High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis review

Reviewer:
9.0

199 users:
8.08

Band:	High On Fire
Album:	De Vermis Mysteriis
Style:	Sludge metal, Stoner metal
Release date:	April 2012

01. Serums Of Liao
02. Bloody Knuckles
03. Fertile Green
04. Madness Of An Architect
05. Samsara [feat. Kurt Ballou]
06. Spiritual Rites [feat. Ashley Redshaw]
07. King Of Days
08. De Vermis Mysteriis
09. Romulus And Remus
10. Warhorn [feat. Kurt Ballou]
11. Speak In Tongues [Japanese bonus]

Here's something not many bands can pull off; 6 albums, none of which suck. While there's not too much re-imagining going on here, it definitely seems like High On Fire have found a nice little crossroads of all their best aspects. In fact, De Vermis Mysteriis makes a lot of their previous recordings almost sound like beta testing.

You all remember Snakes For The Divine? Of course you do. It was a pounding, blistering sludge clinic, cram packed with varying tempos exploring both sides of the sludge coin; fast and noisy, or slow and crushing. De Vermis Mysteriis takes the variation found in Snakes..., but uses the more fitting sludgier production from their earlier works (albeit a little clearer), and ties it all together with some slightly more consistent song writing. To boot, Matt Pike's voice isn't nearly as irritatingly strained and shrill this time around, revisiting his smoky, gravelly side we'd all missed.

This basically sounds like a whole lot of nit-picking what is essentially another High On Fire release, not too different from the rest, right? In a sense, it is true...Yet somehow they've managed to create something here that should come to surprise even the long-time fans without abandoning their signature sound. The greatest example of this lies in "King Of Days", possibly the most melodic of their career, so butt-clenchingly epic it seems like it belongs in one of those slow-mo montage trailers for a Zack Snyder movie.

What does this all add up to for all the folks who haven't been keeping tabs on this bands career? Well, for once showing up to the party late might have actually paid off, because this is arguably their best album yet. It's just a fantastic display of gritty, heavy sludge metal that covers both the massively crushing, plodding monolithic speed and some frantic, break-neck paced stuff...and everything in between. There's not really many other ways to describe it. It's just ugly, dirty ass metal.

This is High On Fire balancing all their best features perfectly, while some long-time fans (this reviewer included), may not place it above previous albums due to sentimental reasons, most people tuning in now should find very little reason to not put this at #1.

Written on 17.04.2012 by

Doc G.

Former EIC. Now just a reviewer guy.

