Kult Reviews: HIGH ON FIRE - Death Is This Communion
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Scorching the earth with their fourth full-length studio album Death Is This Communion (Relapse Records), High On Fire reaffirm, yet again, that certain blazes are meant to last. From the album’s gripping start to its epic finish, this Cali power trio—made up of guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike, drummer Des Kensel and new bassist Jeff Matz (formerly of Zeke)—never stop fanning the flames.
Opener “Fury Whip” is an instant classic and rages like the best High On Fire burners of old. Imagine if 2000’s The Art of Self Defense was crushed into one single song, only then are you approaching the furious realm of “Fury Whip.” And thanks to legendary grunge producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney), the sound mix is clear, while still staying true to High On Fire’s brutal, thrashing vision. [Check out MetalKult’s in-the-studio footage of High On Fire here.]
“Fury Whip” begins with Pike’s atmospheric octave riffing, which soon twists into a knotted line that nods to Jeff Hanneman’s notorious intro on Slayer’s “Raining Blood.” The song really unleashes when Kensel assumes a galloping rhythm while Pike and Matz lock into a beefy guitar/bass assault. The trio pummels along until Pike steps to the forefront and carves out a sloppy, murderous solo. This is supreme, brazen metal that lashes the backs of those unfortunate enough to cross its path.
High On Fire also explore some truly exotic sounds on Death Is This Communion. The neo-Babylonian homage “Waste of Tiamat” includes what sounds like a Turkish ud before it erupts into a full-scale nuclear assault of electric guitar. The Matz-composed “Khanrad’s Wall” is a bewitching Arabic-tinged romp, replete with tambour and 12-string acoustic guitar that conjures up ancient, enticing images of turbaned warriors gnawing on lamb’s shanks as they watch belly dancers swiveling their hips.
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Kensel, Pike and Matz
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But “Khanrad’s Wall” is also the primer for battle, a prelude to one of High On Fire’s gnarliest songs ever, which appears in the form of “Turk.” A blitzkrieg sandstorm of drums, bass and guitar, “Turk” sharpens into a fiercely pointed riff over which Pike gruffly bemoans, “The violence lives in me and will not leave.” The barbaric crown jewel of the album, “Turk” incites one to bash their head repeatedly on the closest surface available: wall, desk, steering wheel, bar top…or your best friend’s face.
High On Fire continue the rampage with “Headhunter,” where drummer Kensel pounds out a tribal solo fit for the clan of hungry natives in Cannibal Holocaust. “This evil never sleeps,” growls Pike on follow-up song “Rumors of War,” which grooves with all the menace of HoF’s stellar head-cutter “Baghdad” from The Art of Self Defense.
The band even delivers a killer melodic instrumental with the oddly Beatle-esque mellotron/guitar lines on “DII,” before rocketing into a black hole of cosmic hell on “Cyclopian Scape,” where alien gods reign supreme. “Sing the psalms of the wailing winds” Pike snarls, heralding the end of the album on the hypnotic “Return to NOD,” on which Pike launches outro riffs like rocket shells bursting into the night sky.
If it was ever in question, the institution that is High On Fire is secured with this overwhelming release. And the sensation you get from listening to this record is one of being slowly ripped limb from limb…and loving every minute of it. This violent, primal connection between listener and High On Fire may be best summed up in Pike’s snarling lines from the title track, “Now you realize, Death Is This Communion.” – Ian Caskey
Whoa, I just got this (*&%$#! and it fully pummels you with heavy musical coolness. It will go down as one of my all time favorite metal albums fo sho.
Death is this communion. If it’d have been created by some power/heavy rock’n'roll band, I’d say it is a good album - even very good - diverse, elaborated and profound enough; I’d say that this band is interesting, has some novel stoner/sabbathy/sludge/heavy punk inclination and acoustic country/middle east undertones. Interesting vocals, perfect solo guitar and damn fucking deadly hitting drums section.
Hell no.
It is High on Fire - one of most crushing, HM deconstructing, uncompromising heavy/doom/stoner/sludge bands in the world in past 9 years; it is a offspring of doom/sludge prophets who created unique marijuana church metal.
If it is High on Fire album – it is not hard hitting, not extreme, not appealing to senses, but to ears and mind - listen how professional we are, how “nice” and clear we sound, how mature has become our vocals.
Aren’t they on the road to some “clever”, “reasonable”, “perfect sounding” on one hand and on the other hand to save-me-God-from fucking roots of heavy rock’n'roll. Who could expect they’d want become so mature and balanced as Norah Jones, clever like Yes and predictable like Motorhead.
So it became that High on Fire with Death is this communion is not exceptional stoner/doom/sludge band with no desire to crush, to be honest and conceptual. This album is fucking too much diluted towards mainstream.
This album had its goddamn right to exist. Definitely in the succession of hundreds ordinary HM albums.
[…] que está diseminando muy buenas opiniones y críticas en el universo heavy. Dando click en esta liga puedes leer la reseña de Metalkult sobre Death Is This […]
HIGH ON FIRE IS ONE OF THE BEST METAL BANDS TO COME OUT THESE PAST FEW YEARS. FUCKING AWESOME,PSYCHADELIC,TRIPPED OUT,KIICK BALLS TYPE OF BAND.THE GODS ARE SMILING
this album kicks ass! who would think that a grunge producer could make a kick ass metal album besides the great steve albini? HOF rawks!
Refreshingly heavy and progressive! This album just sounds MASSIVE, i absolutely cant say enough about what they’ve done with this one. Never bogged down by cliche chug riffs or overdone whiny shred lines. its all creative, heavy, deep, and original
High On Fire simply rocks!