrusts High Priests sound is one that truly gets under the skin. It’s a short album that feels even shorter as track after track speeds by in noisy rhythmic stomping. By time it reaches its conclusion the grit of the record will have left its mark. A great effort. 8/10

”
“

It's fair to say that Chicago's High Priests are unashamedly in the thrall of chug lord John Reis, specifically his on again / off again venomous project, Hot Snakes. However, while this debut album does purloin a few pages from the man sometimes known as Speedo's songbook – especially on 10 years – it manages to retain a feeling of freshness thanks to the explosive energy of their performances and it's a feast for the ears for those who love off-kilter rhythms, head-cracking riffs and crunchy post-punk. Powerhouse drummer Mustafa Daka is a revelation throughout the 11 tracks the former member of The Brokedowns calls to mind Dave Grohl in his prime during the likes of Control and Night Train. Ugly, arresting and uncompromising, High Priests' sonic sermons should earn them plenty of new converts over the next 12 months. For fans of: McClusky, The Icarus Line, Hot Snakes. 7/10

” Edwin McFee
“

... If a High Priests’s live performance contains just a fraction of power that this album does, I would imagine that they’re incredible to witness in the flesh. This record is non-stop aural onslaught that will leave your head Spinning.

” Rory Melough, Moshville Times
“

If I didn’t tell you High Priests are from Chicago, you’d probably guess correctly anyhow. The shadow of Midwestern noise-rock looms large over the galloping maelstrom of Spinning. And while accusations of Jesus Lizard worship may be rightly leveled against the trio, we’re not talking about blatant plagiarism here. Where The Jesus Lizard was sinister and slithery, High Priests are violent and bludgeoning — and covered with a layer of grime and filth. Listening feels like walking in bare feet on a kitchen floor that hasn’t been washed all winter.

The songs are underpinned by an absolutely monstrous bass tone. Moored to that anchor are skittery and abrasive guitar shards and hoarse, strident shouts. Here again a comparison to their spiritual forebears may prove illustrative: if David Yow was your creepy, alcoholic uncle slurring his way through an unsavory story, Mikey Alesi is your strung-out friend, on the edge of break down, explaining how unfair the world is. There’s no relief from the relentless lecture — no moment to catch your breath. You endure the imposition knowing that there must be a grain of truth in there. Somewhere in the distance a machine shop clatters and groans with jury-rigged parts. And then it’s over. Highly recommended.

” Russell Emerson Hall, Echoes and Dust
“

Sonically the whole album is a beast. Rather just a cascading sheet of sound, High Priests ensure each track has enough dynamics to let the riffs really catch hold and then breathe around Daka’s drum kit. There’s not a weak moment on Spinning, and the 30 minutes sprawls by so quick you want to immediately start it again.

” Chris, Nine Circles
“

From the moment you get swept up by the manic, punky opener ‘Control’ up until the moment where you get tossed aside at the end of the mathematically precise ‘All You’, there really isn’t a lot more you can do than bow before these High Priests. - 7/10

” Thomas, PunkRockTheory.com
“

High Priests play punk that’s blunt and powerful, forgoing melodies and big choruses for brawling, blistering songs that hit heavy, hard, and fast. 7.5 / 10

” Loren, Scene Point Blank
Date City Venue Country
06/01/18 Chicago, IL Quencher’s Saloon United States
Venue: Quencher’s Saloon. Time: 9:00pm. Age restrictions: No Minors. Address: 2401 N Western Avenue. w Drones, Bike Tuff& Krayola More information
03/31/18 Chicago, IL 2040 Haus United States
Venue: 2040 Haus. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: No Minors. Address: 2040 West 19 st. LP Release Show w/ Canadian Rifle, Salvation and War Brides More information
12/16/17 Chicago, IL Subterranean United States
Venue: Subterranean. Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $8. Age restrictions: No Minors. Address: 2011 W North Ave. Venue phone: (773) 278-6600. w/ Plaque Marks, Something Is Waiting, & War Brides More information

Subscribe: RSS iCal