Posted in Whathaveyou on March 20th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Please, try to contain your shock at High on Fire announcing a tour to support their upcoming ninth LP, Cometh the Storm, which is set to arrive April 19 through MNRK Heavy. Perhaps you thought that, following years of road-dogging and a Grammy win, the heretofore-unstoppable trio led by Matt Pike with the now-long-tenured Jeff Matz (Zeke, Camarosmith) on bass (also various Turkish folk instruments) and, for the first time on record, Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins) on drums would… what? Stop? Rest on laurels and wait for the world to come to them to buy the t-shirt?
Not likely for a band who count ‘charge’ so prevalent among their defining elements. These shows — a manageable-seeming two weeks spent mostly on the Eastern Seaboard that wrap by hitting Dark Lord Day in Chicago — are the beginning of the cycle, not the sum total. If the plan is to carve up the North American part of the tour into runs like this, one might look forward to corresponding West Coast dates, but already the band are confirmed for Bear Stone Festival in Croatia and SonicBlast Fest in Portugal this summer, so at least one European stint is in the offing as well. That’s who High on Fire are at this point. Put out the record and get to work.
I guess there was a Dudes Having Opinions On The Internet™ kerfuffle about the AI video they did for “Burning Down” from Cometh the Storm. Would it be too honest if I said I didn’t care? There’s one with studio footage too that’s below. If the other one made you mad, I might ask you to wonder how many times in human history those who’ve decried new art forms as they’ve come up have been proven right by that same history. I could go on. Here I am, choosing not to.
Dates and such from the PR wire:
High on Fire Announces U.S. Headlining Tour Dates
Grammy-Winning Group Releases First New LP in Five Years, ‘Cometh the Storm’, April 19
Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, will release its new LP, ‘Cometh the Storm’, on April 19 via MNRK Heavy. The GRAMMY Award-winning group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, recorded ‘Cometh the Storm’ at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou. The 11-song effort — the band’s ninth studio album — marks the release of the first new High on Fire music since 2018’s ‘Electric Messiah’ and the first to feature drummer Coady Willis (Big Business, Murder City Devils), alongside bassist Jeff Matz, and guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike. ‘Cometh the Storm’ boasts runic art and design by longtime High on Fire collaborator Arik Moonhawk Roper. Pre-order/save High on Fire’s ‘Cometh the Storm’ at this location:https://highonfire.ffm.to/comeththestorm
Today, High on Fire announces U.S. headlining tour dates in support of ‘Cometh the Storm’. The spring slate will launch on May 4 in Orlando, FL and feature support from Venezuelan post rock outfit, Zeta, and Massachusetts crossover crew High Command. The just-announced tour dates are as follows:
High on Fire ‘Cometh the Storm’ spring U.S. tour (w/ Zeta, High Command)
May 4 Orlando, FL Conduit May 5 Columbia, SC The Senate May 7 Greensboro, NC Hanger 1819 May 8 Richmond, VA The Broadberry May 10 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Soundstage May 11 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place May 12 Jersey City, NJ White Eagle Hall May 13 Cambridge, MA The Middle East May 15 Albany, NY Empire Live May 16 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop May 17 Detroit, MI The Magic Stick May 18 Chicago, IL 3 Floyd’s Brewing (Dark Lord Day feat. High on Fire, Abbath, Fugitive, 1349, Spiritworld)
“High on Fire legion! We are stoked to take the stage in a city near you as we bring ‘Cometh the Storm’ to life,” offers the group. “Looking forward to a triumphant run of shows and reuniting with friends. See you soon!”
High on Fire are: Matt Pike – Guitar/vocals Jeff Matz – Bass/backing vocals/saz Coady Willis – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 19th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
Last year, at what was my first time attending SonicBlast Fest in Âncora, Portugal, where it’s been held the last several years since moving from Moledo, I had a great, great time. Really. When I think every single day in multiple contexts about how I never seem to let myself enjoy anything — a perspective to which this blog stands as ready testament against, what with all the salivating and hyperbole — my time at SonicBlast is among the first counterpoints that comes to mind. I met new friends, I met old friends, I hung out with Dr. Space for like three days, and that dude’s the best. I stood on stage and watched Dozer, singing along and rocking out alongside friendly, welcoming faces. A rare moment overcoming insecurity. The place, the weather, the beach, the people are beautiful. And the music is very loud. For the rest of my life, I get to say I saw Ruff Majik supporting Elektrik Ram. For this I am deeply lucky.
