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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Death Is This Communion
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 11 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 21 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Relapse
Release Date: 18 September 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rock, Metal
Summary
The fourth album for the Oakland, California metal band.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Pitchfork
If you aren't already in the know, though, let this serve as some sort of wakeup call to the Oakland band's best collection to date.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
The deeper you go into the record, the more reassured you become that these musicians know what they’re great at.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
DITC will still melt your speakers. Jack Endino's clean yet full-tilt production fills out the sound, but it's drummer Des Kensel's ability to push forward and hold back--not simply pound monochromatically from start to finish--that truly creates the thriving, volatile atmosphere here.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
Matt Pike has changed over the years, though, and it hasn't hurt at all.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
The familiar sounds are thrilling enough, but the real treat on Death is This Communion is just how much variety the band brings into the music this time around.
Read Full Review >Blender
It's sharp and in your face, like a scimitar. [Oct 2007, p.110]
NOW Magazine
On their fourth album, the goal continues to be to outdo themselves in terms of heavier-than-thou riffs, thundering drums and ominous aggression.
Read Full Review >Mojo
High On Fire's fourth album sees them once again on thunderous form. [Nov 2007, p.95]
Drowned In Sound
Death Is This Communion slays in all the right places, but had it ventured into some of the wrong places we might’ve had an album really worth dribbling about.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
The primitive beauty of Matt Pike's dense riffs and Des Kensel's tribal rhythms should ensure that the Foo Fighters' frontman usn't the only one falling in love with the Oakland trio.
Spin
The Bay Area band increase their stylistic range, with flashes of psychedelia, and creatively druggy overtones to balnce out the epic pummeling. [Oct 2007, p.104]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 21 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Joe S gave it a10:
Very original...very in your face. Hard core metal at its finest. The entire album, from start to finish, can turn a wimp into a fearless warrior. Matt Pike is the real fucking deal.
Kyle Z gave it a9:
Very good! Love the atmosphere it creates, can't wait for more!
[Anonymous] gave it a1:
The album sounds as if HoF had just discovered a band called Black Sabbath and mindlessly ripped-off from them. Unfortunately, they copied only the worst parts of Iommi & co.'s songs. Listening to this record is really painful- it's so fuckin' boring. Also the singer seems as he was to die from tuberculosis every time he opens his mouth. The album receives 1 from me for the pretty cool cover. Unfortunately, what is beneath it is just terrible.
cheryl A. gave it a9:
High on Fire tears it up live, but up to now, their LP's have left me wanting. This album sees them ascending from craftsmen to majestic. Inhale the rock all ye who dare!
H T gave it a9:
Not as impressive as "bless black wings", but an awesome album too.
Mike P. gave it a10:
This album kicks ass. Their best one yet. I would highly recommend it to anyone who truly loves heavy metal. There is no fake kid shit here.
Henry H. gave it a10:
Better than the World Series, Desmond Kensel pounded a homerun in Boston at the Underground. Rain and old weather did not keep the public wanting to see HighonFire! The line of people would not leave after the full sign came on. The vibrations of Desmond's Drums could be heard over MIT campus that night! E=mc2 was the message pounded on the drums that dark and dreary night and student just echoed in their dorms the beat on their desks at 11:00PM. The Soundcraft K2 mixing board only reinforced what everyone could hear in Boston - -Fenway park was quiet that night, but the dull and rentless sound of the raindrops acted as background music to Desi's drums. The humidity was perfect too since a drought had come to an end and Desi's drums only echoed in Boston at 472 Massachuestts Ave.
