High on Fire - Electric Messiah

When one says, “I had a dream about Lemmy”, it is a guarantee that a really good story will follow.

In the case of Matt Pike, seminal guitarist and songwriter who has made a career in two of heavy metal’s most accomplished acts, it is certain that the dream will conclude with thunderous inspiration.

Electric Messiah is High on Fire’s eighth full length album in twenty years, and so far it sounds like their strongest in over a decade.

“Spewn From the Earth” is a cacophony of classic riffs and face shredding solos, a perfect entrance. “Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil” has the feel of a procession to damnation to it, and one could easily picture ancient cults performing sacraments as Pike delivers guttural sermons. About halfway into the nine minute track, Pike purifies the spirit with a sick melodic transition, and it becomes easy to see why he has dubbed this his own “rock opera”. 

The title track is just balls out thrash and there isn’t anything you can do but get swept up in the storm. One thing that High on Fire do well is establish a flow of moods that keeps the album interesting; “Sanctioned Annihilation” begins in the exact opposite direction of “Electric Messiah”, but inevitably tears you back under the hooves of pummeling grooves. Kensel’s undeniable contribution to the music is evident here, with drumming that truly carries the song’s momentum. At 10:29 long, it is an epic that fittingly bridges the divide between Electric Messiah’s first and second half, and much can be said about the awe inspiring tangibility it leaves in its wake.

As for leaving a strong last impression, “Drowning Dog” targets the bullshit of modern day cultural partisanship, and the damnation that follows. From Sumerian cults to American political drama, High on Fire cultivate a whirlwind of chaotic rock at another level.

Produced by the effervescent genius Kurt Ballou, Electric Messiah shines on every layer. Pike, Matz, and Kensel have returned with extreme and vibrant rapture that will define the second half of their career as more than just twilight years.

Here is some of that old school to keep your ears wet while we wait for High on Fire’s new album Electric Messiah to be released on October 5th through eOne.