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High On Fire



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Original post

Posted by Clintagräm, 10.06.2006 - 20:52
High on Fire was born after the unfortunate break-up of the legendary Sleep. While Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius went on to form the Stoner/Doom band Om, Matt Pike went on to form the fury that is High on Fire. Make no mistake, I made this topic in the Extreme Metal Forum for a reason, because above all else, that is what they are; extreme. I have read a description of the band as "a modern day incarnate of Dante's Inferno" and I think that is rightfully so. The music the band creates is so brutal it's amazing. At times this band is heavier, faster, and more devastating than most Death and Thrash acts that I have heard. I think it would be safe to say that High on Fire is in a league of their own, and have almost created an exclusive genre for themselves. I don't even want to try and label them, because it seems like it would be an attempt to contain them, and by listening to their music, that's not possible. If anything though, they are some type of Extreme Doom Metal. I am much more familiar with 'Blessed Black Wings' than I am their first two albums, but I really enjoy everything I have had the chance to hear from this band.

Any fans?

(By the way, I love how Matt Pike sounds like an even more extreme version of Lemmy when he wails. Wicked shit. )
28.02.2011 - 00:40
wormdrink414

I bought Snakes for the Divine about six months ago and am already getting High on Fire cravings on a daily basis. Ghost Neck and Snakes are two of the best brass-tacks metal tracks of the past 10 years.
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28.02.2011 - 17:33
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
I really do love Snakes For The Divine, but it kind of pisses me off that they're getting this kind of recognition when it should have been for the previous album. I mean, yes, they did receive a lot of accolades for Death Is This Communion, but it's nothing compared to what they're getting for Snakes..., and not rightfully so if you ask me.

For one, the production on Snakes... is not really all that good standing on it's own, let alone being compared to the top notch work of Jack Endino on DITC. That and the vocals are the most noticeable pitfalls of the album. Relatively speaking, DITC was just all-around better written. Snakes... had a few moments that completely blow DITC out of the water (the intro/outro to the title track for one), but it also has waaaay more "Where the hell are they going with this?" moments. Everything seemed to just flow perfectly with DITC, and it was consistent 100% of the way through, not to mention a more dynamic sound to it. It's easy to say Snakes... was a more varied album, but I found the only real "variation" in it was merely tempo, not much more. DITC had the mandolins, or "tambour", the mellotron, as well as a very cool, tribal sounding drum interlude. Listening to it has the same feeling as reading a book in a way, it felt like it took you somewhere, Snakes... just feels like a collection of songs.

Needless to say my interest in Snakes For The Divine sort of peaked. When I first heard it I was severely disappointed, then it grew on me, now it just makes me want to listen Death Is This Communion.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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28.02.2011 - 20:10
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Agree with Doc for the most part. I really like Snakes..., but i love Death.... perhaps removing all the secondary stuff made for more focused songs, but all the other stuff made for a more gripping album overall. but every band hits a high-water mark some point in their career.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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28.02.2011 - 21:58
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Yeah, and I guess HoF have hit that, the sad thing is, Snakes... is probably going to be viewed as their high-water mark in years to come.

More Jack Endino worship...
He was the best producer HoF could ever have. Every single Endino-produced album has his thumbprint on it; it's earthy, organic, and very old-school sounding. No over-compression or tinny-ness to it. Though I think it works both ways, I don't think HoF will create nearly as good of an album as they have with Endino, and I don't think Endino is ever going to produce something more fitting to his style than High On Fire. I wouldn't mind seeing them do an album together again.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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02.03.2011 - 19:36
afu

I like Snakes and Death about equally. Both have a distinct flavor and are incredibly different. I think Snakes is more intense and the songs are more epic (long intros, tempo shifts, multiple movements), but I think Death is more varied and has a few more songs that are well crafted. Turk makes me want to break shit. That's cool.
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03.03.2011 - 02:34
wormdrink414

Still haven't listened to Death is this Communion. Making a trip to the local shop to buy it once I have some spare cash. Snakes is making me do it. It wants me to give High on Fire more money.
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22.04.2011 - 06:01
wormdrink414

Bought it the other day.