The shape of my 2024 is such that when SonicBlast happens this year –Aug. 8-10, with the pre-show Aug. 7 set to feature Saint Karloff from Norway among others still TBA — I’ll be traveling with family elsewhere. That’s kind of a result of there only being so much summer between school years and my wife’s teaching semesters, so I’m rolling with it. I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to assume I’d be invited back to SonicBlast anyhow, but if the weekend comes and you don’t see me covering the likes of High on Fire, Margarita Witch Cult (who I think I might need to see), The Obsessed, Tons, Slift, and so on, it’s not because I didn’t have a good time there last year or wouldn’t be interested in watching Brant Bjork, Graveyard, Colour Haze and/or 1000mods (who ruled at Desertfest NYC and are maybe recording?), Truckfighters and probably four or five surprisingly hardcore-influenced acts on that huge stage, when in fact I very much would. Last year’s edition was unrealistically good. The photo pit was big enough to dance in. They even had chairs. I’d be back there in a second if I could. Maybe 2025 if I’m lucky and the world doesn’t end (again).
Poster by Branca — to whom I wasn’t brave enough to say hi last year, sorry — and the announcement from the festival’s socials follow in blue, as well as links and the High on Fire single in case you don’t want to just scroll down the site to find it in its own post:
We’re so proud to announce 13 more bands that’ll burn down SonicBlast Fest’s 12th edition!
Welcome the great @highonfireband, who will release the first single from their upcoming album today, @gayesuakyol @sliftrock @thenightbeats @theobsessedofficial @coffin_aus @jjuujjuu @margaritawitchcult @skemer_official @tonsofweed666 @cobrafuma and @silvershark_boogie 🔥🔥🔥
We’re also so glad to announce the first name to our warm-up party, at the 7th august, @saintkarloff ⚡️
Unfortunately Sunami won’t be able to make it to SonicBlast Fest 2024.
Posted in Whathaveyou on February 16th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
High on Fire weren’t trying to keep it secret when they were in the studio last year with Kurt Ballou — who’s now done four records with them — to follow-up 2018’s Electric Messiah (review here), and today they unveil the first song and album details ahead of an April 19 release through MNRK Heavy (formerly E1), their label home for the last 14 years. And while in many cases a given band’s ninth LP and fourth with the same producer might seem like ‘business as usual,’ the trio of Matt Pike, Jeff Matz and Coady Willis represent a new incarnation of High on Fire, as Cometh the Storm marks Willis‘ studio debut after a couple years of on-stage destruction for the back catalog.
No question this will be one of the biggest underground heavy releases of the year — can you still be underground if you won a Grammy? we’ll find out I guess — as anything High on Fire put out is going to draw attention and they’re big enough that that means both internet salivating and the inevitable naysay component, not much of which matters, as High on Fire will persist regardless. They’ve already announced summer plans for Europe and in addition to what’s on the poster below, they’re newly confirmed for Dark Lord Day this May in Indiana, as well as SonicBlast Fest 2024 in Portugal and Bear Stone in Croatia this August, so expect more to come.
In the meantime, the song. “Burning Down” finds High on Fire very much in their element with an intense chug and overlaid groove. Throaty conjurations from Pike, a satisfying roll to its verse, and whatever-your-quota’s worth of crash and bash, tucked into a convenient six-minute package. I’m not in the business of telling anyone how to live their life, but it seems to me that if you’re listening to music today, this might be what you want to hear. While I doubt it’s representative of the scope of the whole album, it does reassure you they didn’t somehow break their sound after 25-plus years bashing away at it.
PR just came through:
High on Fire to Release New LP, ‘Cometh the Storm’, April 19
Grammy-Winning Group Drops Video for Gargantuan New Track “Burning Down”
Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, will release its new LP, ‘Cometh the Storm’, on April 19 via MNRK Heavy. The GRAMMY Award-winning group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, recorded ‘Cometh the Storm’ at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou. The 11-song effort — the band’s ninth studio album — marks the release of the first new High on Fire music since 2018’s ‘Electric Messiah’ and the first to feature drummer Coady Willis (Big Business, Murder City Devils), alongside bassist Jeff Matz, and guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike. Pre-order/save High on Fire’s ‘Cometh the Storm’ at this location: https://highonfire.bandcamp.com/album/cometh-the-storm
‘Cometh the Storm’ is advanced by the lead track, “Burning Down”, and a haunting, fever dream video, directed by Lars Kristoffer Hormander. Experience High on Fire’s “Burning Down” at this location.
