Dealing with change can be rough.
It's not just a problem that reveals itself in the music I listen to, either.
Another realization I had recently was that it's been 10 years since High on Fire's magnum opus, Blessed Black Wings. A lot of things change in that amount of time and it's possible that the ability to produce a classic like that or its direct follow-up may no longer be accessible by the three musicians currently in the band.
Even if that's the case, I still believed that they could do better than previous album De Vermis Mysteriis...and it seems that I've been proven right.
Kurt Ballou (Converge) returns as producer. So right off the bat, we know the record will sound good.
The change I referred to at the top has to do with vocals. While I would never call Matt Pike one of my favorite vocalists (he lacks the natural range and charisma of Cornell, Keenan, Dio, etc.), I did appreciate his gruffness and utter lack of pretense.
With Luminiferous (a mouthful of a title even though it's a mere single word), Pike has taken on the task of making his vocals more melodic and thus more memorable.
I can say that without a doubt he has succeeded. But this is a double-edged sword, for while the vocals are indeed memorable (on more than one occasion), the riffs aren't quite up to par.
Still, the album as a whole is more listenable than the previous and the guitar playing isn't deficient by any means. Maybe it will take more listens to unlock the sweetness at the center of these new creations.
I just can't help but wonder if introducing melodic vocals (and undertaking a track like "The Cave", which I loathe unreservedly) is merely the first step in creating a "kinder, gentler" High on Fire.
I suppose the answer to the above will have to wait. For now, we have a solid album to enjoy and contemplate.
