What's going on with High on Fire?

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. :(

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!