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The phrase “power metal” is the worst misnomer since Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. It has come to define a genre of nutless Euro bands, slicker than pig shit and about as memorable. In a just world, High On Fire is power metal. They wield strength- a sheer force that eludes so many of their peers. Motörhead had it, Slayer had it, and now Matt Pike and Co. carry the torch forward on their sixth full-length De Vermis Mysteriis.
While some fans and critics (not this one) were put off by the production on 2010’s Snakes For The Divine, no such issue stands in the way here. Right from the opening drum fills and sledgehammer riffs of “Serums of Liao”, the mix is clear and bare-bones. Kurt Ballou does an admirable job of capturing High On Fire at their caveman-crushing-skulls best. Lyrically there’s a theme involving Lovecraft, Jesus twins, time travel, and other assorted mysticism. In favor of metal aesthetics, it makes for cool song titles like “Madness of an Architect”, “King Of Days”, and “Warhorn”. “Fertile Green” is a weed reference in name only; its galloping rhythms and manic soloing are worlds away from Pike’s stoner rock duties in Sleep. Even a track like “Baghdad” off HoF’s debut The Art Of Self-Defense sounds reticent compared to the bombast of “Spiritual Rights”. It’s not so much progression as it is settling into a high-octane groove. The requisite instrumental, “Samsara”, breaks up the madness momentarily while highlighting bassist Jeff Matz’s serious talents.
The fact that De Vermis Mysteriis (which means “Mysteries of the Worm”) comes out less than 48 hours after the premiere of “Game Of Thrones” season 2 is telling. Any of these songs can be the soundtrack to a battle, a beheading . . . or something worse. It is calculated, dreadful, and unmerciful, and I can’t ask for more.
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High on Fire – “Serums of Liao”
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High on Fire – “Fertile Green”
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BUY DE VERMIS MYSTERIIS
High on Fire website
Amazon (Digital download)
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some of pike’s best material and definitely his best axe work/vocals with HOF to date. album rips. “king of days” is an orgasm.
This one’s a beast. Well, they all are coming from this bunch, but even among beasts it’s a beast. And Pike’s vocals slay. I thought at first that they were mixed too low, but they’re grittier than ever and the melodies are memorable as fuck. I got used to it. Prolly my favorite HoF record now.
I was skeptical after Snakes (hated the production and the songwriting was more of a formulaic rut than a groove), but these two both rip and the production is way better.
Well written. I don’t quibble much about production values when stuff like this is always played at 11. The thing that struck me above all else though is Des Kensel’s drumming–I think he’s their secret weapon. Powerful, always on time, and he can play subtle when called for. Not many power trios ever reach this much success, and it’s a testament to all three. Yikes.
I agree…one of the few exceptions where a band adopts double bass drumming nowadays and it addds a whole new dimension….instead of just more ’stuff’
Just got this in the mail today, on thick-as-hell red quadruple vinyl. Listened to it twice while making dinner, and it inspired much celebratory fist-pumping. I feel sorry for the other two records I got in the same parcel, as they’re unlikely to get listened to much until I wear this one out. High on Fire is everything I love about metal. Soulful, bowel-looseningly heavy transcendence.
Rad Tim Lehi art too. That guy rules.
so far i listened to this twice, the first two tracks did not really connect with me, but from track three onward this thing rips pretty hard. will need more time to digest, snakes took me quite a long time to really get into. i still occasionally yell ‘frosthammer’ for no reason and completely unprompted.
Oh, I think you know the reason.
dude, i yell that to myself CONSTANTLY whenever im listening to them…so much so that i keep forgetting what album its actually on.
I also every now and then will go around the house yelling “Fury Whip!” Or “Devilution!” High on Fire choruses are eminently yellable.
Classic. Glad to hear this is some-what prevalent among High on Fire listeners, myself included. I enjoy waking up with HoF in my brain.
I call my car “Fury Whip” and my snowboard “Frost Hammer”. Effortlessly metal. Thank you, HOF.
I heard the NPR stream of this early on and didn’t really connect with it. In hindsight, I’m a fucking idiot. This thing is incredible.
Killer review, Chris.
I like the album a lot, but I don’t get the reviews that toss around terms like “looser” or “more organic” (this review is not amongst them, thankfully). If anything this albums sounds more mechanical and jagged than anything else they’ve done. Really sounds like it was produced by a guy who made his name writing mathy, hardcore noise.
It also seems a lot poppier, in the sense of tight songs built around choruses with clear hooks, than almost anything they’ve done. I know High on Fire has always written good hooks, but here songs are built around them more assertively (some might say single-mindedly). Am I making this up?
I don’t think I’d call it “pop” but the songs are definitely tighter. I think it’s for the better. One thing that keeps previous HoF albums from being all time classics is that – occasionally – the more bludgeoning of the tracks went on just a little bit too long. I think Blessed Black Wings – which rips of course – some of those songs just were a little too long. That’s rectified here. Blistering record.
The songs being too long and meandering is the main thing I complained about regarding their older records.
Yeah, I might have used “pop” a little freely there. I suppose I prefer when they let their songs breathe a little more than this (Blessed Black Wings and Surrounded by Thieves are probably going to be my ideal High on Fire albums, no matter what they put out: that’s just the way it is), but I think things were starting to get out of control on Snakes for Divine. I don’t seem to be the only person who felt that way, so in some ways I wonder if the tighter songwriting here is partly a reaction to that.
Why do people have a problem with Snakes…? Cleaner production? So what, its hardly what happened to Slayers last album. And really, if Slayer has produced Snakes of the Divine it would have been called a masterpiece. Its still HoF, clearly and still my favourite album of 2010. I don’t however think that De Vermis Mysteris will be my favourite of 2012, although its an exceptional album.
It wasn’t the perceived slickness I take issue with. The guitars felt unnaturally loud compared to the rest of the band, to the the point where the mix felt unbalanced. With a rhythm section as integral and forceful as these dudes, that’s a cryin’ shame.
One thing Kurt Ballou has mentioned in interviews in the past is that, although he wouldn’t often tag himself the “producer” of the albums he records since bands tend to come in for 3 days and their songs have to be in-shape beforehand, he’s looking to magnify the songs pop elements. If you listen to any Converge record since Jane Doe, a lot of their songs are in verse/chorus formats with a guitar, drum or vocal hook prominent. This is evident in other records he’s recorded too: Gaza, Black Breath, etc. This HOF records is no exception. I love this record. Heavy as hell, super aggressive, the mix is in your face and the songs are lean.