Russian Circles

Some might say that* High On Fire *have been left behind by the bands that share the same sound and vision. Mastodon, for example, have gone on to get Grammy nominations and major label status, and seemingly a golden pathway to a place where they might actually be able to leave a legacy that will affect thousands of people across the globe.

High On Fire were last seen here supporting their Georgian cousins at La Scala. Before that, the roles were reversed in this very venue. High On Fire’s career trajectory has flat-lined, but we prefer it like that anyway. Probably.

This is an example of the heaviest fucking metal and there’s no better place to bear witness to such ear-exploding frolics than in an ultra-grotty, stinking-of-arse hellhole of a venue like the Underworld. It’s beautiful. Even the beer tastes like week-old arse gravy.

As a room full of sweaty, bearded, grog-addled rock monsters of men throw their horned hands in the air, the Oakland natives storm the stage. There may only be three of them but they crush the senses of each and every onlooker with a furore of doom-laced power.

Heads nod in unison and fists pump the air in time with the thunderous beats as Matt Pike plays the renegade master of ceremonies. Straddling the stage he unfurls a furious tirade of growling riffs and howls that won’t settle for just curdling your blood. These sounds won’t rest ‘til your blood is dead.

Just like the godfathers of heavy rock, Motorhead, the power exuded here is both warranted and overwhelming. Just like their friends in Mastodon, there’s enough to think about so that all of those hirsute folk before them will have something to stroke their chinny chin chins for.

High On Fire take the wonderful middle ground which thunders along the trails of both bands whilst losing the quality of neither. They seem happy tonight. They seem happy to be playing for us. They seem happy to be playing their music. It’s because they know that their music is one that people will pay pilgrimage to time and time again.

It’s true – this music is a lot to take. It’s extreme music for extreme people. It’s not the kind of music that wins mainstream awards. It’s not really the kind of music that major labels in crisis will want to bank a few hundred grand on. It is music that makes you feel alive, though.

High On Fire? We leave the Underworld high on bloody everything. This is what heavy music was made for.

Photograph by Lucy Johnston