The Sign of the Southern Cross Of Mountains and Moonshine free essay sample

For being as far north as possible to still be considered Southern, The Sign of the Southern Cross is one of the most Southern bands youll ever hear, and theyre damn proud of it. Their debut album, â€Å"Of Mountains and Moonshine,† is littered with Southern influence. You can hear it in the lyrics, riffs, grooves, vocals: just about everything. They draw influence from multiple genres including groove metal, sludge, blues, and – dare I say – perhaps even country. They blend them all together extremely well, but they may rely a bit too much on their influences for their own good. â€Å"Of Mountains and Moonshine† isnt the most original album ever, or a groundbreaking masterpiece. Rather, it is simply a fantastic slab of groove metal. And riffs – dont forget the riffs. This album has tons of em, and while they might sound similar at times, youll find yourself headbanging and air-guitaring anyway. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sign of the Southern Cross: Of Mountains and Moonshine or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Everything about this album is thick and heavy, from the guitar tones to the sound of the skins pounding away in the rhythm section, even the vocals. Seth Uldricks voice is similar to Phil Anselmos of Pantera, but he can produce grunts even lower and shrieks even higher, all while maintaining a bluesy melody. In ballads like â€Å"Eating the Sun† and â€Å"Weeping Willow,† he sounds like hes ready to beat the tar out of you and steal your cattle. Sadly, the bass is hardly audible, but I guess thats the price you pay for riffs and solos this good. The lyrics are basically what youd expect in an album as Southern as this. Covering  ­topics including Huckleberry Finn, fathers who leave, and pig slaughtering, theyre well written, albeit ridiculous at times. They might be a tad over the top, but Ill be damned if theyre not awesome. Ive used the word â€Å"Southern† a few times to describe this album; another appropriate word would be â€Å"energy.† Songs lik e â€Å"Unwelcome in That House† and â€Å"Hog Callin† have energy that you cant find in the most brutal death metal tracks. You cant sit still and listen to this; youll be moving in one way or another by the time its 68 minutes are through. Its a hell of a ride. Not only is this the ultimate backyard barbecue album, its just an amazing record that deserves your time. If you like that swampy heaviness that bands like Down bring to the table but want some fast-paced, punch-in-the-face metal, this is for you. Its the best of everything the South has to offer: great riffs, blistering solos, and some crazy man vocals. Lets party!