High on Fire, ‘De Vermis Mysteriis': New Album, Tour Dates Announced

High on Fire will release its new studio album, 'De Vermis Mysteriis,' on April 3. Recorded in Salem, Mass. at GodCity Studios with producer and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, the 10-song effort is the band's sixth studio recording and the follow up to 2010's 'Snakes for the Divine.'

'De Vermis Mysteriis' takes its title from a fictional grimoire created by 'Psycho' author Robert Bloch and incorporated by H. P. Lovecraft into the lore of the Cthulhu Mythos. The album carries a deeply mystical undercurrent, incorporating fantastical themes and lyrics detailing, among other things, time travel, a serum called liao that is made out of a black lotus and "a Jesus twin who can see the past through his ancestors' eyes." And that's just scratching the surface!

Musically, 'De Vermis Mysteriis' promises to showcase High on Fire's thundering roar and expanded harmonic and rhythmic palettes while the songs move confidently through multiple riffs and movements. When asked to comment on the album, vocalist/guitarist Matt Pike somewhat cryptically replied, "Prepare for your dark journey."

'De Vermis Mysteriis' tracklisting:

1.) Serums of Liao

2.) Bloody Knuckles

3.) Fertile Green

4.) Madness of an Architect

5.) Interlude

6.) Spiritual Rites

7.) King of Days

8.) De Vermis Mysteriis

9.) Romulus and Remus

10.) Warhorn

In advance of the new album's release, High on Fire will perform a number of live dates as part of the 2012 SXSW Music and Media Festival in Austin, Texas. The band is expected to preview new material at the SXSW shows. The just-announced dates are as follows:

March 13 Austin, TX Emo's East (Non-SXSW headline show)

March 14 Austin, TX SXSW (MetalSucks day party)

March 15 Houston, TX Fitzgerald's

March 16 Austin, TX SXSW (Brooklyn Vegan day party)

March 17 Austin, TX SXSW TBA

March 18 Austin, TX SXSW (High Times day party)

High on Fire will also be part of this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. They'll be joined by Slayer, Slipknot, Anthrax The Devil Wears Prada, As I Lay Dying and Asking Alexandria, and Whitechapel.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour dates:

Jun 30 San Manuel Amphitheater San Bernardino, CA

Jul 01 Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA

Jul 03 White River Amphitheatre Auburn, WA

Jul 04 TBD Boise, ID

Jul 06 Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion Phoenix, AZ

Jul 07 Hard Rock Pavilion Albuquerque, NM

Jul 08 Comfort Dental Amphitheatre Englewood, CO

Jul 10 Gexa Energy Pavilion Dallas, TX

Jul 11 The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Spring, TX

Jul 13 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre At the Florida State Fairgrounds Tampa, FL

Jul 14 Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood Atlanta, GA

Jul 15 Klipsch Music Center Noblesville, IN

Jul 18 TBD Oklahoma City, OK

Jul 20 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Maryland Heights, MO

Jul 21 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL

Jul 22 DTE Energy Music Theatre Clarkston, MI

Jul 24 Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH

Jul 25 Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Jul 27 Susquehanna Bank Center Camden, NJ

Jul 28 First Niagara Pavilion Burgettstown, PA

Jul 29 Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, VA

Jul 31 Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY

Aug 01 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center Darien Center, NY

Aug 03 Comcast Center Mansfield, MA

Aug 04 Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain Moosic, PA

Aug 05 Comcast Theatre Hartford, CT