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.
Eyes and Teeth
High on Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The teeth and white eyes
Lost all your reason, insanity
Nowhere to run, could this be
Chills up your neck, down your spine
Now you must run for your life
Monsters prevail, insanity
Run from the blackness of night
Evil has you in its sight
Adrenaline madness won't let you be
No one could hear your last screams
The song, "Eyes and Teeth" by High on Fire is a heavy and intense track that speaks to the feeling of being trapped and hunted by an unknown entity. The lyrics speak to the fear and hopelessness that accompany this experience, where one is lost and unable to find their way out of the situation. The imagery of "teeth and white eyes" adds to the feeling of danger and intensity, creating a sense of dread that permeates throughout the track.
The chorus speaks to the feeling of being hunted and chased, with a sense of urgency and desperation underlying every word. The imagery of "monsters" and "blackness of night" furthers the sense of fear and danger, creating a picture of a dark and terrifying world where one is constantly pursued by evil forces. The song speaks to the primal instinct of fight or flight, where the adrenaline rush and madness take over, leaving one with no choice but to run for their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you are lost and can't find gazes
You're disoriented and unable to locate familiar sights.
The teeth and white eyes
An eerie image of menacing teeth and eyes, perhaps representing a monster or evil presence.
Lost all your reason, insanity
You've completely lost your mind and are now insane.
Nowhere to run, could this be
There's no escape, and you're faced with the possibility of impending doom.
Chills up your neck, down your spine
A physical reaction from fear, with a shiver passing through your neck and spine.
Now you must run for your life
You have no choice but to flee in order to save your own life.
Monsters prevail, insanity
The monsters are in control, and their presence is causing you to become more and more insane.
Nowhere has swallowed your being
You feel as though the absence of anything familiar has consumed your very existence.
Run from the blackness of night
The darkness of night represents danger and fear, and running from it becomes your priority.
Evil has you in its sight
You've become the target of evil and you're being pursued relentlessly.
Adrenaline madness won't let you be
Your adrenaline is pumping and you're crazed with fear, preventing you from finding a moment of peace.
No one could hear your last screams
Your final cries for help go unheard, as you meet your demise at the hands of the monsters or evil presence.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind