What's going on with High on Fire?

It's a great record, which means they've done nothing but great records, and that makes it hard to figure out what to say about them. The best I can come up with is

- wow, for someone who's never done much string tapping, Pike kicks it off with one of the best string tapping riffs ever
- first album since Surround by Thieves where the second half is stronger
- five great albums means their one of the best bands ever

i never wanted to go back to this record

I haven't gone back to it, but I am not a person who tends to blame that on the record. Life is busier & less busy & the sheer volume of music I encounter means that me going back to a record & really getting into is gonna be 1/2 a function of how good the record is and 1/2 a function of sheer chance.

i agree with all of that--the recording of this one just left me so cold

Still dont understand what is wrong with the recording of this, it sounds great to me. Bendy's post is dead on.

the vibe has more in common with NWOBHM/thrash's speed rictus than with doom's stoner groove

This is the main thing I've picked up on in my three or so listens to the album. I wish it has more groove and less top-end thrash sound to the recording. The songs are as great as always, but the production's not quite as good.

I wish it had*

think i mightve made it through all the way once, but ive mostly listened to the first couple tracks

production doesnt read death magnetic levels of sick mouthy-baiting awfulness, but its still pretty bad d00dz

could probably build a really sturdy wall out of its waveform

markers with respect you have no idea what you're talking about w/r/t this production, and will need to actually describe technically what you're talking about to prove otherwise - for example, as absolutely everyone knows, the issue with Death Magnetic isn't production, it's mastering

sorry that's way snottier than I meant it to be, am having a shitty day, my bad - I just really don't think "production" is what people mean when they're talking about that wall-of-waveform thing - that's a decision you make at the mastering session

"markers with respect you have no idea what you're talking about w/r/t this production"

I definitely admit that I have no idea what I am talking about (I cant play music, know nothing about recording, some would say i have terrible taste when listening to it, etc.). But I see no problem with the recording/mastering/whatever with Snakes.

i think i explained my problems with it in detail in another thread which maybe i'll go look for.

vocal mix isn't the problem with this (i just got to it today btw)--it's that there's no top end unless a guitar lead is happening and the drums have been COMPLETELY NEUTERED. like the opening to the 7th track should be majestic and awesome but really kinda isn't cause the snare and cymbals are so fuckin weak.

too bad, there's a lot to like: i actually really dig pike playing up the vocal performance, he seems to be having a lot of fun with it. and there's more bass on here than any other hof record. songwriting seems really sharp on once pass; more so than death is this communion which meandered a lot. but i think this is always going to sound a little caged to me.

― call all destroyer, Friday, February 26, 2010 6:18 PM (5 months ago) Bookmark

I don't know, I really kinda loved Death Is This Communion - I stan hardest for Blessed Black Wings & Surrounded Buy Thieves, they're like two different vintages of the same distilled spirit, so cool. But I really warmed up to Death Is This Communion after seeing it live. It's like the most emotional HoF record, to me.

I am enjoying Surrounded Buy Thieves as a solution to a problem. Surrounded? Buy Thieves!

don't know, I really kinda loved Death Is This Communion - I stan hardest for Blessed Black Wings & Surrounded Buy Thieves, they're like two different vintages of the same distilled spirit, so cool. But I really warmed up to Death Is This Communion after seeing it live. It's like the most emotional HoF record, to me.

― gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Wednesday, August 18, 2010 12:58 PM (25 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I need to revisit this one, havent spun it in a long time. If I remember, its got the most acoustic touches of any HOF album, definitely the "most mellow" though that's a relative term.

aero: no prob. and yeah, you're right -- the waveform bricking happens in mastering

- first album since Surround by Thieves where the second half is stronger

maybe that's a flaw? how dark we pray and fire spitter are magnificent, but i wonder how many people tune out before getting there.

as absolutely everyone knows, the issue with Death Magnetic isn't production, it's mastering

1. LOL YOU LISTENED TO DEATH MAGNETIC

2. as absolutely everyone knows, the issue with Death Magnetic isn't production, it's mastering songwriting (or lack thereof)

3. LOL YOU LISTENED TO DEATH MAGNETIC

yea I attributed the praise of Death Magnetic to how much better it was than the pieces of rhino doodoo the three albums that preceded it were, leading to overrating the work*. It's certainly not bad, there's moments that I enjoy, and some good riffs, but ultimately I think if anybody else released that album in 2008 the populace would have been so what.

(*I realize many people authentically like/love the album so back off, just making a general statement.)

also I love the production on the new High on Fire. the guitars are sludgey, gritty, yet clear and cut through, so that you can follow. I like the drum mix, and yea the vocals are up a little high but they add nicely.

great album.

Drums sound great on this. Best sounding one is BBW. The first two sound like they were recorded in caves, and "Death" is pretty polished and shiny. BBW is just old school 70s style analog goodness.

ilxor, yr loss d00d, not mine

sample lyrics:

"splatter some color on this gray"
"love is a four-letter word"

O___O

needs more _______________________

.________________________________________________________________________.

love those lines so much. late-career metallica is such a hilariously glorious mess

BLACKENED IS THE END
WINTER IT WILL SEND
THROWING ALL YOU SEE
INTO OBSCURITY

love is a four-letter word

"glorious" is not something id use for it, and this is coming from someone who likes Load.

loads dope

anyway, feel free to get back to high on fire. i should start a markers metallica challops thread someday

again?

Load contains some of the most ear-excruciating crap. I'll maybe put in a good word for "Until It Sleeps" and "2x4" if I'm feeling nice but dear God, what the hell is Poor Twisted Me? Wasting My Hate? Outlaw Torn? vomit

xpost

again? dont think ive started one before

Please move the nu-metallica discussion out of here.

great point bill

'Snakes For The Divine' is my first and only HoF album, and I love it. I keep meaning to get more of their stuff, but I simply never see any of their other LPs (I want vinyl) on my travels. I must look into ordering a couple. I take it from this and other threads that it's basically all good.

some hof vinyl just got reissued!

Yes, it is. It's all really good.

xpost

It seems quite tough to find their vinyl, even online (going by my - ahem - 3 minutes of searching). I'll have to do a bit more digging

eh? it's all on sale at http://shop.relapse.com/

http://shop.relapse.com/store/product.aspx?ProductID=39922
http://shop.relapse.com/store/product.aspx?ProductID=20362
http://shop.relapse.com/store/product.aspx?ProductID=26136

or

http://www.allthatisheavy.com/search.asp?SearchTerm=high+on+fire

Cheers v much. I was just checking my usual online shops, which tend not to sell too much metal.

Order on the way...

^^ and I'd rather order within Europe. Cheers for the tips though - might fall back on them if other options fail.

BBW sounds great on vinyl. relapse did a nice job with these.

Oh where are you? i assumed you were in the us.
best place in europe is http://www.musicfearsatan.com/en/nouveautes.html

http://www.musicfearsatan.com/en/recherche/req;HIGH%20ON%20FIRE;.html

Hey, no worries -- thanks for the links! I've just ordered BBW.