The roots of Burn the Priest were planted in 1990 when Mark Morton, Chris Adler and John Campbell met at Virginia Commonwealth University. The trio began playing at Adler's house in Richmond weathering chilly conditions.
"There was no heat at the house," recalls Campbell. "We would freeze our asses off, get really drunk and hang around the kerosene heaters trying to write metal songs. Kerosene fumes and Black Label beer were definitely what fueled our early days."
After graduation, Morton moved to Chicago to pursue a master's degree, but the band continued. A new guitarist, Abe Spear, replaced Morton as the band retired its instrumental sound and added Randy Blythe on vocals.
The band was playing around Virginia when Morton moved back from Chicago and re-joined the group. In 1997, Burn the Priest released 2 split seven-inches with ZED and Agents of Satan. The next year, the band released a self-titled full length album on Legion Records (produced by Steve Austin) and began to attract a great deal of attention on the now-defunct mp3.com. Through mp3.com, a compilation CD of singles and other one-off tracks called 'Sevens and More' was released.
Abe left soon after, which opened a spot for guitarist, and brother to Chris - Willie Adler. A year after the second Adler joined, Burn the Priest changed their name and signed a record deal with Prosthetic Records.
Source: http://www.burn-the-priest.com/