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.
Baghdad
High on Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knowledge of the Otherside
Deepweed sets emotion
Hardening of the Warrior
The burning
That will never die
Melding of the Riffchild
From wall to the Universe
Sharpening of the weapons
The skill inside the endless mind
Celestial King walks water
Hear words foretell destruction
Hear words expose corruption
Generation darkening
Echoes from the mountain
A warning to behold the times
Insight saved the blind man
Covenant with the Father
The burning that will never die
Supersonic psalmist project
Reveals astro child
Windows of the Riffian
Nameless masses cower
From horse and carriage
In the sky
The song "Baghdad" by High on Fire is a complex and layered song that touches on themes of knowledge, power, and change. The opening lines, "Quickening of the Elder, Knowledge of the Otherside," suggest a sense of ancient wisdom and understanding, and perhaps even a spiritual awakening or transformation. The reference to "Deepweed sets emotion" could be interpreted as a psychedelic experience, with plant-based medicine being used to access new levels of consciousness.
The lyrics then shift to speak of a warrior figure and the hardening of their resolve. There is a sense of fire and passion here; "The burning that will never die" speaks to a sense of determination and perseverance that cannot be extinguished. The "weapriest stoned arrival" could be interpreted as a shamanistic figure who has arrived to guide and advise the warrior on their journey.
Later in the song, there is a reference to a "Celestial King" who walks on water and speaks of destruction and corruption. This could be interpreted as a religious figure, perhaps one who is warning of the end times or preaching a message of radical change. There are also references to "Insight saved the blind man" and a "Covenant with the Father," which further suggest a spiritual or religious undertone to the song.
Overall, "Baghdad" is a song that speaks to a sense of transformation, both on an individual and societal level. The lyrics suggest a willingness to challenge the status quo and seek out new knowledge and understanding, even if it means encountering difficult or challenging experiences along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Quickening of the Elder
The ancient wisdom is accelerating towards our present reality
Knowledge of the Otherside
An understanding beyond our physical realm
Deepweed sets emotion
The plant is inducing sensory perception
Hardening of the Warrior
The strength and resilience of the warrior is reinforced
The burning
The intense passion that never fades
That will never die
A fire that will always continue to ignite
Melding of the Riffchild
The fusion of sound and soul through music
From wall to the Universe
The limitless potential of the human experience
Weed priest stoned arrival
A spiritual guide has arrived through the use of mind-altering substances
Sharpening of the weapons
Preparation for battle through honing one's skills
The skill inside the endless mind
The expertise held within one's boundless intellect
Celestial King walks water
A divine being possessing supernatural abilities
Hear words foretell destruction
A prophetic warning of catastrophic events
Hear words expose corruption
Revelations of the deceit and dishonesty in the world
Generation darkening
The gradual decline of humanity's moral compass
Echoes from the mountain
Reverberations of a greater force from an elevated place
A warning to behold the times
Advice to take heed and pay attention to the present circumstances
Insight saved the blind man
An understanding that rescued an oblivious individual
Covenant with the Father
A solemn agreement with a higher power
Supersonic psalmist project
A musician that channels divinity through their art
Reveals astro child
Disclosing the celestial offspring of the universe
Windows of the Riffian
The portal to the prophetic vision of the musician
Nameless masses cower
The faceless multitudes are scared and intimidated
From horse and carriage
From the past to the present
In the sky
Up above in the heavens
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
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