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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Highgate
Album.......: Shrines to the Warhead
Year........: 2010
Genre.......: Metal
Type........: Album
Label.......: Totalrust Music
Language....: English
Source......: WEB/FLAC (16bit)
Quality.....: 743kbps / 44.1 kHz / Stereo
Tracks......: 4 tracks
Playtime....: 00:42:16
Size........: 245.7 MiB
R.Date......: 2026-06-16
S.Date......: 2010-03-01
Url.........: https://open.qobuz.com/album/sc7b1eq50rrqc
01. Burning Venom Fire 1:42
02. Holy Poisoning 12:49
03. Of Ruins 14:37
04. Warhead Rise 13:08
Following up their good 2008 self-titled debut,
Kentucky's HIGHGATE return with pretty much more of the
same. Well ok, this time there are four tracks on the
new album instead of just one, but three of them clock
in at around thirteen minutes. It seems as if HIGHGATE
have not lost their tendency to songs of epic
proportions. Apart from this minor changes, the band
takes hold of the foundations of the previous album and
supplementing them with a greater degree of malevolent
intent. The listener is levelled by a barrage of slow
Grief-esque sludge which is partially enriched with
black metal.
No wonder that 'Shrines To The warhead' creates an
unfalteringly bleak and depressive atmosphere. There's
nothing subtle or pleasant about this album; there are
no melodic guitars, no clean vocals and no respite from
the claustrophobic sonic mass. In this area, HIGHGATE is
successful and also the production is pretty heavy and
bears the necessary amount of filth. I do have a
problem, though, with the musical sameness her, even if
a piano appears in the third track named 'Of Ruins'.
Mostly, the album lacks the overwhelmingly immersive
qualities this music needs to overcome its generic
nature. I am well aware that the monotony is intended,
but good sludge is not merely a lugubrious racket. As a
result, 'Shrines To The Warhead' is a bit too
one-dimensional and can be tiresome after a certain
amount of time. What is more, there are not enough good
riffs with the exception of 'Holy Poisoning', which is
the best track on this album. But then, it becomes all
too predictable. The record just passes by and even if I
am not getting bored, it's not very much of an
entertainment ride either. A few genuinely grim moments
aside, there is little promise lurking here - one for
hardened sludge devotees only.