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Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:18 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 15:11 I think my problem with them is that there are lots of bands heavier, sludgier, dirtier, etc. than they are so they come across as somewhat middle groundish with little to make them standout from the pack. Like Marcel I think they're ok but also find it to be the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public. that could me my mine gripe with them as well. A bit like Kylesa and Baroness in that respect, like you said: "the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public" ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:24 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.04.2012 at 15:18 that could me my mine gripe with them as well. A bit like Kylesa and Baroness in that respect, like you said: "the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public" Baroness are another sludge outfit that I find hard to want to listen to despite my mind knowing they're a decent band. Kylesa I like for their slightly psychedelic components which I think gives them an edge even though they're sludge-lite ;] Loading...
X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:51 X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden Written by Merchant of Doom on 18.04.2012 at 14:25 Written by X-Ray Rod on 18.04.2012 at 14:11 Only the ones I've seen you recommend from time to time, just like Marcel I found your comment quite hilarious because some of those bands are way worse in the originality department. well, that's your opinion... so, because I listen to bands you deem to be un-original, I shouldn't comment on bands which I find un-original? I never said that. You can say whatever you want and I can say whatever I want. Nothing unfair about it, eh? Everybody piss on any band or someone else's tastes every now and then... and everybody is happy with piss all over. Don't put words in my mouth like if I said that you don't get the right to say what you want. ---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Like you could kiss my ass Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49 Rod, let me love you. Loading...
Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:56 Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK Written by X-Ray Rod on 18.04.2012 at 15:51 Written by Merchant of Doom on 18.04.2012 at 14:25 Written by X-Ray Rod on 18.04.2012 at 14:11 Only the ones I've seen you recommend from time to time, just like Marcel I found your comment quite hilarious because some of those bands are way worse in the originality department. well, that's your opinion... so, because I listen to bands you deem to be un-original, I shouldn't comment on bands which I find un-original? I never said that. You can say whatever you want and I can say whatever you want. Nothing unfair about it, eh? Everybody piss on any band or someone else's tastes every now and then. Don't put words in my mouth like if I said that you don't get the right to say what you want. You might not have said it openly, but it sounded (to me) you were implying it... pissing on other people's musical tastes is rather childish, IMO. Loading...
X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:57 X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden Quote: Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 15:24 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.04.2012 at 15:18 that could me my mine gripe with them as well. A bit like Kylesa and Baroness in that respect, like you said: "the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public" Baroness are another sludge outfit that I find hard to want to listen to despite my mind knowing they're a decent band. Kylesa I like for their slightly psychedelic components which I think gives them an edge even though they're sludge-lite ;] I never got that much into Baroness. But I highly enjoy Kylesa and High On Fire... I'm weird like that. Written by Merchant of Doom on 18.04.2012 at 15:56 Don't put words in my mouth like if I said that you don't get the right to say what you want. You might not have said it openly, but it sounded (to me) you were implying it... Welp, sorry if it sounded like that. ---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Like you could kiss my ass Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49 Rod, let me love you. Loading...
Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:58 Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 15:24 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.04.2012 at 15:18 that could me my mine gripe with them as well. A bit like Kylesa and Baroness in that respect, like you said: "the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public" Baroness are another sludge outfit that I find hard to want to listen to despite my mind knowing they're a decent band. Kylesa I like for their slightly psychedelic components which I think gives them an edge even though they're sludge-lite ;] you might want to listen to Dark Castle... ok, sludgy doom (or doomy sludge - with some drone), but far more interesting than High On Fire... Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 15:58 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted I don't think he was mocking your tastes directly, rather pointing out the irony of calling something unoriginal when you tend to have a clear predilection for funeral doom which is one of the most static and unevolving genres around Loading...
Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:00 Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK Written by X-Ray Rod on 18.04.2012 at 15:57 Welp, sorry if it sounded like that. that's ok, as usual, it's easy to be misinterpreted on a board... Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:00 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Actually Dark Castle are a band I've meaning to look into for some time now. Will explore. Loading...
Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:20 Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 From: UK The lady is awesome... Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:29 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by Merchant of Doom on 18.04.2012 at 16:20 The lady is awesome... Definitely another notch to my love of female fronted doom ;] Good stuff. The drummer's hair looked like it was moving backwards/slow motion. Obviously because of the fan but still looked very strange... Loading...
Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:34 Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 15:11 Like Marcel I think they're ok but also find it to be the lowest common denominator sludge for the general public. I don't listen to a great deal of sludge or stoner, so that's probably why I find it relatively easy to listen to HoF with a kind of passive approach. The music doesn't really stand out per se, but it's still above average and that's enough coming from this genre to sate my tastes I guess. I agree with your assessment though. Lowest common denominator-type stuff. ---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:36 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.04.2012 at 16:34 I agree with your assessment though. Lowest common denominator-type stuff. It sounded kind of insulting and pompous when I said that but it wasn't meant to be. It's hard to say a band sounds stereotypical without sounding insulting though I guess. Loading...
Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 16:37 Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 16:36 It sounded kind of insulting and pompous when I said that but it wasn't meant to be. It's hard to say a band sounds stereotypical without sounding insulting though I guess. I think if people feel insulted from reading that then they need to grow thicker skin. It's only one man's opinion after all! Although in this case it seems more like a few mens' opinions. But still. ---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." Loading...
