Although
the Melvins never translated the respect and accolades offered from the press to record sales, their influence has certainly been felt by a new breed of metal bands which specialize in murky/muscular riffs and shouted vocals. The leader of this pack would probably be
Mastodon, but there are other acts quickly gaining pace, including the Columbus, OH trio
Teeth of the Hydra. Hooking up with a gentlemen who should be no stranger to bands of this musical movement,
Sanford Parker (who has worked with the likes of the mighty
Pelican),
Teeth of the Hydra's debut for the Tee Pee label,
Greenland, is sure to appeal to fans of the aforementioned artists, and even doom metal admirers. The album opener, "Sawing Through the Ice," sets the table perfectly for what's to follow --
Sabbath-y riffs with
Melvins-esque shouted vocals, while lyrically, the song speaks about falling through a crevice on a fishing trip (!). This direction is followed throughout -- especially on such tracks as "Our Strange Man" -- but the band also manages to get artsy fartsy on the plodding instrumental "Narsaq." ~ Greg Prato