High On Fire – “Luminiferous” [Album Review]

Alright, this is incredibly late but, as they say, better late than never. So, let us get right into it then. The reason I felt this took so long is because I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it is that’s slightly off with Luminiferous. It isn’t anything too huge, but the release (for me) is for sure lacking certain elements and musical direction. The production and overall sound is great but, in some areas, the riffs come up short and as a result don’t hold the listener’s interest as well as they should and, running nearly an hour long, the album can a bit dragging, even for fans of all things stoner.

This isn’t to say that Luminiferous is a bad album. The heavy thrash-influenced riffs combined with the doom/stoner influences allow for some absolutely crushing moments on this release – the re-done version of “Slave the Hive” being a perfect example. Sounding heavier than ever, this song was brought to life by the recording’s warm and rich production and it ended up being a big highlight.

It’s tough to be critical with a band you love, but honesty is a must. I feel as though there was a certain ingredient intended to go into this musical recipe that, for whatever reason, just didn’t make it in. Sure, much of this will boil down to personal taste and while more people than not are going to really enjoy Luminiferous (it’s has solid moments), it’s just not High On Fire’s strongest work.

Track Listing:

01. The Black Pot
02. Carcosa
03. The Sunless Years
04. Slave the Hive
05. The Falconist
06. Dark Side of the Compass
07. The Cave
08. Luminiferous
09. The Lethal Chamber

Run Time: 53:45
Release Date: June 23, 2015

Check out the track “The Black Pot” here.