While Priestess’ debut record, Hello Master, was an initial disappointment around these parts (the 'Free Speech For The Dumb' riff that opened the album engendered nothing but scorn for a while), Hello Master eventually became an essential listen and, several years later, it’s cemented its place to the point that it’ll go down as one of this decade’s classics (that’s what fire-breathing tracks like 'Everything That You Are', 'I Am The Night, Colour Me Black', 'No Real Pain' and 'Blood' will do for your record). Thing is, while everyone expected Priestess to blow up to Wolfmother proportions circa ’06, success didn’t come in the US and instead of honing its gleeful stoner/pure rock for follow-up Prior To The Fire (produced by fellow Montrealer Adrian Popovich, of Tricky Woo fame), Priestess has instead retreated into to-thine-own-self-be-true territory and put out a traditional metal album that is more in line with Icarus Witch and Cruz Del Sur Records than anything Wolfmother. Essentially an amalgam of NWOBHM, April Wine’s heaviest moments and early Judas Priest, Prior To The Fire sees Priestess abandoning the rock charm of Hello Master and striving to revive all things Neat Records, early Dio and, at moments, Rainbow, which now has Priestess paradoxically appealing to any hipsters still lingering around from the Hello Master days and cranky traditional metal veterans. Opening duo 'Lady Killer' and 'Raccoon Eyes' are the real stars here, though closers 'Sideways Attack' and 'We Ride Tonight' make the trip through Prior To The Fire’s dense (with the exception of the aptly titled 'The Gem') middle section worth it: there are flashes of true brilliance on Prior To The Fire, but song-writing and editing have seemingly been forfeited throughout a large part of this album, which is a shame. This ain’t 2006’s Priestess no more (for better or for worse); just one look at Priestess’ new Diamond Head-esque logo tells the entire story.