Album Review: High On Fire – Cometh The Storm (MNRK Heavy)

Iconic GRAMMY award-winning US rock band, High on Fire are not only celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, they will release their new album, ‘Cometh the Storm’, on April 19th via MNRK Heavy.

High on Fire seem reinvigorated as of late and the proof is in this groovy, fun, and heavy rock album. An album that isn’t doing anything particularly new, but that hardly matters when you get something that hits as hard as it does. I find it hard to believe that most won’t be all in from the moment the crashing Lambsbread arrives, and that’s before the smashing Burning Down comes along. With these first two tracks, that reinvigoration is clear, but we’re also hearing a more intense side to High on Fire too.

Get used to hearing intense thunderous groove though, as the whole album is packed with hefty instrumentals and powerful vocals. High on Fire adding some ‘meat to the bones’ of their sound and showing that nine albums in, they’re still as hungry as ever.

It’s pretty clear that the writing for Cometh the Storm was quite a creative period for the trio as track after track hits nicely. As things go on, Trismegistus showcases a guitar and drum combo that compels the head to bang. Not just because of the thumping heaviness or the riffs either, as this is a track with an absolute screamer of a guitar solo too. Then the title track comes along to offer up something with sludgy, stoner, and psychedelic vibes. Again, you gotta love the guitar soloing here. Just High on Fire’s continued creative juices absolutely flowing.

How about the vibes that Karanlik Yol gives off though? An instrumental that is all about Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms. A very imaginative piece that helps refresh things ready for more roaring heavy rock groove with Sol’s Golden Curse.

Fancy some straight-forward and no-frills High on Fire noise though? The Beating, Tough Guy, and Lightning Beard are three of the more ‘simplified’ offerings on the album, but with varying degrees of classic High on Fire sounds. Filled with all manner of hip-shaking, fist-raising, air-guitaring, and head-banging moments. It’s impossible to not still be having a blast with this record at this late stage.

Never forget though, that there is so much more to the High on Fire sound, and the three members are always capable of delivering more than most expect. Take Matt Pike specifically, even if it feels wrong to single one member out. Not only is he killing it on guitar here, but his vocals are sounding stronger than ever and no more proof is needed than how he sounds on Hunting Shadows, the penultimate track. High on Fire fans are going to absolutely lap this one up, and for good reason.

We’re not quite done yet though and they’ve saved the biggest for the end. It’s Darker Fleece and it comes in at two seconds short of ten minutes long. That should tell you immediately that you’re in line for something special, but even then, it’s can’t prepare you what it offers. To call it an undertaking is to underplay how experimental it is. The work of geniuses? Or the work of madmen?

Either way, it has impact and helps solidify this album as another great release from an iconic band.

High on Fire – Cometh the Storm Track Listing:

1. Lambsbread
2. Burning Down
3. Trismegistus
4. Cometh the Storm
5. Karanlik Yol
6. Sol’s Golden Curse
7. The Beating
8. Tough Guy
9. Lightning Beard
10. Hunting Shadows
11. Darker Fleece

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