High On Fire offer no shelter from their onslaught
Matt Pike’s sludge metal juggernaut gets back into gear
THE LAST SIX years has been a rollercoaster for these rifflords. While High On Fire enjoyed some all-time career highs, including releasing their critically acclaimed eighth LP Electric Messiah and winning aGrammy for the title track, they’ve also endured their fair share of lows too. Singer, guitarist and Sleep legend Matt Pike struggled with health problems leading to cancelled tours, while drummer and founding member Des Kensel decided to abandon ship in 2019. Using their recent frustrations as fuel, Cometh The Storm sees the sludge icons in defiant form, and it’s brimming with bludgeoning riffs that will make your head bang.
Emboldened by the addition of Big Business/Murder City Devils tub-thumper Coady Willis, the fiercely talented musician makes his presence felt throughout, and helps High On Fire reach new heights –especially on the pummelling, punk-minded The Beating. Once more featuring Converge’s Kurt Ballou on production duties, Cometh The Storm is crammed with plenty of the veterans’ trademark, sky-cracking heavy metal thunder, not least on Tough Guy and Lightning Beard.
These old dogs have also learned some new tricks. Bassist Jeff Matz used his downtime from the group to study the techniques of Middle Eastern folk music and the plucked string instrument the bağlama, and he puts his newfound skills to good use on the Zeppelin-meets-Motörhead opener Lambsbread, as well as the hypnotic instrumental Karanlık Yol. Their grave-gargling frontman also delivers some vintage performances, and the incendiary chugfest Burning Down, NWOBHMtinged Trismegistus and brooding epic Darker Fleece all feature some of his most potent riffs. Heavier than a lorry full of anvils, Cometh The Storm marks the start of an exciting new era for the Oakland trio, and deserves to earn them even more awards. ■■■■■■■■■■