Representative Albums: "Surrounded by Thieves", "Blessed Black Wings", "The Art of Self Defense
Biography
Guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike, bass player George Rice, and drummer Des Kensel formed High on Fire in 1999, following the collapse of Pike's previous band, doom metal titans Sleep. But while Sleep had built their fame on impossibly slothful tunes and copious weed consumption, High on Fire's first release, The Art of Self Defense, displayed a far more aggressive though still fantasy-themed style of heavy metal. Released to mildly enthusiastic reviews, the album's prospects suffered from label Man's Ruin imminent bankruptcy, and it wasn't until High on Fire landed on grindcore powerhouse Relapse Records for their second album, 2002's devastating Surrounded By Thieves, that their abundant promise was rewarded. Extensive touring and an ever-increasing fan base followed, so that by the time they unleashed their third release, Blessed Black Wings, in early 2005 (introducing new bassist Joe Preston [ex-Thrones and Melvins]), High on Fire had earned their place as one of the most widely respected heavy metal outfits on the planet. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
Matt Pike founded the band in 1998 with drummer Des Kensel and bassist George Rice (from Dear Deceased, who originally auditioned to be the band's vocalist). The band's first recordings were released on 12th Records, with a full-length entitled The Art of Self Defense released later on Man's Ruin Records. (That album would later be re-released by Tee Pee Records as Man's Ruin Records had become defunct.) The band then signed a deal with Relapse Records and recorded the album Surrounded by Thieves, released in 2002. After a vigorous touring cycle promoting that album, bassist George Rice left the band. The band's next album, 2005's Blessed Black Wings, was largely written by Pike and Kensel before recording took place, and ex-Melvins/Thrones bassist Joe Preston joined them later in the studio. After about a year of touring to promote their latest release, the band again lost their bassist. Zeke bassist Jeff Matz joined up to help the band finish touring, later becoming a full-time member and contributing to the recording of their next album with famed producer, Jack Endino (Nirvana/Mudhoney). The new record entitled Death Is This Communion was released in September 2007 after a small string of Northwest shows to promote new material on the album. The band did a headline tour of North America in September and October 2007, with support from the Japanese post-rock band Mono, along with Panthers and Coliseum. [1] In August 2009, the band went into post-production of it's follow-up to "Death Is This Communion" in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Slayer, Johnny Cash). The band finished tracking the album at The Pass studios in L.A. The album, tentatively entitled "Snakes For The Divine," is expected to be released in February or March 2010. They are currently on the Adult Swim Presents tour with Converge, Mastodon, and Dethklok.
