Release
date: October
05th
2018.
Label: eOne.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Electric
Messiah
– Tracklisting
Spewn
from the Earth
Steps
of the Ziggurat_House of Enlil
Electric
Messiah
Sanctioned
Annihilation
The
Pallid Mask
God
of the Godless
Freebooter
The
Witch and the Christ
Drowning
Dog
Members
Matt
Pike - Guitars, Vocals
Des
Kensel - Drums
Jeff
Matz - Bass
Review
What
a year 2018 has been, killer music has been coming fast and furious
from every direction. You know the moon and stars have aligned
perfectly when you get a new Sleep record (and single) and a new High
on Fire record in the same year. Speaking of fast and furious, you
have Electric Messiah, High on Fire’s 8th record. Sleep/HoF are two
sides of the Matt Pike coin. It is a big, heavy coin, with the Yin of
the more laid back heaviness to the Yang of HoF’s monstrous,
breakneck speed.
With
Electric Messiah, Pike and company offer a fittingly immense tribute
to the mighty Lemmy and Motorhead. There are quite a few moments on
the album that you can feel the band channelling the spirit and power
of the mighty Motorhead. The record succeeds on many levels with it’s
combination of Motorhead feel and High
on Fire power. The record opens with the truly Motorhead inspired
ferocity of Spewn
from the Earth.
A killer high tempo track that does a tremendous job of setting the
tone for the album. The more traditional High on Fire track(s)
Steps
of the Ziggeruat/House of Enlil
follows.
The pace is slowed a bit with an immense drum sound and chugging riff
to start the song then the band shifts the tempo a bit ominous bass
heavy and more monstrous drumming. The title track follows, Electric
Messiah,
picks up the pace again and does a smashing job of combining the
Motorhead/HoF sounds. The track is killer with breakneck punk speed
and a massive double drum attack.
Sanctioned
Annihilation
pulls
a little bit from the Sleep play-book with a bit of a meditative
guitar opening before exploding with a relentless guitar and drum
attack that annihilates the listener with some face melting solos.
The
Pallad Mask
is
a prototypical slab of High On Fire riffage. A massive intro brings
God
of the Godless
to
life. This monstrous track is flourished with high tempo cymbal
crashes.
Another
killer track comes with Freebooter
and
it’s breakneck pace. The speed of this song is wickedly intense
with some more awe inspiring soloing. The angry and dark The
Witch & The Christ
comes
in with an eerie, driving intensity and a big drum sound. The closer
is another amazing track. Drowning
Dog
has
a big guitar intro and an absolutely killer hook in the chorus of
“Goddamn you..” The song is a massive, damning monster.
I
wasn’t sure if I would hear a better record than Sleep’s massive
return earlier this year, but we may have found it with Electric
Messiah. High on Fire has had a complete return to form with this
beast. The world is truly a better place with an inspired Matt Pike,
and 2018 has given that to us. If you dig Sleep, Motorhead, or High
on Fire than I cannot recommend Electric Messiah enough. Dig on it,
you will not be disappointed!
Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou
Words by Todd Stealey
Thanks to Lisa at Hold Tight! PR for the promo. Electric Messiah will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via eOne and all good stockists from October 05th 2018.
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