when i started interest in high on fire the only record that clicked with the first listen was 'death is this communion'. i downloaded the whole discography and with the rest it was a bit difficult. not that i didn't like them, they just needed more time. so it happened with their latest output 'de vermis mysteriis'. i think that holding an actual material copy of the record in hands changes a lot in that terms. as i put the record on the turntable, suddenly i couldn't understand why i didn't fall in love with this album immediately.
it's a whole different feeling looking at the stunning artwork, reading along to the lyrics and watching the lovely coloured vinyl spin, instead of just pressing play on your digital device. that's why i am always on the hunt for these physical copies. that's why i spent way too much money for these plastic plates. that's why i spent hours and hours in the net or in stores. it's simply the real deal. amen.
in this case i was checking ebay for copies of high on fire's sixth studio album. to my surprise it was no problem to find some new and sealed copies for regular prices. even coloured copies. high on fire seems not as hyped in europe as overseas. not that i complain about it. for grabs was a white copy and a grey one. i actually wanted the white vinyl but waited for too long and it was gone. so i took the grey, and in the end i am quite happy with this forced decision. the grey looks lovely. a light shade of the colour and it's even a bit marbled, plus 180g quality.
after several spins myimpression on 'de vermis mysteriis' is a darker and maybe even a more aggressive one in comparison to 'death is this communion'. of course i lack a record, 'snakes for the divine', but it sounds quite angry with its up-tempo songs and the gloomy slow tracks. check out 'spiritual rights' and 'madness of an architect' for good examples. but whatever you think about the album, you can't deny its strong aura and sheer intensity.
there are several vinyl versions for 'de vermis mysteriis'. u.s. versions came on e-one music, to which the band was signed for this release and which liscensed the music for the different vinyl versions, and on relapse records. european affairs were handled by century media. my light grey version is a century media release with blue 'high on fire' lettering, just as the dark red version. but unlike the white vinyl edition that also came from century media, which seems to have the lettering in red. so i see no real pattern in this. furthermore i don't know about pressing numbers for my edition. can anyone help out? century media. 2012.
