High on Fire

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 settled 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 songs. That demo, featuring "Master of Fists" and instant classics "10,000 Years" and "Blood from Zion," became among the most sought-after 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 surfaced it was im... more...