“Burning Down” kicks off with a classic Pike riff,” says Jeff Matz. “I think this song harkens back to the early High On Fire sound, but infused with fresh, new elements. It has a killer groove that you can really sink into. The body of the song took shape in our PNW rehearsal space, and we came up with the bridge/solo section and finalized the arrangement while we were at GodCity. Kurt Ballou’s input as a producer was also hugely helpful. His keen ears and fresh perspective were invaluable in making this album.”
“I think this band’s always had a really good drive,” states Matt Pike. “It’s a different entity. It’s its own thing. Which, I think, makes all of us very proud to be a part of it. It’s not an average band.”
“Being a fan of each other’s bands for a long time, it feels like all bets are off and anything goes which is a liberating feeling,” shares Willis. “That feeling of making something out of all of these imperfect parts and it becomes this magical, weird, new idea that none of us ever anticipated. Against all odds. That’s the joy of it.”
“It’s interesting, whenever there’s a lineup change in a band,” offers producer Kurt Ballou. “It can take a little while to rebuild. But it’s also an opportunity to reinvigorate the band and I think that’s what’s happened here.”
Tracklisting: TRACKLIST 1. Lambsbread 2. Burning Down 3. Trismegistus 4. Cometh the Storm 5. Karanlık Yol (instrumental) 6. Sol’s Golden Curse 7. The Beating 8. Tough Guy 9. Lighting Beard 10. Hunting Shadows 11. Darker Fleece
High on Fire are: Matt Pike – Guitar/vocals Jeff Matz – Bass/backing vocals/saz Coady Willis – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 23rd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
There’s more here than I knew was coming, which is cool. High on Fire are the first announced headliner for Bear Stone Festival 2024, to be held next July across four days and three stages. Big, in other words. Or getting bigger, anyhow. I’d imagine that some of the acts listed here who are Croatian-native — Jantar, Tight Grips, Rens Argoa, A Gram Trip, Vukojarac, etc. — will feature on the newly-added third stage, and since I’ll be in attendance for this one (I don’t have the flight/lodging booked yet, but I’ve been invited and said yes and it’s okay with my wife, so I’m going) I look forward to finding out more about the country’s hometeam underground. Having the likes of Colour Haze, Gnome, Pigsx7, Mother Vulture and more to fill out the bill is huge, and if it seems like a lot, it’s half the fest. They say there’s one more announcement coming.
What they don’t say is when, but when I hear something I’ll let you know, and while I’ve got your attention, I’d like to thank Bear Stone for the invitation to attend their incredible-looking festival. I have high hopes for both the experience and the music, and I expect both to be exceeded. If you’d like to know more about the bands, there’s a Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post. Bear Stone made you a mixtape.
Here’s info from the PR wire:
First Lineup Announcement For Bear Stone Festival 2024
Here it is, the first half of Bear Stone Festival 2024 lineup. As we have previously announced, Bear Stone Festival 2024 will have 28 bands spread throughout 3 stages over 4 days of the festival.
We would also like to announce that Early Bear festival tickets are now on sale! At the end of this email you will find the button that will lead you to the Entrio ticketing site.
Check out our poster below to discover the first 14 bands of Bear Stone Festival 2024.
HIGH ON FIRE (USA)
Prepare for an electrifying experience as the legendary High On Fire take hold of Bear Stone Festival’s main stage! Marvel at the unforgettable sonic journey filled with their signature blend of heavy riffs and powerful vocals.
Witness their seismic performance and join us in an epic night of Metal mastery!
COLOUR HAZE (DE)
Following their sensational Bear Stone Festival Warm-Up club show in Zagreb, we are thrilled to announce that the mesmerising Colour Haze will be gracing our festival stage for the very first time!
Get ready for an unparalleled fusion of Psychedelic Rock and intricate melodies that will transport you to new sonic dimensions. Don’t miss this chance to experience the captivating artistry of Colour Haze in the vibrant atmosphere of Bear Stone Festival.
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS (UK)
Allow yourself to be ensnared by the mighty presence of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs as they summon the very essence of Doom Metal overlaid with their distinctive blend of Psychedelic Rock and Heavy Metal. Let the walls of sound crafted in the fumes of Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard and Sleep wash over you, as they embody heaviness itself.
