What's going on with High on Fire?

best fucking band

http://c1rcaselect.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/VICE_RoperCover.jpg

apparently new album gonna influenced by lizard peepz

Pike, like Scott "Wino" Weinrich, is a devotee of David Icke's theories about lizard people secretly ruling the earth. There was a song about it on Death Is This Communion and one of the Hidden Hand albums recommended an Icke book in the liner notes.

what? stoners...into wacky conspiracy theories?

its pretty sad when icke is taken seriously and not dismissed as the ex snooker commentator who is clearly insane and made an arse of himself on live tv 20 years ago.

damn americans! ;)

i wouldn't say "devotee." pike told me he's skeptical on the existence of liz peepz, but finds the subject fascinating and the perfect topic for metal songs

hes definitely an old skool metalhead

yeah I mean metal ppl being into shit like that doesn't make them devotees usually in my experience in means they like to think about what if the world was run by lizard ppl. getting down to the truth of what icke means or who he is = who fucking cares, the point is shapeshifting lizard people who rule the world

Quite a few posters over on DFFD have heard the album and they all say the production is AWFUL. They say the songs are great but the production has ruined it. It's not just one or two posters either.

Doesn't bode well. :(

Those people are wrong. You know how you can tell they're wrong? They're posting at DFFD.

Whatever DFFD is, otm

If you like the production on the last Slayer CD, you'll like this one. I think it's a phenomenal album. Who cares what the genre police think?

i think the clean production and straight forward riffs kind of ruin the point of high on fire, tbh

Albini's production on Blessed Black Wings nailed this band's sound better than anyone else, but I still think the new one's a cool change of pace. Song-wise I think it's a step up from the last one, plus Pike's vocals have never sounded better. The production would have to be really awful to ruin tunes that are this good.

i agreee best album is still the first. didn't know Albini was behind it...

He wasn't. Albini did Blessed Black Wings. Billy Anderson did the first two.

the only song i've heard from the new one sounds like HoF to me. vocal production's a little bit crap, maybe, but not ruinous.

oh i thought blessed black wings was the first. my bad.

tangentially, if such digression can be tolerated, whats going on with that metal band that used to use a cello in place of lead guitar Noxagt?

Well the other part of your statement was still true. The first one is the best one.

As for Noxagt, they ditched the viola years ago...

I'll be booking their next US tour (whenever that is) so I'll try to keep you posted.

Title track up for streaming:

http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-new-song-high-fire

daammmmmnnnnnn those vocals are tough!

The whole album is out in the wild. I have mixed feelings; the songs are good, the band is burning, but while Pike's vocals are as fierce and powerful as he's ever been, the mix puts them so far forward that I really dislike it. It's like the "Mahna Mahna" guy on the Muppet Show, popping up in the front of the shot and overpowering the background. That works for comedic effect but I don't think they want me to laugh. Overall it's a shame, because when the music stands alone it might be my favorite work by the band.

I'm sure I'll warm to it if I see them live, but this mix did not leave a good first impression.

I don't like the mix, the vocals are way too high in it. The lead guitar is really far down in some songs too that its barely audible. Horrid production, I hope some unmastered versions leak at some point as the songs are awesome as ever.

I totally disagree. I think this is their strongest album since Blessed Black Wings.

Strongest set of songs perhaps, but production is dire

See, I think the clean production helps them a lot - it really feels like three dudes cranking it out in the room, and the bass in particular is very present. I like this disc a lot - I think they've been biker-sludge-metal for long enough; it's time to get epic. This is their power move.

If it's their power mood they shouldn't mute the guitar - he's still a better player than vocalist. Tried another run through and just really, really detest the mix.

Kalas gave me the impression Pike is at least as interested in vocalizing as he is in sitting all day playing that sick, repulsive electric twanger.

Man this album is fucking classic. Bastard Samurai!!!!!

Strongest set of songs perhaps, but production is dire

― Pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, February 18, 2010 12:35 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark

I'm not getting this. I think it sounds really good. Im not a pro on production or anything, but it sounds fine to me.

Sounds great to me too. Don't mind having the vocals higher in the mix.

Can't wait to see/hear the new songs on tour. They played three at SXSW - the title track, "How Dark We Pray" and "Bastard Samurai" - and they all kicked ass.

Yep, the SXSW mini-set at Waterloo was fantastic (sound was a bit "off," though).

Man, this is the greatest band. I love how the drums just pummel in every song. Should we do a High on Fire album poll?

High on Fire should cover the Kings of Leon tune "Sex on Fire" and call it "High Sex on Fire."

I've not heard that song. I would guess it would turn out awesome.

you cant polish a turd

but can you make it heavier

love the new album, don't get the complaints about the production. not the best sound they're ever had, the i kinda like the cleaner mix. kinda bummed that the bonus track(s) weren't included on the vinyl, but c'est la guerre.

they played a very small club here last week. capacity no more than 250. should have gone but it was a tuesday and i was broke as fuck. would much rather see them that way than on metallica's stage.

lol i now find this album completely unlistenable.

still angry about how much (i thought) they sucked live when i saw them here

:'(

where is the love

i love the album its just tainted by my feelings toward matt pike mugging for me doing the foot on monitor pose for an hour or so

the production sounded passable in my car; on headphones it's awful.

also re: live, i feel like pike did the same thing when i saw them but t was too loud and i was too wasted to care.

matt pike mugging for me doing the foot on monitor pose for an hour or so

Haha I like how the wording of this makes it sound like he gave you a private dance or something

man HoF is great live, wtf, guitarists w/foot on monitor is somehow a bad thing at a metal show?

"don't get the complaints about the production"

Either do I. Nobody has adequately explained to me why my ears seem to be lying to me. Sounds great to me.