Keepers of the flame

>> Oakland’s High on Fire dig
where heavy metal is at

BLAZING AND AMAZING: High on Fire

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Without a doubt, heavy metal has proven to be one of the most rapidly evolving genres in recent years. The very term “heavy metal,” in fact, has grown to cover a vast array of sounds, with new subgenres being invented every day. With all the bells and whistles, though, it seems a true-blue, balls-out, dyed-in-the-wool heavy metal band is rare as hen’s teeth these days. With High on Fire’s fourth record, Death Is This Communion, the Oakland, CA trio hit new heights of heaviosity, but never stray too far from their true essence—a heavy-as-fuck metal band.

“I think it’s a really cool time for metal right now,” says bassist Jeff Matz, the band’s new recruit, from a tour stop. “There are bands like Mastodon, who are a total metal band, selling records and really opening doors for other underground bands. As well, there are so many different, interesting styles coming out of metal right now.

“I realize that most people are going to consider us a metal band, but to me, it’s just loud, dirty and heartfelt rock ’n’ roll—but then again, we do really like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Celtic Frost, so maybe they have a point.”

High on Fire borrow liberally from speed metal’s forefathers, like Motörhead, Slayer etc., but they’re not afraid to up the ante by including acoustic guitars, East Indian melodies and mellotrons on Death Is This Communion. Similarly, High on Fire audiences are fairly diverse, with diehard metalheads, dirtbag rockers and indie rock hipsters rubbing shoulders. The band has already played a range of festivals, rocking the Relapse Contamination festival, Hell Fest and All Tomorrow’s Parties to equal praise.

Their current tour perfectly reflects their openness to diversity, with High on Fire sharing bills with the distinctly non-metal band Panthers and, more surprisingly, the cinematic instrumental sounds of Japan’s Mono. “The first time I saw Mono, I was just completely blown away. I think it’s always great to have that kind of diversity on the bill, because I go to so many heavy metal shows and I just get burnt out listening to four bands that are just kind of doing the same thing. The audiences of each bands have been really receptive on this tour, so it’s really been good for everybody.”

In keeping with High on Fire tradition, the new record is a pummelling affair that rarely steps off the gas pedal. Born on the mean streets of Oakland, High on Fire could be called the perfect product of their environment. For example, some of the most vicious crustcore comes out of the squat and warehouse scene in Oakland, the über-brutality of Neurosis could only come from Oakland’s gutters and then there’s the violent gangster rap rolling off its gang infested streets.

“I’ve been living there for just over a year now,” says Matz, who moved down from Seattle after leaving his former band Zeke, “and there are definitely some neighbourhoods you just can’t go into. I live right on the edge of the ghetto of Oakland and downtown, so there is that sense of fear that rests in your subconscious there. That threat of violence is probably a big influence on our music, but at the same time, Oakland and everything that comes with the city is what we call home.”

With Coliseum, Panthers and Mono at les
Saints on Saturday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m., $20