From Montreal emerged Priestess, who fused the raw intensity of AC/DC and Black Sabbath into a contemporary take on '70s Camaro rock. The group took shape in 2003 when Mikey Heppner (vocals/guitar), Mike Dyball (bass), Vince Nudo (vocals/drums), and Dan Watchorn (vocals/guitar) joined forces. Heppner had been active in the punk outfit the Dropouts until three fellow members departed for New York to launch the Stills, leaving him to explore new options. Hello Master, the band's debut album, surfaced in late 2005 on Indica in Canada and Ace Fu in the U.S. RCA signed the act to a major-label deal the following January. Spring brought North American dates supporting Dinosaur Jr. A remastered edition of Hello Master appeared in June, paired with shows featuring the Riverboat Gamblers and the Bronx. Prior to the Fire, the follow-up, reached the U.S. market in February 2010 through TeePee Records.
