Search - High on Fire :: Art of Self-Defense

Sabbath for the new millenium?

Wheelchair Assassin | The Great Concavity | 10/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Black Sabbath may generally be credited with inventing sludge, but High On Fire are doing a highly commendable job of bringing Sabbath's sound into the new millenium. "Art Of Self-Defense," their debut album, sounds sort of like the Sabbath classic "Master Of Reality," except with the heaviness multiplied a few dozen times for one of the most punishing assaults in recent memory. For about an hour, vocalist/guitarist Matt Pike and company rain down the musical equivalent of fire and brimstone on the listener, leaving little choice but complete submission. Catchy music this is not: these songs are typically ponderous, doomy, and downright frightening. At bottom, "Art Of Self-Defense" is about one thing: achieving the ultimate guitar sound from hell. And it's a smashing success. I might even go so far as to say this album has the heaviest guitar sound I've ever heard; it's certainly up there at any rate. Every song here is a mountainous epic, filled with massive Iommian riffs that will pummell you upside the head and leave you woozy. The rhythm section brings to mind a herd of lumbering dinosaurs, and Pike's strangulated vocals and screaming guitar solos only add to the general insanity on display. So if you like it heavy, be sure to check this one out, and pick up their followup "Surrounded By Thieves" while you're at it."

Here, Try A Hit of Pure Metal

Janitor X | The Mountains | 03/09/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine watching a huge, roaring title wave rolling in from the ocean and come crashing down right at your feet. Listening to High On Fire is a lot like that.
They are basically a little faster version of Matt Pike's old band, Sleep. Take Black Sabbath and a little Motorhead and then add about 500 lbs. of weight on the guitar and you'll get an idea of what they sound like.
On "The Art of Self-Defense", the first three tracks are the strongest, which draw you in and never let you out. The momentum is established by guitars never let up. The heavy, driving riffs lift you up and carry you away. Listening to them may make you feel dazed and confused.
The vocals, guitar, bass, and drums all fit together making the overall sound united. All the musicians seem to be on the same wavelength.
High On Fire is the progression of pure metal without any influence from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal of the late `70's and early `80's ( except for the singers voice that sounds like Lemmy of Motorhead ). It's nice to hear a purified form of metal in a time when it's been watered down and fused with every form of music known to man."

Heavy and Hard will rule the world

Janitor X | 01/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"High on Fire are credited with ressurecting the sound of Sabbath, but I find that they bring back the sound of too often overlooked bands like early COC, the Accused, Black Flag, early Melvins, etc but much slower and more precise. It's the awesome raw power of the afformentioned bands combined with a sludge death hammer that will kill "stoner" and "doom" bands and send all of them home to read their copies of MAD magazine at their mother's house. Fans of old HARDcore, not the comedy stuff that gets pushed today will freak over High on Fire. Anybody will freak over this stuff, it's just awesome."