Stoner metal has become a notable force in rock music today. Embracing the rumbling, down−tuned guitar riffs and rough vocals characteristic of the genre, bands like Mastodon and Baroness have garnered critical and commercial success over the past few years.
Guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike helped solidify the style in the early '90s with pioneering stoner metal band Sleep. Pike formed High on Fire after Sleep's breakup, creating a sound that essentially sped up his former band's monolithic riffs. The trio's fifth studio album and follow−up to 2007's "Death is this Communion," "Snakes for the Divine" is another worthy addition to High on Fire's discography and a continuation of the band's straightforward and aggressive sound.
Opener and title track "Snakes for the Divine" confidently realizes the band's full potential. Pike opens the song with the album's strongest moment, a nimble lead guitar line that bassist Jeff Matz reprises during the catchy chorus. Over the track's eight−minute duration, Pike leads Matz and drummer Des Kensel on a colossal charge through riff after riff. Pike belts out his vocals in a gruff, menacing growl that fits perfectly with the music's no−nonsense fury.
Though never quite recapturing the energy of the opening track, the rest of the album follows the blueprint set by the leadoff track. Producer Greg Fidelman's mix is thicker than tar, creating a sludgy, oppressive atmosphere. Though Pike's multi−tracked guitar assault is always at the forefront, Matz's powerful, distorted bass lines cut through, a rarity in today's style of metal production.
Lyrically, the album is altogether typical of stoner metal. The band weaves fantastical tales of warriors and death throughout each of the eight tracks. Buried within Pike's guttural shouts are ridiculous, clumsy lines like, "Shadows on the day of Philistia/ All will have to seek of Visigoth." Even the album artwork's crass depiction of a naked woman besieged by snakes seems ripped off the cover of a cheap fantasy novel.
However, Pike's vocals are unintelligible enough that the music outshines the lyrics. "Ghost Neck" thrashes about a skittering guitar riff, while "Bastard Samurai" features mid−tempo, sparse instrumentation before exploding into another mammoth metal assault. Lead single "Frost Hammer" includes Matz's surprisingly melodic background vocals during its ominous bridge section.
Another album highlight is the track "How Dark We Pray." The song evolves from a restrained guitar solo over melodic bass to a relentlessly slow march of crushing, minor−key chords. Combined with Pike's echoing shouts, the song creates a palpably doom−laden atmosphere.
In spite of these standout moments, "Snakes for the Divine" contains a good amount of filler. "The Path" is a pointless instrumental, while "Fire, Blood & Plague" and "Holy Flames of the Firespitter" are utterly forgettable. Certain sections of the other songs seem like they could have been cut down, especially considering the fact that most of them are over six minutes long.
Many of the album's weak points also stem from Pike's guitar and vocal performances, considering that High on Fire is essentially his solo project. Though capable of effective and melodic leads, as demonstrated in the intros of "Snakes for the Divine" and "How Dark We Pray," he often goes for pure speed instead, resulting in sloppy, forgettable solos. Pike's vocals can be less of a roar than a whiskey−drenched gurgle. As for his few forays into upper−register screams, one word suffices: painful.
Overall, "Snakes for the Divine" is a solid stoner metal album, chock−full of heavy riffs. Matt Pike proves once again that he has not lost his touch as one of the leading figures of the genre. In short, High on Fire fans will enjoy the album. However, the band fails to accomplish anything new with this release. Listeners new to High on Fire would be better off with either 2005's "Blessed Black Wings" or "Death is this Communion" instead.
