As it began, Murder The Mountains also ends with another one-two musical punch.
Penultimate track “The Undertow” is simmering, atmospheric stoner/psych metal a la Masters of Reality that suggests future musical directions for Red Fang, showing the band to be fearless when it comes to sonic exploration of areas that some of their cookie-cutter contemporaries are either too afraid or too talentless to enter.
“Human Herd,” meanwhile, is a strong and appropriate closer, its lyrics depicting someone (a fellow musician?) in the process of selling his soul to the devil (i.e. the corporate world): “You can’t protect him from his life,” sings Beam in the persona of The Man. “We’ll find a way to make you lie / He’ll be with us and never die / This is the end and you know why.”
Murder The Mountains, however, should not be the end but only the beginning of very great things for Red Fang. This is.an impressive record that laughs in the face of the “sophomore jinx” and, instead, sets its controls for the heart of the sun.
—Johnny Walker (Black)
Article comments