Witness their unparalleled display of distortion, unveiling the exhilarating saga that is Land of Sleeper and encapsulate the heart and soul of the genre in an electrifying performance!
MOTHER VULTURE (UK)
After their electrifying performance at Bear Stone Festival Year Zero edition in 2022, Bristol’s very own Mother Vulture are back by popular demand! Gaze at their adrenaline-fueled spectacle as they once again shock us with their unique energy and raw Rock prowess.
Get ready to be blown away by the powerhouse performance of Mother Vulture at Bear Stone Festival 2024.
GNOME (BE)
Do you feel like your life is missing more songs about gnomes that are oppressed by their evil king? Belgian band Gnome will take care of that and more with an enchanting performance soaked in their signature blend of Progressive and Stoner Rock, accompanied by their already legendary gnome attire.
NEMEČEK (CRO)
Immerse yourself in the raw, intense sounds of Croatian band Nemeček as they mesmerize Bear Stone Festival with their powerful blend of folk-inspired music marked by its fierce and darkly evocative tones.
BARON CRÂNE (FR)
Baron Crâne are a Paris-based instrumental trio known for their dynamic fusion of psychedelic, progressive, and experimental sounds that shape an immersive musical journey filled with powerful riffs and a blend of diverse influences.
SLOWTORCH (ITA)
Channeling an explosive blend of Clutch’s fervour, Black Sabbath’s heaviness, and Corrosion of Conformity’s raw energy, Italian heavy rockers Slowtorch deliver an incendiary onslaught of relentless, riff-driven soundscapes, marked by their fiery intensity and hard-hitting musical prowess.
JANTAR (CRO)
Jantar are a Post-Metal/Prog Rock band from Zagreb, formed after the dissolution of Pink Fairy Armadillo. They are set on delivering a sound that delves deep into irregular rhythms, dissonant tones, and overlapping layers of analog synths.
RENS ARGOA (CRO)
Wonder at the genre-defying musical experience with the instrumental trio Rens Argoa, whose passion for rhythmic riffs and melodies has inspired them to blend together elements of Jazz, orchestral music, Prog Rock, and Punk all across their four albums.
QUIET CONFUSION (ITA)
Join us in welcoming the dynamic Rock’n’Roll/Psychedelic/Heavy-Blues band Quiet Confusion from Verona, Italy, best known for their electric performances and distinctive 70’s-style Stoner Rock vibes showcased in their latest album “Magella”.
TIGHT GRIPS (CRO)
Tight Grips are an explosive and experimental Croatian Rock trio with an evolving sound which infuses mono-synth, Blues, and Grunge elements. They captivate audiences across festivals and regional tours and are currently gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated third album “Jewels”, set for release in autumn 2023.
VUKOJARAC (CRO)
Vukojarac, the dark embodiment of chaos and despair, emanates an otherworldly power that beckons followers into an abyss of maniacal madness. It is driven by its unstoppable desire to spread The Riff and plunge humanity into the void.
A GRAM TRIP (CRO)
Hailing from Zagreb, Croatia, this four-piece band fuels their sound with fuzz-driven intensity, intertwining mantric Doom riffs, Sludge vocals, and intermittent Stoner melodies. They are carving out their unique path across the trifecta of these genres, best exemplified in their debut album “Long Overdue” released in May 2023.
You can listen to our favourite songs from all these bands by clicking on the button below!
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 11th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Marking the 25th anniversary of the band earlier this year with a reissue of their first album, High on Fire have finished their ninth, which will be released early next year on MNRK Heavy. The new record, which will be their first with drummer Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins), continues the band’s collaboration with producer Kurt Ballou, who has helmed everything they’ve put out since 2012’s rampaging De Vermis Mysteriis (review here) and who most assuredly had a hand in their winning a Grammy a couple years ago.
To complement a slot at this year’s Levitation Fest in Austin, the trio led by Matt Pike will do a quick West Coast jaunt alongside Pallbearer, and you likely don’t need me to tell you that’s a heavy show. They’ve also got two album-teaser videos out now for the coming record that you can see under the PR wire info that follows here:
High on Fire Announces U.S. Tour Dates
Grammy-Winning Rock Band Celebrating 25th Anniversary!
