The Oakland, California band formed in 1998 and released 'The Art of Self Defense' on Man's Ruin Records, in March 2000. After Man's Ruin Records folded, the album was re-released via Tee-Pee Records on CD and vinyl with new artwork and two bonus tracks: Steel Shoe (an original) and The Ursurper (Celtic Frost).
Following, the band signed with Relapse Records and released 'Surrounded by Thieves' in 2002, with production help from Billy Anderson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Anderson_%28music%29). Founding member and bass player George Rice, would leave the band shortly before recording the next album.
In 2004, Relapse and Throne Records released the 'Live from the Contamination Festival' CD and LP (respectively) which was recorded in Philadelphia, PA. The CD is limited to 2000 copies and the LP only 1000.
'Blessed Black Wings', produced by Steve Albini, was released in early 2005, and was their first and only to feature Joe Preston (Earth, Melvins, Thrones) on bass. The vinyl version as well as the Japanese CD version of this album had the Judas Priest song Rapid Fire as a bonus track.
In early 2006, Joe Preston left the band and was replaced by Jeff Matz of Zeke. High On Fire then went on to release the Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden) produced and recorded album, 'Death is This Communion,' in September 2007. To celebrate this release, and the start of their tour for the album, the band played a free show at San Francsico's Amoeba records.
The band released their fifth full-length album Snakes For The Divine in February 2010 through E1 music. The album was produced by Greg Fidelman and stripped away much of the acoustic textures and layering of the previous album, leaving a monolithic heavy sound to the record.
On April 3rd, 2012, High on Fire released their sixth studio album, De Vermis Mysteriis.
10000 Years
High on Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In jet black meditation
Sonic temptress hears no more
And hands me my salvation
Walking through the piles of life
Ignore all accusation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But that's my motivation
The vision never died
The earthling walked in flight
Ten thousand years or more
In jet black meditation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But that's my reputation
The lyrics to High on Fire's song "10000 Years" primarily touches on the theme of struggling to reach a deeper state of consciousness through meditation. The opening line, "Ten thousand years or more, in jet black meditation," suggests the dedication and commitment required to achieve higher spiritual awareness, even if it takes an eternity. The singer appears to have found themselves in a state of contemplation where they are finally able to block out external distractions and noise. They mention a "sonic temptress" that no longer holds their attention, perhaps insinuating that they have become immune to the material world and its vices.
The second verse mentions the singer's perseverance despite the setbacks, "Walking through the piles of life, ignore all accusation." They seem to have become acutely aware of the distractions and illusions that surround them but choose to ignore them and continue with their journey. Their motivation is evident, "Now I stand here hands are sore, but that's my motivation." It is unclear what they mean by "hands are sore," but it could symbolize the physical pain that can arise from prolonged meditation or the effort required to block out distractions.
In the final verse, the lyrics draw attention to the fact that despite the struggle, the singer has maintained their reputation. This could suggest that they have successfully achieved the level of consciousness that they were seeking or perhaps that others respect them for their dedication and focus. The phrase, "The earthling walked in flight," is also significant because it could indicate a sense of liberation or transcendence from the mundane or earthly existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten thousand years or more
A symbol of long-lasting and enduring meditation
In jet black meditation
An image of deep, dark meditation
Sonic temptress hears no more
The alluring and seductive elements of the world no longer have an effect on the meditator
And hands me my salvation
The meditator finds their path to liberation through introspection
Walking through the piles of life
Navigating through the challenges and obstacles of life
Ignore all accusation
Not letting the judgments or criticisms of others affect or discourage the meditator
Now I stand here hands are sore
The meditator has endured physical discomfort as part of their journey
But that's my motivation
The meditator is motivated by their own inner strength and determination
The vision never died
The meditator's purpose and goal has remained constant and unchanged over thousands of years
The earthling walked in flight
The meditator has transcended their earthly limitations and achieved a higher state of being
Now I stand here hands are sore
Reaffirming the physical toll of the meditator's journey
But that's my reputation
Acknowledging the meditator's status as one who has achieved something remarkable through great effort and perseverance
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cameron Ratliff
10,000 years or more
In jet black meditation
Sonic Tempress hears no more
And hands me my salvation
Walking thru the piles of life
Ignore all accusation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But thats my motivation
The vision never died
The earthling walked in flight
10,000 Years or more
In jet black meditation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But thats my reputation
Noah Raab
Ten thousand years or more
In jet black meditation
Sonic temptress hears no more
And hands me my salvation
Walking through the piles of life
Ignore all accusation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But that's my motivation
The vision never died
The earthling walked in flight
Ten thousand years or more
In jet black meditation
Now I stand here hands are sore
But that's my reputation
JordanH859
Imagine getting everyone on the planet to play this full blast at the same time, the sound reverberating through to the earth's core, sending epic riffage out through the universe
Nahpetsyo
you, sir, just may be a genius.
LifeAndLIberty 01
Ok
Dave Melkonian
I want to live in that world
Soham Sali
Big bang part two
Stephan Hupfloher
This song is a perfect example why High on fire is one of the most lethal bands on this Planet.
Justin Widle
THE POWER OF THE RIFF COMPELS YOU!
Calon Arang
Look up "The seed" by "Down", you'll know what I'm talking about.
jesse firestone
seeing this live was the highlight of my high on fire concert
Shillian
should be of your life, and that is not an insult.