This Friday at the Vogue, two of modern metal's most highly regarded acts, Mastodon and Baroness will take the stage producing some serious headbanging face melting goodness. By now, even the most non-metal indie rocker should know the name of the much Pitchfork-lauded Mastodon. If for some reason you have been living in a cave for the last six years, here is an entire Youtube channel dedicated to these modern metal legends...
But I am here to talk about opening act Baroness. Two albums into their career, and already Baroness have produced a metal classic. Last year's "Blue Record," was not only one of the best metal albums of the year, it was one of the best albums of the year period.
Initially, Baroness were kind of a stoner rock band that attempted to expand their horizons by including some disparate ingredients into their homemade brew of sludge from time to time. While the results were sometimes nourishing, it was always just a tad underdone. Well, between their debut and "Blue Record," the boys picked up cooking lessons somewhere, because they are suddenly experimenting with all sorts of different ingredients here - pop, prog, even a little disco beat ("O'er Hell and Hide") - and cooking it to perfection to make one of the tastiest stews of last year. It is still pretty thick and you need to eat it with a fork, but damn if it doesn't taste like upscale cuisine with all sorts of overtones and undertones to keep you coming back for more.
Okay, ridiculous cooking analogy aside, this album slays, even with all the overtones and undertones. Drawing on elements from southern rock, thrash, power pop, psychedelia and prog, the band's kitchen sink approach is entirely in the service of a seamlessly consistent kick-ass whole. Before you make a very bad life choice by missing this band, come down to the store, pick up "Blue Record," and any Mastodon that you still need, and then get thee to the Vogue Friday night for this metal dream ticket.
Some live Baroness to whet your appetite...
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