Multiple Studio Teasers Advancing New LP Released
Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023 and today the GRAMMY Award-winning group, featuring bassist Jeff Matz, guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike, and new drummer Coady Willis (Melvins, Big Business, Murder City Devils) announces U.S. tour dates centered around its showcasing appearance at Austin’s Levitation Festival. The weeklong run will launch on October 26 in Dallas, Texas and hit multiple cities in Colorado and California before wrapping on November 4. Support on the High on Fire tour will be provided by Pallbearer.
High on Fire tour dates:
October 26 Dallas, TX @ The Factory October 27 Austin, TX @ Stubb’s (Levitation Fest with Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats) October 29 Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s October 30 Denver, CO @ The Summit October 31 Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep November 2 Garden Grove, CA @ Garden Amp November 3 Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55 November 4 Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre
“Who is ready to rip it up?!”, said the band in a statement. “High on Fire is primed and ready to rock and continue celebrating our 25th Anniversary with family, friends, and fans. See you at the shows!”
High on Fire has completed work on its new, untitled ninth studio album and successor to 2018’s ‘Electric Messiah’. Recorded in Salem, Massachusetts with longtime producer Kurt Ballou, the new album is the first to feature drummer Willis, who joined High on Fire in 2021. An early 2024 release date is expected via MNRK Heavy. See below for sneak peek looks at the band creating the new LP.
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 22nd, 2023 by JJ Koczan
As Matt Pike opines in the behind-the-scenes clip at the bottom of this post — which looks like it could be a snippet taken from a feature-length documentary that would’ve been well earned on the band’s part even before they snagged a Grammy — laughing, he says, “It’s definitely a specific kind of person who’s going to listen to a High on Fire record.” And so it is. The band hasn’t been without controversy in terms of Pike‘s reading habits, but when you’ve been a specific kind of crazy for a long time and then all of a sudden a whole bunch of new people start paying attention, that kind of thing is going to get noticed in a different light. Matt Pike talkin’ crazy shit? Points for consistency. Have you ever read the lyrics?
Anyhoozle, cool that the band are reissuing The Art of Self-Defense, but the big question being answered here as I see it is the status of their next record, which is done. Hooray for that, and I mean it. Not only are they due, but that their next LP will arrive in reasonable time for them to take it out and say, ‘We’ve been a band for 25 years and we still destroy everybody,’ will no doubt be a good bit of fun for them and anyone else lucky enough to be in the path of their aural battery. A quarter-century of High on Fire isn’t nothing, and I look forward to hearing Coady Willis drumming on a record after seeing him with the band live twice last year. New material, so much the better.
The PR wire has info on that reissue, confirmation of a 2024 release for the next LP, and a reminder that it was Frank Kozik who put out their first release. Behold:
High on Fire Announces 25th Anniversary Celebration, ‘The Art of Self Defense’ Deluxe Reissue
Grammy-Winning Rock Band Completes Work on New LP!
Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023 and announces plans to honor a quarter-century of creation with a special slate of rejoiceful revelry. The GRAMMY Award-winning group, featuring bassist Jeff Matz, guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike, and new drummer Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins, Murder City Devils) will bookend the jubilee with a reissue of its long-out-of-print debut, ‘The Art of Self Defense’, and the release of its as-yet-untitled new album, set to drop in early 2024. In between, fans can expect a slew of live performances spotlighting specific eras from the trailblazing band’s historic career.
On August 4, MNRK Heavy will reissue High on Fire’s debut album, ‘The Art of Self Defense’. Originally released in 2000 on the late Frank Kozik’s now defunct Man’s Ruin Records, ‘The Art of Self Defense’ introduced the world to the towering trio and modded the template for what constituted modern-day heavy music. The celebratory reissue is completely remixed by original producer, Billy Anderson, remastered by Justin Weis, and boasts a new alternative cover, expanded gatefold artwork, and the band’s self-titled demo as bonus tracks. ‘The Art of Self Defense’ deluxe reissue, which will be available on LP in a smorgasbord of colored vinyl variants, is available for pre-order at this location.
In additional news, High on Fire has completed work on its new, untitled ninth studio album and successor to 2018’s ‘Electric Messiah’, which netted the group its first GRAMMY for Best Metal Performance. Recorded in Salem, Massachusetts with longtime producer Kurt Ballou, the album is the first to feature drummer Willis, who joined High on Fire in 2021. Additional details will be announced as available.
“High on Fire wishes to thank everyone that has supported our efforts over the last 25 years, including the labels, road crews, friends, and families, but most importantly the FANS,” says the band collectively. “We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with everyone and sharing new music soon.”
So I kinda wanted to hear some old shit alongside all the new shit, which I guess I feel okay about. I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like every second of every show has to be super-recent as much as possible to get word out about new bands again as much as possible — and again again as much as possible to the extent of whatever the audience for this show is; I honestly have no idea — but that’s not even close to being true in reality. I could play Death, no one would give a shit.
I should play Death. Next show if I remember, which I’m saying up front is like 70/30 no.
Anyway, so old High on Fire into new Dozer and Altered States’ recent “The Crossing” crossing with The Hidden Hand’s “The Crossing” from their brilliant 2004 opus, and JAAW feeding into Celtic Frost feeding into Vape Warlök. Fucking a. This show’s pretty good. I hope I don’t ruin it by, you know, talking.
A few albums here I’m looking forward to knowing better. Swanmay for sure, JAAW absolutely, and I might even say that of Dozer, perhaps into perpetuity or at very least until long after I’ve reviewed it and hailed it as one of the best albums of the year — which I don’t even feel shy in saying because it’s a fucking given — and Bongzilla, because they’re Bongzilla and I’m glad they’re putting out records. They’re a needed reminder of how even the heaviest things can be made to float.
Thanks if you listen to this show. If not, it happens, but thanks for reading anyhow. If you stumbled here and have no idea what I’m talking about, you might still consider checking out a band or two from the playlist and find something to make your day better.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at: http://gimmemetal.com.
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 03.31.23 (VT = voice track)
High on Fire
10,000 Years
The Art of Self-Defense (2001)
Dozer
Dust for Blood
Drifting in the Endless Void
Devoidov
Stab
Stab
MiR
Altar of Liar
Season Unknown
VT
Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow
Maps of Inferno
Mars Red Sky & Queen of the Meadow
Black Rainbows
Superhero Dopeproof
Superskull
Lammping
Better Know Better
Better Know Better
Oceanlord
2340
Kingdom Cold
Arriver
Azimuth
Azimuth
Altered States
The Crossing
Survival
The Hidden Hand
The Crossing
Mother Teacher Destroyer (2004)
Iress
Ricochet
Solace
Grin
Nothingness
Black Nothingness
Bongzilla
Hippie Stick
Dab City
MWWB
Logic Bomb
The Harvest (2022)
Swanmay
Stone Cold
Frantic Feel
VT
JAAW
Rot
Supercluster
Celtic Frost
A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh
Monotheist (2005)
Vape Warlök
Inhale Death
Inhale Death (2022)
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is April 14 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Posted in Features on August 22nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Early
Ah, the last day. If last night had been the end, I wouldn’t have been able to complain, but if you’re going to do a thing, do it, so Psycho ends on Sunday. And tonight is Mercyful Fate after High on Fire and Paradise Lost, then Monolord closing out the proceedings. And Witch Mountain with Uta Plotkin and Billy Anderson before that. That would be enough, but that’s not it either. Mothership play Famous Foods later. And I can’t help but imagine them leading the entire room in an Animal House-style food fight. Not saying I think it will happen — they’re a smarter band than that — but it would make sense.
This fest is social-ready in a way that things weren’t a few years ago. There’s stuff just strewn about to take your picture next for TikTok or Instagramming, and from the pool mosh to the black metal up in that airplane hangar of an Event Center, the crowd participation in hype before and during and after is very much factored in. Various algorithms will bring up these pictures in ‘memories’ for years to come. I know this because all my old memories are band photos. Kid stuff too now, which I’ll admit gets me sometimes.
But it goes to show the depth of consideration put into something like this. Someone had to design, render and manufacture that big playing card cartoon character by the Poker Tournament, and it’s not a cheap cardboard cutout, either. Shit lights up. Where’s it gonna go until next year? Would they even reuse it, or is it one and done because next year will need a new design?
A video chat with the kid proves restorative. His grandmother brought him home from Connecticut and he looked pretty wiped out from his weekend. I get that. I won’t see him tomorrow, but will be there Tuesday when he wakes up at some maddeningly early time. My flight leaves Vegas at noon tomorrow, gets into Newark at 8:30. Remember I said I’d get through half the day today without fretting about getting to the airport? Seems that was a bit of wishful thinking. So it goes.
Head upstairs as I finish coffee, just to sit in quiet for a minute. I could go back to bed. Don’t. Instead go back downstairs to where Famous Foods is doing Chessboxing with the Gza. No sign of the Genius, but it’s Mike from Elder and Buddy from Greenbeard right now and it seems like a good game, at least going by the overhead camera on the side. This is one of those things that makes sense because it’s Psycho.
I’m sorry, I think that picture is the funniest shit I’ve seen since I got here. Crazy rock and roll bacchanal, right? And I find the chess tournament. Welcome to the story of me at a party.
Not so terribly later
Man, Psychlona know how to ride a groove. This was the last show of their West Coast tour. Gotta be an interesting thing, coming over to play this fest for multiple sets in the heels of your best album yet. Tomorrow they fly back to the UK. That’s gotta feel like an accomplishment, right?
They finished their set with “Warped” from that new album, one more all-lined-up-and-go outbound groove, not just tight but all even in a way that makes it that much easier to get on board whenever. Like they took off a long time ago and you just walked in but it’s still cool and no worries on catching up, they’re still ready for you. I feel like I saw that happen a couple times during their set, folks wandering in and whatnot, though Psychlona, first band of the day in here, noon start, pulled a good crowd. They’re heavy rock for heavy rockers but I feel like there’s more identity starting to come out in their sound over the last two albums. I’ve seen them twice this summer now, here and Germany, so I’m a total fucking expert, mind you. Totally have every clue what I’m talking about.
Does it count as a confession or complaint that I’m exhausted? Either way, I know it’s not rock and roll. But I got chased off the floor spot I was sitting at in Dawg House, and that felt like a spiritual wound I didn’t need, so I apologize.
I saw the tail end of Mint Field’s set, kind of mellow atmospheric indie but they had a little space-kraut psych thing going at the end, a little bit of fuzz worked in with the programmed backbeat and fluid instrumentation between the duo. Lots of melody, kind of breezy but not checked out mentally. Vibe, in other words. Lord Buffalo are also a vibe band, spacious, heavy Americana, brooding rock and an underlying swell of blues doom — not doom the genre, but more like the apocalypse. I’d never seen them before, and I hope to again. Heavy Western is a hard sell at a Vegas sports bar, but the sound in Dawg House has been really good, and that goes for Lord Buffalo as well.
Today isn’t quite the same crunch for me as yesterday.
This is a good thing, however you want to look at it. More time to appreciate a set, offset by that last-day restlessness, knowing that each show is another step back toward real life. Tonight’s sleep is going to be the worst, because in my heart of hearts I’m ready to be home. That’s nothing against Psycho Las Vegas or any of the bands I’ve seen or will see before my night is up, I’m just good to go. I was tired when I came here. So yeah, give me a relaxed Psycho adventure. In a bit I’ll watch Witch Mountain and then head to the Event Center for Paradise Lost. Won’t be iced tea on the patio, but it’s not three bands in an hour either.
Not that I would expect any of them to ever see it, but shout to the door crew at Dawg House anyway, who’ve been nothing but kind and welcoming in a way that has been appreciated. I told them as much before I came in for what I think will be this last time.
Later. Who cares?
We have perhaps arrived at a moment of spiritual rejuvenation sought. I find myself low stress, sitting in back, not in VIP but around there, having just watched Witch Mountain and Katatonia in succession, a one-two brought on more by happenstance than anything. Witch Mountain finished on time, but Katatonia had started late and went late, so for leaving Dawg House on the quick after Witch Mountain were done, I got to catch at least a decent enough portion of Katatonia’s set to make me feel like I saw them.
That’s a win, damnit.
Not the least because Witch Mountain were incredible. I took pictures, very grateful to have the little barricade there for a photo pit, then moved to a good spot in the middle and just kind of dug in. I have fond memories of seeing Witch Mountain live. Having Uta Plotkin on vocals, who shouted out current singer Kayla Dixon, and Billy Anderson on bass didn’t hurt — it was a 25th bandiversary special celebration; and it indeed was pretty fucking special. Save perhaps for the universal exception that is Stinking Lizaveta, I’d say it was my set of the trip at least to this point. Kings Destroy doing “Smokey Robinson” belongs on that list too, if we’re making a list. But Rob Wrong is an unsung hero of doom riffs, and Nate Carson revels in the plod of his drums with an enjoyment that’s infectious. This was clearly something that meant more to the band than just being on stage in front of people at a cool festival, though sometimes that works too, I guess.
Alas, my magic email’s magic would seem to have worn out; I was denied access to the photo pit for the main stage. Said to the guy I wasn’t trying to make his day harder, I was just there to do what the fest brought me here to do, dude went back and checked and that was that. Okay. I took some pictures from the crowd then went up to sit on a real chair in the VIP section and soothe my unduly battered ego.
For what it’s worth, and I know it’s not much, I’ve shot Paradise Lost before. And High on Fire twice this summer on soil foreign and domestic, not to mention last time I was at this fest and shot them. Mercyful Fate I’ll probably never get the chance to shoot again, but I’ve lived this long without I’m sure I can keep going. The world has enough mediocre photos of King Diamond that I do not worry about mine being missed. I know I’m not like a pro photographer out there taking pictures of bands for the festival and I’m not trying to tell anyone otherwise. But I thought this was what I was brought here to do.
The fleeing nature of joy is what makes it worth trying to hold onto. That’s my last word on it. I’ll try again for Monolord at Rose Ballroom.
Earth spins.
It’s 8:34PM. Bet you thought I was going to say “later.”
Paradise Lost got cut short, maybe, but they played a Paradise Lost show before that, so fair enough. I spent most of their set up and in the back and that was fine if for some weird vocal echoey stuff, but if I’d wanted perfect sound I’d have stood by the soundboard. Most of all I wanted a chair.
I have consistently dug Paradise Lost’s work over the last 15 years solid, minimum, and had an appreciation for their early stuff before that, so I am not about to complain about watching them play. They and Katatonia both put in what seemed like a festival set by practitioners of the form. It’s engaging the room for its size, meeting the whole crowd and not just the people 10 feet in front of the stage. Pro shop, in other words.
High on Fire, on the other hand, do not care where you stand. They are happy to run you over regardless. Kind of surprised they’ve never done a live album here, since they’re pretty much the house band. And they’re playing right before Mercyful Fate, so clearly there’s love there in both sides. High on Fire Live at Psycho Las Vegas would make sense. I mean, it does, pretty much every year.
This was my third time seeing them this summer. Coady Willis wasn’t even a question in drums. Completely took for granted that all parts were going to be well and thoroughly nailed, and they were. I know High on Fire has had a few thinkpieces written about them because, whoa-oa, Nutty Matt Pike is nutty!, but this band dominates heavy like no one else I’ve ever seen. And that’s nothing against the thinkpieces, either. Those are conversations that need to be happening if heavy music is ever going to grow outside its very white, very dude optics. I’m sure Matt Pike reads some fucked up shit. Fine. I’m not cold-calling voters for a senate campaign. I’m trying to enjoy being pummeled by riffs. If I thought dude was a nazi I’d say so.
Later
High on Fire delivered what was promised, and there was an hour break before Mercyful Fate at the Event Center. I didn’t move. I had a chair, a little table, up in back. I put my head down, didn’t quite sleep, but rested my eyes for a while. When I looked back up, the room was fuller than I’ve seen it, though admittedly I haven’t spent a ton of time in there. And the King held court, first wearing a kind of ram’s horns headress to climb up the stairs to his own riser on the bi-level stage, topped as it was by a neon upside down cross. You would not call it subtle. Classic, yes. They played a new song too.
I knew I wanted the closing chapter of my adventure to be Monolord at the Rose Ballroom. I left myself enough time en route for a pitstop upstairs — bathroom, drink water, eat bar, shoes back on, go — on the way, and it occurred to me that I was actually sure of where I was going for perhaps the first time in the last four days. I finally got it. I turned left coming out of the hotel hallway into the casino, then hung a right into the not-mall, and made my way down to the end then up the elevator to the third floor. Monolord were pretty much set up by the time I got there.
And you know, in the end, I’m a simple creature. I’ve never been a huge Mercyful Fate fan — nothing against them; that’s an important band I’m lucky to have seen — but I sure was happy to hear Monolord break into “I’ll Be Damned.” The crowd got a big boost I guess as Mercyful Fate wrapped up, but I was largely oblivious, completely exhausted, taking lousy pictures with the wrong ISO and getting ready to call it a night. No, I didn’t stay the whole time. I’m only one person. But I was glad to have gone, and as I look around the hotel room at all the shit I need to throw in my suitcase upon waking up in about six hours, showering and getting the hell out of town (hopefully; I feel like you never know with flying these days), I’m glad I came. Psycho very obviously didn’t need to let me be here, but I appreciate that they did anyway.
And again, thank you for reading. I’m going to bed.
