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Live: HIGH ON FIRE @ The Button Factory, Dublin (10/11/2015)… Posted: 26/11/2015 by John O'Brien

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Dublin on a cold Tuesday evening can be a dreary place and it can seriously hinder your walk on the way to the Button Factory after an operation. This caused me to be late for the opening act tonight and I’m disappointed in myself for missing them as those that were fortunate enough to catch them said they had a stellar performance. So I offer my deepest apologies to the band for this.

Formed from the ashes of SLEEP by Mike Pike in 1998 this three band is already seven albums in and they just seem to out do every album as they progress. On tour to support their current album “Luminferous”, tonight’s show starts off with ‘The Black Plot’, a personal favourite of mine. With nothing but a white back drop behind them, a topless Mike- control yourselves ladies- Jeff Matz on bass and the ever present Des Kensel behind the drums. Tonight’s show is a pure, heads down, no talking, show. So much so that “Death Is The Communion” is four songs deep already, followed by the self titled track of the new album, which upon hearing it live sounds a lot lot heavier than that of the recorded version. ‘The Sunless years’ and ‘Dark Side Of The Compass’ get the loudest response tonight, which just encourages the crowd to want more.  With Fertile Green’ and the ever impressive crowd pleaser ‘Snakes Of The Divine’ making up the encores, the band leave the stage after literally leaving sweat puddles on the stage from playing with such passion and ferocity.

High_On_Fire_bandFor a band that have been going for nearly 20 years now, it sometimes bemuses me as to how a band this good, with such a loyal following aren’t playing to bigger crowds. They have the songs and the talent to deserve it but yet somehow it still eludes them. I just hope that for the 20th anniversary, they have a bigger following and they get to play a bigger venue here cause they’ve earned it and people are missing out on a truly great live band.

http://www.highonfire.net/
https://www.facebook.com/highonfire

Reviewed by Wes Morrissey.