Altsounds - Red Fang @ The Palace

“We’re gonna melt your faces off, so, uh, don’t be afraid to fucking thrash.” Local opening act Sunshine For Orphans set the tone of the evening with these words. An evening of Stoner rock, heavy metal guitar riffs, and burly men (and one very burly Laura Pleasants). Milton Burly. Men with huge amp stacks, and the beers that love them.

Claustrophobic and dingy would be the most appropriate way to describe The Palace. Nonetheless, many excellent acts have dragged their equipment into this basement club. Past the narrow staircase and into an expansive, low ceilinged bar and pool hall. No windows here, wouldn’t want the rest of the world seeing what deplorable acts we can get into after a few pitchers and a shot of Jim Beam. Coming out only for the occasional smoke break, the attendees of any show here can seem somewhat agoraphobic at times. Never straying far from the entrance, shunning the homeless on their never ending quest for that one dollar so they can catch a bus to…martini time most likely. These concert goers are a hardy sort. Various members of the local music scene, a lot of hardcore kids, and the infrequent college student who just came to play pool, not realizing the fury about to be released on their eardrums.

Sunshine for orphans finished their set with an ethereal noise jam called 'Star Eater.' Then it was time for local favorite on the bill, Red Fang. Coming off last years release of their self titled debut, Red Fang has been gaining popularity in Missoula thanks to heavy college rotation, and the not to be missed 'Prehistoric Dog' video. Recently Red Fang has been working on new recorded versions of various tracks from the debut. This, and a couple of tours over the last year, has been keeping these four dudes on their toes. None of that seemed to matter, though, as they took the stage with the practised ease and confidence that’s been instilled after more than a decade of playing together in various projects. No bullshit ego posturing. Just relaxed, casual, and about to blow our fucking minds.

It is striking how such a huge sound can come from such a small set-up. For three axe men, there was maybe two, three guitar pedals. No one boasting a full stack. Red Fang believes in a viciousness that comes from the right equipment, not more equipment. A minimalist approach with strong effect. Red Fang brings a strong, groove based Stoner Metal sound. Somewhere between Entombed and Sleep. It’s a style of metal coming to be thought of as “The Northwest Heavy.” Bands like Helms Alee, Big Business, Black Elk, Kylesa, and Red Fang have become the forerunners of the genre. Bands like Baroness, and Made out of Babies, though not from the area, could be easily thought of in the same context. Driven by labels like Hydra Head, and Crucial Blast, these bands bring the heavy guitars, and their man-voiced screams to tear up any venue. Surely, Red Fang tore up ours!

After a brutal, and never pausing, set that culminated in 'Prehistoric Dog,' Red Fang stepped aside for Saviours. Lionize had apparently cancelled all but four of their shows this tour, but the other groups wouldn’t let this slow them down. I hadn’t previously heard Saviours, but I was pleasantly surprised. Focusing more on riff work than Red Fang, their sound had an element of speed-tech to it. Kind of a Motorhead sound.

I spent a large portion of Saviours set staring at the ass of the hardcore honey in front of me, I won’t lie, but I enjoyed it enough to pick up a CD. Finally it had come time for Kylesa. This was good since this concert had fallen on my Birthday, and being pretty well known by this crowd, the free booze had been pouring. Kylesa had an almost antithetical approach to equipment from that of Red Fang. Mountainous amp stacks, two full-set drummers, and every guitarist equipped with a large pedal board. I’ve never been a quiet drunk, so I felt the need to offer some words of encouragement during their arduous set-up. “Static Tensions is fucking awesome!” I piped in, letting them know how much we’d all appreciated the new CD. “Scapegoat’s a hit single in Missoula!”

Kylesa ran through "Static Tension" in its entirety. They’ve got the heavy, riff-laden sound, but with a stronger emphasis on incorporating various soundscaping concepts and noise jam ideas. The groove never dies, though, and that’s what really holds it all together and keeps it from getting bloated on noise experiments.

Kylesa provided the perfect close to this most brutal of evenings.
I spent the rest of the evening drinking Tecate’s with the boys of Red Fang. They had found a route through Yellowstone they were hoping to hit up the next morning. I got the impression that these were all good people. Down to earth folk. It seems that wicked rad metal is built on the backs of a bunch of chill dudes.