Review Summary: Even at their most hesitant, High On Fire knew how to give a strong ass beating
Having spawned in the immediate aftermath of Sleep’s 1998 implosion, it makes sense for High On Fire’s debut album to most closely match the approach of its forbear. Matt Pike’s monolithic guitar playing will always carry a certain weight, especially when at the head of another stoner-doom trio, and the songs that make up 2000’s The Art Of Self Defense are similarly slow and drawn out. Even his vocals are arguably attempting to recreate his former bassist’s mantric bellow, though his lacking ability to maintain a clean voice results in a gravelly shout that is its own sort of character.
But what truly makes High On Fire stand out as a unique entity is drummer Des Kensel, who may have been Pike’s perfect ideal as a sparring partner. His patterns are hard-hitting yet always have a sense of purpose behind them, bolstering the more active chugs and intricate riffs with intense percussion while also filling in the gaps between held out chords and simpler progressions. It shows a great understanding of drummers like Bill Ward and Dale Crover while making his own case as one of metal’s more understated masters. Thankfully bassist George Rice seems to know his place between them, not getting as flashy in comparison but getting plenty of standout spots.
These factors combine with some strong tracks coming out of it. “10,000 Years” is the most obvious standout and seems to bridge the gap between Sleep and High On Fire, driven by an iconic bass line that only gets more bludgeoning over its course. “Blood From Zion” proves to be just as powerful with its especially domineering drum bashing and “Last” sees the most engaging vocal lines piercing through the muck. There are admittedly times where I find myself wishing the album would pick up the pace more often as the longer songs can be a little too dragged out, but the gradual transitions on a track like “Fireface” are appealing in their own right.
Even at their most hesitant, High On Fire still knew how to give a strong ass beating. While The Art Of Self Defense’s awkward debut status isn’t as dramatic as other examples, the rather murky production and sluggish pacing do make it seem held up in a certain sense. But even with the power of hindsight making me wish for more fast songs on display, the band clearly demonstrates the sort of talent and individual style that would keep them from languishing in spinoff band status.
As an addendum, the 2023 remix of this album may be the best version out there. Its mix presents the instruments so much clearer and the re-amped guitar and bass tones feel much more aligned with how the band would sound going forward. As much as the original version has its own sort of uniqueness, the boost would be enough to push the whole album into A Tier.
