Expectation is a wonderful thing. The excitement, the tingle of anticipation you feel the moment before realisation. However for the more battle hardened of us this feeling comes on fewer and fewer occasions and to be fair there are few artist still producing music capable of generating such a buzz, with one of the few exceptions are of course being High On Fire. The name alone of Mat Pike should have you salivating in wanton expectation for the next installment in the High On Fire saga.

That next installment comes in the form of the bands fourth album “Death Is The Communion”. An odd title by anyone’s standards unless you know the aforementioned Mr. Pike and his band of not so merry cohort’s darkened outlook to life and then all becomes clear. Off the back of the momentum “Blessed Black Wings” generated the High On Fire bandwagon is in full flight with it’s pedal right down to the proverbial metal at warp factor ten. So it is safe to assume the expectations levels and not only mine are sky high. Which can often lead to an enormous sense of disappointment following soon after, but not in this case I’m glad to report.

Pikes deathly rattle is at its unmistakable best and achieves new heights, ulcerating your ear drums along the way. Pikes vocal styling’s could never be considered subtle or subdued yet along with the sonic distortion his mighty riffs produce, leaves you in no doubt of the true capabilities of the man and has you questioning if you have experienced an earthquake in your head. Along with Des Kensel’s drumming under pinning everything in thunderous bombastic fashion and new guy Jeff Matz adding his spin to proceedings, “Death Is The Communion” is a wake up call to anyone one vying to take High On Fire’s crown as bastions of full force in your face metal.

By far the bands most coherent and balanced record to date, benefiting from their extensive touring schedule which has unquestionably honed their art to a razor fine point; “Death Is The Communion” takes everything that made “Blessed Black Wings” one of the stand out album of 200X and builds upon it. Exploring and developing their music leaving you in no doubt that this album is the fulfillment of Pike’s vision of High On Fire realised. A true master class from a band who have become first in their class in everything they do.