Priest, the mysterious synthpop band from Sweden, returns today with a new song called “Dead Ringer.” The track comes from Priest’s second album, Cyberhead.
Download Cyberhead at Amazon and read my review here.
Priest 2.0 features a new lead singer
“Dead Ringer” marks the beginning of Priest 2.0 and a new lead singer. The band’s vocals are now performed by the primary creative force behind Priest, Linton Rubino. They’re still calling the lead singer Mercury, despite the rotating roster of singers.
Priest’s original singer Tom Åsberg (who is also known as Ginger Khan) left the band last year. At the end of his final show with the band, he removed his bondage-themed mask and revealed his face for the first time. They announced the conclusion of Priest’s first iteration and promised a new form of Priest.
The new song sounds quite different from previous Priest releases. It’s awash in hazy electronics and includes what sounds like a warped sax solo. It’s really growing on me. “Dead Ringer” comes with three remixes.
You can find “Dead Ringer” on Amazon, Bandcamp, and Spotify.
Priest emerged from the rock band Ghost
The people behind Priest haven’t been very forthcoming about their identities, so it’s a bit confusing following the timeline of the band. Rubino and his father were both “nameless ghouls” in the popular rock band Ghost, which employs similar theatrics and also hid their identities until a lawsuit blew everyone’s cover.
Priest’s first incarnation had a higher tempo and a much stronger dancefloor sound than what we’re hearing today. Some of their best-known tracks are “History in Black,” “Obey,” and “The Cross.”
I included Priest’s excellent track, “Neuromancer,” on my list of the best synthpop songs of 2019.
Learn more about Priest
Priest is one of the most exciting bands in modern synthpop, and I’ve been covering their evolution for a few years. To learn more about Priest, find all my stories here:
- Priest take off the Mask, ends version 1.0
- Priest releases new single “Thieves”
- Priest releases sophomore album, Cyberhead
Priest is already teasing their next iteration. The next version of Priest will be known as 3.0, and their new album will be called Body Machine. It’s coming in early 2022. They’ve already released Body Machine’s first single, “Let Your Body Go,” which hints at a more energetic, club-friendly direction for the band.