Sunday 7 June 2015

High On Fire - 'Luminiferous' (Album Review)


Album Type: Full-Length
Date Released: 19/6/2015
Label: Century Media Recordings

‘Luminiferous’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. The Dark Plot
02. Carcosa
03. The Sunless Years
04. Slave The Hive
05. The Falconist
06. Dark Side Of The Compass
07. The Cave
08. Luminiferous
09. The Lethal Chamber

High On Fire is

Matt Pike | Vocals, guitar
Des Kensel | Drums
Jeff Matz | Bass

Review:

‘Luminiferous’, sweet fucking Christ. This album has everything you could desire and maybe a touch more.  I feel the secret to the sheer tonality and crispness of the notes is the work of master engineer Kurt Ballou.  I believe he is the George Martin to High on Fire's masterpiece.  This, to my ears is the best sounding album they have ever put out. The sonic footprint is one of heavy music but also amplifying true-melodicity in its output. The lines that blast through Pike's Gibson are ones of crispness, not just hammering on man tuning for the fuck of it, but to inflict emotion, and inflict it truly does.  The rhythm section is so on top of their game, that for me, Des and Jeff are the only ones capable of harnessing the percussive punch out that erupts through ampeg stacks and double kick drums.

The difference for me is the flow of the lyrics and the wonderful melody of the choruses Matt has penned.  It has human emotion, of every facet and intriguing story telling.  Picture being by a fire at night and your dad, uncle, someone you think is the coolest motherfucker in the planet, letting you into what they think is going on  or just digs functionality outside the norm and that is what this album displays.  You have one of the most revered guitarists in the game, that's right the game, because the fact this man isn't known by all, is why the fucking game is one of distrust and simply lead by a mayor of cocksuckville.  Then, join these lyrical sledgehammers with music so goddamn good, the world should be a better place.

Here's the simple deal, you have 4 of, in my mind the most influential beings in the rock world, coming together for the one true thing, the listener and giving them a piece of dramatic and pummelling art that the sum of the piece is the true winner.  Review in a nutshell; this album is so fucking good, if you do not get it, you are a dum dum. No waxing poetically, the music does the talking. Blah blah blah, get it or lose out on a piece of music that has everything you could ask for and more.

Gaff out

Words by: Marc Gaffney

‘Luminiferous’ is available here

For more information: