Red Fang

From a passing glance, one would imagine Red Fang to be yet another group of beer guzzling beard rockers who think rock peaked before the '70s ended. While a great deal of that that might be true, it doesn't take much of a listen to Murder the Mountains to recognize the Portland, OR quartet's efforts to update the glory days of hard rock and heavy metal that forms their backbone. Modern Mastodon undoubtedly comes to mind, especially with the psychedelic sonics of "The Undertow"; however, this band don't owe undue allegiance to overly grandiose prog. The level of accessibility of this album, even alongside its undeniable sludginess (listen to Melvins-like "Throw Up"), is staggering, creating a product palatable to both extreme metal fans and mainstream rock listeners. It also doesn't hurt to have a Queens of the Stone Age vibe projected on memorable cuts like "Number Thirteen," the sound of which places Red Fang in a perfect spot between classic and modern.