What’s the purpose of live albums? Fillers while ardent fans await the next studio release? “Contractual obligation”? Money spinners? Memento for those in attendance? Homework for those that weren’t? Fifteen years and six albums in and High On Fire are releasing another live album – recorded in late 2012 – this time in not one but two parts, no, sorry, “volumes”. Featuring career-spanning material, the combined track listing is a pretty good representation of the band at their best, and so is the performance. As on the band’s studio releases, Kensel’s drumming is tight, his sledgehammer-heavy beats spitting sweat from the speakers, Matz’s low register rumble is all a-thunder, Pike’s guitar spews out angry riffs and reverbed-into-the-cosmos lead breaks, and his gargled growl is gargantuan.Continue reading →