An album that’s built around a dream that High On Fire founder Matt Pike had about Lemmy? Sign. Us. Up. But seriously, kids, even without the legend worship, a new High On Fire record is always cause to celebrate. Especially as the band enter their twentieth year with an album that’s every bit as vital and hungry as when they first emerged onto the heavy music scene.
Electric Messiah starts with the bludgeoning sonic thrill ride that is “Spewn from the Earth” which is just the kick in the ass listeners need to reintroduce them to Pike and company after a three year gap. Then the march of “Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil” stomps in until two and a half minutes in and the shit hits the proverbial fan as the song becomes a no holds barred rip roarin’ riff fest beginning like Testament’s “Legions (In Hiding)” with its’ thrash tendencies.
The title track is such a fuckin’ good time with drummer Des Kensel laying down the hyper boogie and a double bass pounding at ludicrous speeds with Pike really getting a chance to shred later on. And if you’re looking for epic and moody then look no further than “Sanctioned Annihilation” which, at ten and a half minutes, checks those boxes easily shifting between grinding guitars and Jeff Matz’s swooping bass foundation during these huge Doom passages.
“Freebooter” which drops later is another riff rawker and is yet another on High On Fire’s eighth opus that will leave fans with a permanent shit eating grin as they happily headbang away. “The Witch and the Christ” continues the riff train as Pike screams his arse off while “Drowning Dog” is a luscious fuzz fest, providing a much more laid back pummeling to end the album which has Pike channeling the dream God of which this album was inspired by.
Electric Messiah is out via Entertainment One on October 5th. Pre-orders can be gotten by clicking here or here. For the latest on High On Fire, including dates for their upcoming co-headlining tour with Municipal Waste which hits Paradise Rock Club in November, head on over here.