Gonna join the bandwagon here and say that it is better. Love Snakes, but Doc's choice adjective "earthy" is spot on. Death's got more dirt, grime, grunge, etc. I don't mind the production on Snakes at all, but it does somehow lack the character that Death is this Communion has. I guess that's to be expected from the dude who mixed Death Magnetic and some of the Spiderman 3 soundtrack, though.
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08.12.2011 - 22:04
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
HOF are back in the studio again per a Facebook update.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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16.12.2011 - 07:17
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Boom. That's awesome. I wonder where they're going with this one? As much as I hate to see bands repeat themselves, I really, really, really hope they go back to the fuzzier production as opposed to that sharp sort of sound they had with Snakes... HoF have put out solid album after solid album, so the only thing that really has me concerned is the production/mixing. Something I feel really kept Snakes... from being all that it could have been.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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16.12.2011 - 12:15
Spirit Molecule
spirit molecule
Yep I saw the update as well.
I enjoyed snakes, I mean it wasn't HoF usual, production wise and they seem to be moving away from the older style, but it still was fucking heavy.
Man, and the bass tone.
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If you never wake up from a dream does it become reality?

Last fm
Don't click here
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26.03.2012 - 20:14
Spirit Molecule
spirit molecule
New high on fire on NPR
http://www.npr.org/2012/03/25/148593780/first-listen-high-on-fire-de-vermis-mysteriis
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If you never wake up from a dream does it become reality?

Last fm
Don't click here
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21.08.2013 - 07:28
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
HOF coordinating with Three Floyds Brewery on "Razorhoof" beer. sounds win to me.



----
get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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22.08.2013 - 16:53
Spirit Molecule
spirit molecule
Written by BitterCOld on 21.08.2013 at 07:28

HOF coordinating with Three Floyds Brewery on "Razorhoof" beer. sounds win to me.



Ah, could they have been recording a jingle for this?
There was a picture doing rounds on the net of them in the studio. A new album sounds even better. Beer Jingle, not so much.
----
If you never wake up from a dream does it become reality?

Last fm
Don't click here
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22.08.2013 - 23:49
Lit.
Account deleted
Is that new reissue of The Art Of Self-Defense worth getting? Looks pretty sweet.
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09.02.2014 - 10:57
Dr.Overkill26

Listening to Blessed Black Wings Right now, It's better than I remember. It's growing on me you could say.
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Do you need what I need? Boundaries overthrown Look inside to each his own
Do you trust what I trust? me myself and I Penetrate the smoke screen I see Through the selfish lie
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21.06.2023 - 20:23
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Matt Pike's such a legend. Here's a cool video from just 4 months ago, in which Matt Pike and Jeff Matz jam away at their favorite riffs!
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09.11.2023 - 14:03
mde017

I've never listened to their music before, but since they're set to perform at Mystic Festival 24 in Gdańsk, and I enjoy Sleep, I'll definitely give them a shot to see if it makes sense to include them in my festival agenda. I'm wondering where to start...
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Okręt mój płynie dalej gdzieś tam
Serce choć popękane chce bić
Nie ma Cię i nie było jest noc
Nie ma mnie i nie było jest dzień
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09.11.2023 - 14:05
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Written by mde017 on 09.11.2023 at 14:03

I've never listened to their music before, but since they're set to perform at Mystic Festival 24 in Gdańsk, and I enjoy Sleep, I'll definitely give them a shot to see if it makes sense to include them in my festival agenda. I'm wondering where to start...

In my opinion, The Art of Self Defense and Death is This Communion are the best. You can't go wrong with one of those
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13.12.2023 - 05:56
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Written by F3ynman2000 on 09.11.2023 at 14:05


In my opinion, The Art of Self Defense and Death is This Communion are the best. You can't go wrong with one of those


My opinion remains unchanged from (looks above... gulp!) 12 years ago. Death Is This Communion remains my favorite as well, even with me liking all the subsequent releases.
----
get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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