spring/summer 2002
With a heavy-handed approach and a sound that crashes like thunder, HIGH ON FIRE has put the power back in 'power-trio'. Less a band than a supersonic exercise in conquest by volume and sheer heaviness, the band has burned the metal rulebook and forged a new archetype.
HIGH ON FIRE was formed by guitarist Matt Pike in late summer 1998; a scant six months after the breakup of his previous band, the enigmatic stoner-metal legend SLEEP. Formed out of the need to simply play guitar again, Pike jammed with several people before deciding on a line-up of powerhouse drummer Des Kensel and longtime guitarist friend George Rice, who made the switch to bass to round out the trio.
They had scarcely been together for a few months before demo-ing three of their new songs. That demo, featuring 'Master of Fists' and instant classics '10,000 Years' and 'Blood from Zion', became among the most sought-after demo tapes in recent hard rock history.
So carefully guarded was the recording, that the tape was the source of much speculation based on the odd tales swirling around the later-days of SLEEP and Pike's declarations of wanting to create a metal band even heavier and more aggressive than SLEEP.
When the demo finally surfaced it was instantly clear Pike had succeeded in his goals. Far more direct and concise than its predecessor, HIGH ON FIRE got straight to the point, bashing away with a Neaderthal sense of purpose and creating hypnotic, droning waves of powerful riffs and low-end thunder of the likes not heard before.
Before the band had even made it's first live appearance at the turn of the year, labels flocked to get a piece of the trio. In the end the band chose to record with the Mans Ruin label and the demo surfaced in the form of a mini-CD in early '99, while they continued writing for their debut full-length.
That debut full-length, The Art of Self Defense, was recorded in autumn 1999 at Oakland's Sharkbite Studios with Billy Anderson and fell from the sky in March 2000 to an overwhelming response. Offering respite from commercialized rap-metal and warmed-over stoner-rock clichés of the time, The Art of Self Defense served up a rock hard, unorthodox form of modern metal cloaked in strange religious theology. Though easy to pinpoint their influences (SABBATH, CELTIC FROST and other seminal hard-rock outfits), the trios style was distinct, unique and absolutely crushing.
Accolades poured in the world over: Rolling Stone, Spin, GQ, Alternative Press, Magnet, Chicago Sun-Times, The Washington Post, Village Voice and dozens of others publications. Almost overnight, HIGH ON FIRE were the unassuming heroes of the almighty riff and the most celebrated metal band on the planet.
Immediately on the heels of its release, HIGH ON FIRE hit the road. Europe was conquered with ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY by their side and the US was taken in two tours of duty; first with CLEARLIGHT and then on their own.
Summer 2001 saw Mans Ruin close up shop, leaving the band with no label and no distribution for their record. Relapse offered, the trio accepted, and they found themselves with a new home. In the meantime, Tee Pee Records stepped in and re-issued The Art of Self Defense.
No sooner had the ink dried on the contract before HIGH ON FIRE finished writing and completing a twelve-date West Coast tour prior to entering Prairie Sun Studios with Billy Anderson once again.
That January 2002 recording session (and the following mixing session at San Fran.'s Different Fur Studios) yielded the bands long-awaited sophomore effort Surrounded By Thieves.
Surrounded By Thieves is a gargantuan amalgam of huge, expansive riffs that crash and drone simultaneously into each other. Rice's seismic bass lines bolster everything like huge flotation devices only to be blown apart by the cannon-like drums of Kensel. Pike's raw throaty vocals surface intermittently, acting both as punctuation as well as it's own tortured instrument.
Songs such as 'Hung, Drawn and Quartered', 'Nemesis', and 'Razorhoof' are staggering in their expanse. Rarely has metal been as powerful and pure in its ability to translate primal fury and aggression.
Surrounded By Thieves is set for a May 28th release and HIGH ON FIRE will celebrate with a six-week North American co-headlining tour with GODFLESH. The trio will follow-up the North American tour with a two week run of dates through the United Kingdom and Central Europe then return to the US for a full summers worth of road work.
