Video Premiere: Priest, “Vaudeville” (ex-Members of Ghost)

Priest and Ghost share a couple of characteristics: the former features ex-members of the latter. Both acts are shrouded in mystery.

But the similarities end there, and those expecting occult-themed trad metal should throw those preconceptions right out the door. It’d be easy to slap the synthwave tag on Priest in light of that genre’s recent explosion in popularity, but Priest sound a whole lot more like the bands that influenced synthwave, the ’80s progenitors of goth, new wave and analogue synth-driven electronic music. “Vaudeville,” their debut single, is poppy and immediate, sugary sweet but heavy in feel, a big hook on top of a hard-driving beat. It’s the perfect track for the ’80s retro-fueled zeitgeist of 2017.

New Flesh was produced by Alpha (ex-Ghost) and features a performance by Airghoul (also ex-Ghost). The record was mixed by Niklas Berglöf (Slagsmålsklubben, Dead Soul) and mastered by Magnus Lindberg. Here’s what the band offers on the track:

It’s about making a change in the world. If you want that you have to get your act straight and your hands dirty. Inactivity helps the enemy, and believe me, they want you lazy and stupid. “Vaudeville” is probably the most important song on the record.

New Flesh comes out on November 17th via Lövely Records; pre-order it here.