Live Review: High On Fire, I Exist, Lo!

Similar to the two performances that followed, Lo! battled sound gremlins throughout, although unlike their onstage successors also encountered a mild reaction from those who didn't opt to enjoy a few brews outside instead. That was said punters' loss though, as the Sydney bruisers' sludgy hardcore was executed with wide-eyed, vein-popping intensity.

Canberra's I Exist are old hands at this international support caper. Although the sight of them temporarily sans guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Aaron Osborne was initially slightly jarring, this experience was telling. Opening with stoner anthem Heal Me In Smoke seemingly instantly converted a few of the folded-arms brigade, their "impress me" demeanour replaced with grins as they visibly embraced numerous sludge-laden doom riffs.

High On Fire have been unfairly saddled with the derogatory "dude metal" tag by some, seemingly only for the musical crime of being a heavy band that hipsters, crust-punks and Slayer fans can all agree on. This broad cross-section of devotees was again apparent. The only thing heftier than perennially shirtless, now sober main-man Matt Pike's past girth is the titanic Iommian riffs he effortlessly peeled off, underlined by his chemistry with a formidable rhythm section. The sum of these parts was a brutally primal attack.

Crushing Death Is This Communion was aired early amid a healthy dose of latest disc Luminiferous. Rather than bust out the tinfoil hat, on their current offering the occult-obsessed and esoteric Pike channelled paranoia about 'The Elite' into monsters like Carcosa and Slave The Hive, the latter their nastiest, fastest thrash in some time. Both were standouts of a 75-minute display. The US power trio's no-frills ethos was reflected in Pike's announcement of an "encore", which didn't actually entail leaving the stage, and soon proceeded to plough into rabidly received closer Snakes For The Divine. The sound issues wreaked havoc on occasion, but ultimately the power of the riff won out.