X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 18:11 X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.04.2012 at 16:37 Written by Guest on 18.04.2012 at 16:36 It sounded kind of insulting and pompous when I said that but it wasn't meant to be. It's hard to say a band sounds stereotypical without sounding insulting though I guess. I think if people feel insulted from reading that then they need to grow thicker skin. It's not about that really... But just saying that something is stereotypical yet still not being bad at all it's hard to express without your comment being considered negative ---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Like you could kiss my ass Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49 Rod, let me love you. Loading...
BitterCOld The Ancient One Posts: 15250	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 19:53 Rating: 8 BitterCOld The Ancient One Posts: 15250 Yeah it came off as pompous, but you often do. you seem to dig extremity or avantbizarre, so HOF clearly aren't for you. i love the band and don't particularly care about the 'innovation' thing = they developed their own style and have been tinkering with it for a decade now. nothing wrong with that in my opinion (see also: Ramones, Bolt Thrower, Motorhead, yada yada yada) They rawk hard and well. as for "lowest common denominator" - not everything needs to push the extremity to 11 to be good. there are harsher sludge bands for sure, but i'll put on any HOF album over Indian or Buzzoven 19 times out of 20 as i just enjoy it more. besides, the "LCD" bands help make the extreme bands extreme by comparison. ---- 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! Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 18.04.2012 - 20:39 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted If I actually wanted to be pompous about this band/album I'd certainly make it clear I was doing so. People often confuse pomposity with simply having a clear opinion of something, especially when one of their favourite bands are in the firing line. As it stands I don't find this outfit to be either good enough or bad enough to warrant any of kind of colourful attack as such. Loading...
afu Posts: 260 From: USA	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 06:03 Rating: 7 afu Posts: 260 From: USA I don't think this is LCD. I've played it for a few people and they hate it (but my youngest child is 4 and he digs it). I hear things in their music that touch on stuff that has come before them, but it's been jammed out and tweaked enough to be owned by HOF 100%. I love it. I like Snakes a little more, but this album is fucking awesome. When I put in my vote, I'd figured it at an 8.5, but I always round up or down to accommodate the system. Loading...
R'Vannith ghedengi Posts: 3099 From: Australia	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 11:18 Rating: 8 R'Vannith ghedengi Posts: 3099 From: Australia Written by Merchant of Doom on 18.04.2012 at 12:43 well, I can give it a 1 if that makes you happy... That's very generous of you. Honestly though I probably wouldn't be able to give as accurate a judgement of originality to this as you would, I mean I wouldn't really know were to begin to say who these guys are influenced by due to my unfamiliarity with metal of this variety in general. Loading...
UnknownCheese Posts: 205	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 14:42 UnknownCheese Posts: 205 Don't often see people not cock slobber all over this band. Good, cause they're boring; but so is stoner metal. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 15:46 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 14:42 Don't often see people not cock slobber all over this band. Good, cause they're boring; but so is stoner metal. what has stoner metal to do with High On Fire? Oh wait... nothing at all ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
UnknownCheese Posts: 205	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:03 UnknownCheese Posts: 205 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.04.2012 at 15:46 Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 14:42 Don't often see people not cock slobber all over this band. Good, cause they're boring; but so is stoner metal. what has stoner metal to do with High On Fire? Oh wait... nothing at all Stoner metal is boring. High On Fire play stoner metal. Hence, High On Fire are boring. Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:04 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.04.2012 at 15:46 what has stoner metal to do with High On Fire? Oh wait... nothing at all Never understood why HOF get labled as stoner by so many. Maybe the relation to Sleep. Other than that it's a mystery. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:05 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 16:03 Stoner metal is boring. High On Fire play stoner metal. Hence, High On Fire are boring. They don't play stoner metal at all. There is totally no stoner in their music. ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:06 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands Written by Guest on 19.04.2012 at 16:04 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.04.2012 at 15:46 what has stoner metal to do with High On Fire? Oh wait... nothing at all Never understood why HOF get labled as stoner by so many. Maybe the relation to Sleep. Other than that it's a mystery. I think it has indeed to do with the Sleep link. But it seems people are labelling all sorts of bands stoner when in fact they have nothing to do with stoner at all ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
UnknownCheese Posts: 205	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:14 UnknownCheese Posts: 205 Has nothing to do with Sleep. It has to do with High On Fire playing stoner metal. Granted, they're more agressive than most of the poffer bands in the genre. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:15 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 16:14 Has nothing to do with Sleep. It has to do with High On Fire playing stoner metal. Granted, they're more agressive than most of the poffer bands in the genre. they don't play stoner metal at all. The play sludge which is a different beast. ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:19 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 16:14 Has nothing to do with Sleep. It has to do with High On Fire playing stoner metal. Granted, they're more agressive than most of the poffer bands in the genre. It's no wonder you don't like stoner if you can't even differentiate between that and sludge. You clearly don't listen to much of either. This album isn't even a borderline both type of record. It's straight up sludge. Loading...
UnknownCheese Posts: 205	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:27 UnknownCheese Posts: 205 I wouldn't say I didn't like stoner if I hadn't listened to it; and of course I don't listen to much of it, I don't like it. But yeah, these guys aren't sludge metal. You have a weird definition of sludge, especially if you think this album is straight up sludge. Loading...
!J.O.O.E.! Account deleted	Permalink 19.04.2012 - 16:34 !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted Written by UnknownCheese on 19.04.2012 at 16:27 But yeah, these guys aren't sludge metal. You have a weird definition of sludge, especially if you think this album is straight up sludge. Go listen to some actual stoner then come back and try again ;] Loading...