When you hear a band name like High on Fire, there is an instantaneous expectation of their sound. Images of a bunch of dudes playing sludgy bass and distorted guitars in a garage while they passed around a huge joint were conjured in my head. With their new release, High on Fire does little to dispel this mental image. In fact, it has only been solidified after hearing their surprisingly good release. While most stoner metal is useful to pacify those in the throes of a drug-induced stupor, High on Fire transcends this with their interesting song structure and out-of-genre influences. While the early Sabbath, Candlemass and Kyuss roots are still the crux of the band, some folk and straight up hard rock elements have been plugged in to try to move in a direction away from pure stoner paradise.

The sounds and pacing are variable showing a range of diversity usually not present. "Cometh Down Hessian" is one of the more up-tempo tracks and delivers a wallop of crashing drums during the chorus only to be accented by tinny and shiny cymbals. The production may seem quick and dirty to some but there is no precedent for a truly over-produced record in this genre. High on Fire did right by sticking to the rawer sound here. It imparts a character to the music and adds the do-it-yourself aspect that epitomizes stoner metal. While the solos can be complex at times, this music will inspire countless potheads to record their first disc.

"The Face of Oblivion" rocks out at a slower pace but makes good use of rhythmic drumming (as do many of their songs) to set a depressed and swirly mood to the music. Drummer Des Kensel makes his patterns fit the guitar and bass lines that are being pumped out. The gritty snare and booming bass and tom drums give this a signature sound that rocks. The latter part of this song delves into some intricate folk-inspired riffing that would make Iommi proud. The lessons of old have certainly not been lost on guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike who builds upon classic tried and true sludge standards while adding his own interpretations. No track shows folk riffing talent better than "To Cross the Bridge." The extended and almost middle-eastern style guitar lead in is a further testament to their musical range. While most stoner metal is quite staid, High on Fire is rejuvenating this with welcome new changes.

The title track begins amongst soloing and drum fills eventually leading to a convoluted mess of guitar and bass parts. Normally this would only detract from an album however it is integral to High on Fire’s sound. Repetition ad nauseum works with this band. They throw in enough flair on each go round to keep you interested. Pike’s vocals also complement the music perfectly. He does not have the high range of Ozzy or the deep, impending doomish chant of Messiah Marcolin. He does however resemble Lemmy quite well. If Pike chose to start a Motorhead cover band, he’d have no trouble emulating the pimpled one.

The album closes with an instrumental which, while repetitive, only reinforces that monotony can be a powerful musical tool in the hands of the correct musicians. While repeating the same power metal chanting chorus repeatedly gets boring fast, the feedback driven guitar and pounding drums fill the void and keep you rocking on. High on Fire have put out the album to which all other stoner metal discs will be compared to for the next few years. This is a genre defining moment and a yardstick for future usurpers. There is no question that this band is at the forefront of their genre and at the top of their game.