What makes Electric Messiah by High on Fire notable?

Electric Messiah debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200, showcasing High on Fire's growing commercial success while maintaining their underground ethos. The album received widespread acclaim from critics, including a 9/10 rating from Pitchfork, highlighting its intricate compositions and thematic richness. Released on October 5, 2018, Electric Messiah marked High on Fire's seventh studio album, following their critically acclaimed record Luminiferous from 2015. At this point in their career, the band solidified their reputation as pioneers in the sludge metal scene, balancing aggressive musicianship with lyrical depth.

How many songs are on Electric Messiah?

Electric Messiah has 9 tracks, running approximately 56 minutes.

Released 8 years ago this October

Electric Messiah

High on Fire · 2018

56 min · 9 tracks · sludge metal

A relentless assault of heavy riffs and primal energy that channels both chaos and ancient mythology.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Electric Messiah — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of power and destruction through a driving rhythm and intense vocal delivery, embodying the band's signature sound.
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Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil — This epic track features shifting time signatures and complex guitar work, representing a journey through mythology that mirrors the album's overarching narrative.
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Sanctioned Annihilation — With its blistering pace and ferocious lyrics, this song critiques societal violence while showcasing the band's ability to blend commentary with musical aggression.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

64 /100

Treeline

Higher than 79% of albums we've rated

Electric Messiah showcases High on Fire's signature heavy sound with intricate compositions and relentless energy.

What we noticed

The album opens with a track that features a slow build-up of heavy guitar riffs, leading into a faster tempo by the second track.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 7/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Spewn From the Earth 3:59
2 Steps of the Ziggurat/House of Enlil 9:22
3 Electric Messiah 4:16
4 Sanctioned Annihilation 10:29
5 The Pallid Mask 5:16
6 God of the Godless 5:20
7 Freebooter 4:58
8 The Witch and the Christ 6:33
9 Drowning Dog 6:44

What to play next

Listen next

Cometh the Storm

2024

Go back to

Luminiferous

2015

Full High on Fire discography Artists like High on Fire

sludge metal stoner metal

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata