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Prior To The Fire
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Prior To The Fire Image
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

  • Summary: The Canadian rock band releases its second album produced by David Schiffman.

Top Track

Lady Killer
Turn the scissors with open blades All her garments were burnt Recalling pictures of olden days All these feeling return If you're breathing, you... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Rock Sound
    90
    Prior To The Fire will set the Canadians aside from their peers.
  2. Spin
    80
    After 2006's acclaimed debut, Hello Master, this Montreal metal foursome had to cut through a mass of red tape before Fire, their long-gestating follow-up, could get a U.S. release date. Someone should be fired for the delay, because this baby burns.
  3. AllMusic
    80
    Their combination of crunching riffs, hard-driving rhythms, and howling vocals isn't exactly unique, but their spin on the sound, which adds some touches of classic, early-'80s pre-glam metal to the usual blend of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, et. al, has a lot of appeal.
  4. Under The Radar
    60
    On its sophomore album, Priestess pulls no punches and delivers all blows in menacing fashion, borrowing heavily from the gods of metal's yesteryear.
  5. Alternative Press
    60
    The riff-roaring arena anthems "Racon Eyes" and "The Firebird" are among the most infectious tracks Priestess have ever written. Elsewhere, the band's retro-fuzz machinations don't fare so well. [Mar 2010, p.98]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Pitchfork
    59
    The album has no grand arc; it's just a collection of pretty okay jams for people who already own everything Pentagram ever recorded. It's fine, but it's nothing more than fine.
  7. The Boston Phoenix
    37
    Long on tweedly solos, rambling structures, and songs about being trapped in space and time, Prior to the Fire--love the title, dudes, despite my disappointment--is sure to satisfy hardcore stoner-metal devotees with no fear of the occasional eight-minute track length. Everybody else should seek out "Hello Master."

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. skyminster
    Feb 21, 2016
    9
    I don’t understand why RCA Records were so reluctant to release this album. It’s heavy, rocking, and brilliant in its style — which resemblesI don’t understand why RCA Records were so reluctant to release this album. It’s heavy, rocking, and brilliant in its style — which resembles music played by such bands as Iron Maiden and Mastodon. It’s a great 80’s thrash album, but done in 2009, with some added prog and Priestess awesomeness. Nonetheless, the change in style from their first album means less catchy choruses, so it’s certainly not as accessible. This is only a negative point, though, in a couple of tracks — as the rest of the album retains a quality sound, with fantastic musicality and variety. If you like Priestess, listen to this. If you like any of the other bands I related to it, give this a try. This is Prior to the Fire, and it will grow on you like a fungus until you love it to bits. So, it’s probably just better than Hello Master, somehow.

    87/100 (rounded to 9/10).    … Expand

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