Haze Mage to Release Final Album High Fantasy Next Weekend
Somewhere between epic doom, stonerized riff idolatry and classic heavy metal, Baltimore’s Haze Mage are gearing up to call it quits. The five-piece will play their final show next week at The Ottobar for Grim Reefer Fest (I’m thinking of going), and April 18 (next Saturday; the day of the festival), they’re releasing High Fantasy, what’s purported to be their final full-length.
Of course, ‘final’ is a malleable consideration in a universe of infinite possibility. So far as I know nobody here hates each other, and it may be that in six months or six years they decide to pick back up, so if High Fantasy is your first exposure, yeah, I guess technically that’s late to the party since they’re not a band anymore and that particular party is over, but I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some of these guys don’t show up in other projects, whether or not they play together as Haze Mage again.
I’m just getting to know the record, but it’s a burner in a Spring that seems to be loaded with them. Two songs are streaming now and you’ll find them at the bottom of this post. The band’s PR wire announcement and the album info follow:
HAZE MAGE – High Fantasy – April 18
We are proud to present “High Fantasy”; the latest and final chapter in the Haze Mage saga. Join us as we dive deeper into the mystical world we’ve created of the Haze Mage, a realm consumed and transformed by the maddening Blood Mist. This epic 9 song album is the culmination of 6 years of song writing through an everchanging world of soaring victories, eternal struggles, and finding support in those around you when you need it most – it’s also about mysteriously magical weed shops and vampiric brains flying out of bodies and terrorizing villages at night.
Thank you all for your continuing support over the years, we could not have done this without each and every one of you that have come to our shows, played gigs with us, wear our merch, and continue to listen to us all over the world. We hope you enjoy this album as much as we do … and be careful of what awaits you as you journey into the Haze.
“High Fantasy” is now up for pre-order on our bandcamp (hazemage.bandcamp.com) and will fully release on April 18th alongside our final live performance at the Ottobar for Grim Reefer Fest
Tracklisting:
1. Pit Fighter
2. Evil Candle
3. Green Butcher
4. Golden Rider
5. Bat Brain
6. Howl of the Night Pack
7. Ogre
8. Squadron
9.Sleepers
“High Fantasy” was recorded between January and March 2026 by Noel Mueller in his Tiny Castle, mixed and mastered by Noel Mueller, artwork by John DeCampos/Ghost Bat Illustration.
Haze Mage is John DeCampos (Drums), Matthew Casella (Vocals), Nick Jewett (Guitar), Kevin Considine (Guitar), and Scott Brenner (Bass).
https://hazemage.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/hazemage
https://www.facebook.com/hazemage
So that would make it… final Fantasy?