What's going on with High on Fire?

And a new track, "Rumours of War," is up:

http://www.myspace.com/HighOnFireSlays

"RumOURS"? Pike's an anglophile now?

New album is good

Very possibly great. Time will tell.

Best yet. (even) More consistent than BBW.

listening to Art of Self Defense tonight, haven't heard it in ages...underpraised album! gonna go see 'em tomorrow, fuck yeah - I haven't seen them since...well...the Art of Self Defense tour

Probably the most retarded (for the listener)/insane live band I've ever seen in terms of sheer musical force....just awesome. The volume they play at should not even be legal.

John OTM. Much as I've loved everything since, they still haven't topped the debut. More groove and variety, plus killer songs. And, yeah, one of the very best live bands I've seen in the last half decade.

Art of Self Defense just fucking crushes. The bass intro to "Fireface", goddamn.

That's the only HoF album I don't own and haven't heard. I need to rectify that.

Big time, you won't be disappointed.

Fireface, hell yeah. And 10,000 Years might be the best thing they've done yet.

Last, Bagdhad, the Celtic Frost cover. We could go on.

Awesome album

Going to see them tonight for the second time. Hopefully I'll remember it this time. Fuck yeah.

Last night we listened again to "Death is this communion" for the first time in a lot of time and it is really really good. A couple of songs are just immense.

Some PR news:

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HIGH ON FIRE SET TO BEGIN WORK ON NEW ALBUM

World-renowned power trio HIGH ON FIRE will begin work on its long-awaited, fifth studio album and follow-up to 2007’s Death is This Communion this August. The esteemed band will commence pre-production in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Slayer, Johnny Cash) and the goal of capturing “the ultimate High on Fire experience.”

The new HIGH ON FIRE album is slated for an early 2010 release. When asked for comment, Pike states, “We look forward to sharing the dark seas of our new riffs and tragic stories. Soon the next saga of High on Fire's world will be known.”

All reports indicate the new HIGH ON FIRE material to be “heavier, louder and more intricate.” Prior to entering the studio, the Oakland-based band will embark on a string of California live dates set to kick off on August 7 in Eureka, CA. The group is expected to preview some of its new material live for the very first time at these shows.

HIGH ON FIRE tour dates:
(all dates include support from Early Man)

August 7 Eureka, CA Noctumum
August 8 Sacramento, CA Harlows
August 10 Fresno, CA Starline
August 11 Modesto, CA Fat Cat
August 12 Long Beach, CA Alex's Bar
August 15 San Diego, CA Casbah (w/ Earthless)

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That San Diego show = holy shit. But I'll be in Carmel, so alas.

Yeah that San Diego show sounds awesome. Too bad its, y'know, in San Diego. But very very glad to hear they are diving into a new album.

all their albums are awesome

New riffs AND tragic stories. I wuv that bruv.

fuck yes

http://action-pr.com/uploads/art/203/HIGH%20ON%20FIRE_Snakes_for_the_Divine_album_cover.jpg

DAMMIT I was literally about to post that.

holy fucking frank frazetta!

is that the same dude that did molly hatchett covers?

wow

yeah, he put the death dealer on their debut album. and i think something on their second one too?

anyways guessing arik moonhawk did snakes for the divine like the others? dude rules

oh god that is perfect

That is indeed Arik Moonhawk with another awesome D20+10 roll.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO

if it were frazetta there'd be more ass and butt dimples btw dudes

did anybody see those frazetta comic books last year

Not on Relapse?

Same guy that did this cover?

http://www.recordsale.org/cdpix/s/shrinebuilder-shrinebuilder.jpg

Same color tones, lots of snakes...

I don't see it in the first couple pages of his gallery but he's done tons of album covers

If you grow up with a name like Arik Moonhawk do you think it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that you will become righteous?

"We don't have any openings for clerks in this company Mr Moonhawk. Have you considered painting dragons flying out of the blazing fires of Hell?"

When is this thing being released????????!!!!!!

February 23rd.

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. :(

Being that ours was the tour opener and was in a venue that doesn't usually host bands that big, hoping it was a one off. Fingers crossed.

Abd it was still a good show...I just know they're capable of more

Xpost yeah agree

The drummer ripped out his in ears on only the second song

3 Floyds has done quite a few shows with metal bands.

Yeah, annually they have their Dark Lord Day beer release that has grown into a big daylong festival. As part of that they’ve typically had a metal stage, this year it’s High On Fire, Abbath and a few other bands. It’s fun, I’ve been in the past, but it’s also hard to do unless you manage to get a group going or don’t plan to drink, since there’s no public transportation to get there.

It is good beer. Robert the Bruce is the stuff.

really enjoying the new one. so far "burning down" and "tough guy" are favs. that shaker-ride breakdown on "burning down". i love it when they do the slow monster funk grooves a la "tough guy". pikes vocals a new level of unhinged on this one, sounds like he's trying a few new things. "cometh the storm" is very impressive. i like them in fast thrash / hardcore mode but feel like they've had better moments in that vein. this probably doesn't reach the highs of "vermiis" for me but it certainly isn't a let down.

i heard that pike quit drinking? glad to hear it.

My fav since Snakes. Hope there's more Turkish stylings coming!