BURN THE PRIEST Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Release of New Covers Album, “Legion: XX”
LAMB OF GOD Return to their Roots on a 10-Track BURN THE PRIEST Album Featuring Covers of Classics by Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, Big Black, Ministry, Melvins, Quicksand and More
Legion: XX – In Stores May 18, 2018 via Epic Records
Watch the Official Music Video for “Inherit The Earth” & Pre-Order Merch Bundles Available via http://Burn-The-Priest.com
Stream “Inherit The Earth” HERE
RIAA-certified, Billboard chart-topping, five-time Grammy nominated Richmond, VA band LAMB OF GOD may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, BURN THE PRIEST, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met vocalist Randy Blythe before adding Chris Adler’s brother, Willie Adler (guitar), prior to transitioning to LAMB OF GOD – and the rest is global metal history.
Guitarist Mark Morton says, “To truly understand the essence of the band BURN THE PRIEST, one must first consider the landscape in which it began: the mid-90s. Grunge and alternative music ruled the airwaves. Social media and the internet had yet to assume their role as our collective sources for entertainment and cultural exchange. It was a time when DIY ‘zines turned us onto new bands and regional scenes, and ‘copy and paste’ still implied a print shop and a glue stick.”
BURN THE PRIEST’s self-titled debut album, released via Philadelphia-based Legion Records, documented what was, in essence, a primal punk band performing metal. Ultimately, as they grew in local popularity, the five-piece chose to stray away from their name to avoid being associated with satanic metal, choosing the name LAMB OF GOD.
As they enter their 20th year since releasing their first self-titled album as BURN THE PRIEST, the band will release a full-length covers album that reflects on the greatness of classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise – rock subgenres that contributed to what LAMB OF GOD – and indeed, the world – now view as modern heavy metal.
As BURN THE PRIEST, the band presents Legion: XX – featuring tracks originally performed by Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front, Quicksand, Ministry, Bad Brains, Melvins, S.O.D., The Accused, Big Black and Richmond punk band Sliang Laos. The tracks are performed with the unmistakable precision that has kept the band vital for two decades, but ultimately harks back to the raw, punk-driven sound first explored by four unsuspecting college students and a line cook-turned-vocalist in their formative years. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, Legion: XX exhibits BURN THE PRIEST in their true element.
Legion: XX will be officially released on May 18, 2018 via Epic Records and will be available for purchase via all physical and digital retailers. Pre-orders and merch bundles are available now via http://Burn-The-Priest.com and fans can stream the first single “Inherit The Earth” here: http://BTP.lnk.to/LegionXX. On street date, a 7″ vinyl version of “Inherit the Earth” featuring a B-side of “In the Meantime” (originally performed by Helmet), will also be available.
Today, fans can watch the brand new BURN THE PRIEST music video for “Inherit The Earth”, originally performed by The Accused, and cut from Legion: XX (video directed by Travis Shinn). Watch here: http://Burn-The-Priest.com
Legion: XX track listing:
1. Inherit The Earth (originally performed by The Accused)
2. Honey Bucket (originally performed by Melvins)
3. Kerosene (originally performed by Big Black)
4. Kill Yourself (originally performed by S.O.D.)
5. I Against I (originally performed by Bad Brains)
6. Axis Rot (originally performed by Sliang Laos)
7. Jesus Built My Hotrod (originally performed by Ministry)
8. One Voice (originally performed by Agnostic Front)
9. Dine Alone (originally performed by Quicksand)
10. We Gotta Know (originally performed by Cro-Mags)
Read more about BURN THE PRIEST and Legion: XX in the brand new cover issue of Decibel Magazine, on newsstands now. You can also pick up a copy by ordering via the Decibel store here. For the first time ever, Decibel has documented the origins of BURN THE PRIEST through interviews with original members and scene staples of the 1990s who unwittingly helped change the face of extreme metal forever.
