High Priestess: Casting An Invocation
HIGH PRIESTESS started in 2016 as a trio of ladies making crushing doom in LA, quickly gaining recognition and momentum which lead to them being signed to Ripple Music. They quickly released their debut, self-titled full length to critical acclaim and were touted as being part of the movement of modernising doom in LA. After making giant leaps in progression, development and growth due to extensive touring, practising and bonding over the last two years, they have honed their craft to now release the deliciously dark and hellishly hypnotic Casting The Circle. Think a dash of COVEN and FLEETWOOD MAC with a healthy dose of BLACK SABBATH and OM to brew up a heady concoction of retro, bluesy, crushing doom.
HIGH PRIESTESS really know how to summon a bewitching sound which is carefully balanced between heavenly and hellish tones. The angelic dual vocal harmonies of guitarist Katie Gilchrest and bassist Mariana Fiel contrast against the doomy tones to make for an overall haunting and formidable sound. “A lot of the evilness come from those riffs, a menacing other member of the band within the riffs and I crush on top of that drum wise!” Comments drummer Meghan Mullins. In terms of the core sound of HIGH PRIESTESS, Fiel describes their sound as “psychedelic, impending doom with Hendrix guitars and tribal drumming,” while Mullins adds that she feels there is an “atmospheric doomy Middle Eastern vibe, blues rock with an ethereal, floaty feeling.”
Continuing their road to success, with Casting the Circle HIGH PRIESTESS have created an album that is more concise and developed. “In my opinion, Casting the Circle is more concise and thought-out, more harmonious beginning to end,” Fiel comments. “We go through a lot of different passages that all fit better together to tell a concise story, it’s definitely darker.” Gilchrest continues, explaining that “a lot of the album is ritual based. The opening track Casting the Circle was written to invite energy into the room for live shows, a call to the elements, while Invocation and Ava Satanas are based on finding your dark side, becoming one with Satan, or the Satan within you, and facing all parts of yourself.”
The ladies also practice what they preach and are no strangers to midnight rituals outside of their records. “I love full moon rituals, casting the circle – this is gonna sound cheesy as fuck – but connecting with your spirit guide, connecting with nature itself, grounding yourself, and connecting to whoever wants to send you messages.” Fiel reflects. “Full moon, new moon rituals, I meditate every night before I go to bed to disconnect from everything. [If] there’s this problem that you have tormenting you and out of nowhere you finally unplug your brain, the answer has been there all along.”
“I connect to the moon for sure, full moon, new moon,” Gilchrest continues, offering an insight into her own spiritualism. “There was a rain ritual I did recently at night that was a cleansing ritual, where you use the rainwater and the earth to wash away negativity and whatever might bind you to making bad decisions.” Mullins, however, looks to her drums for therapeutic and spiritual release. “As part of my practice regime, I put in a chunk of time in a meditative state where I focus on playing patterns, free flowing play, not focusing on a new coordination. It sounds kinda corny but I think of it as a way to reach past my current ability into a future version of me and see if I can pull from her who has a lot more years of practice. Drums can alter your state of mind, it’s a rhythmic ancient thing, if I can strip away me right now and just focus on seeing where I go.”
Unfortunately, as a band composed of three women, HIGH PRIESTESS still face forms of sexism in the industry – a topic that, rightfully, invokes a sense of frustration. “It’s more in the form of micro-aggressions” says Fiel. “It’s hard to speak up because you don’t wanna be called a bitch. [But] I find sarcasm works. They don’t know what hit them so you can be very polite, but like a sword… through their heart!” Mullins agrees. “Sometimes there’s scepticism, then amazingly after we play that wall of aggression completely comes down and we are invited to sit at the table which is bullshit. Having to prove yourself is really annoying.” She continues “I think of everyone in the band I have the shortest fuse for bullshit, so I’ll call them on it. Fuck politeness.”
Circling back to Cast the Circle, HIGH PRIESTESS discuss the music influences of the band. Mullins laughingly explains how METALLICA was “music for the devil,” which she felt guilty listening to as a child, along with being a huge Jon Bonham fan adding she is “forever bound at his throne.” Gilchrest cites NIRVANA’s Bleach inspired her top pick up a guitar and for Fiel, it’s BLACK SABBATH. “I started learning bass with Master of Reality.”
HIGH PRIESTESS are quickly becoming one of the shining stars of the doom metal scene. Ritualistic, drowned in occult and heavy as all hell, Gilchrest, Fiel and Mullins have struck gold with Cast the Circle. Hopefully it won’t be too long before these ladies can bring their filthy riffs, beguiling vocals and moonlit rituals to British shores!
Cast the Circle is out now via Ripple Music.
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