Early November brought the double shot of Red Fang and Black Tusk to Fitzgerald’s in Houston. Lord Dying was also on the bill and started things off in fine fashion, adding touches of stoner and thrash to their own take on modern metal. Seeing a show featuring 2 of the most happening heavy bands on the planet in a space as cozy as the smaller, downstairs room at Fitzgerald’s was going to be a treat no matter what. But the first exposure to Lord Dying only added to the bargain and the brotherhood evident between all three bands (humping each other’s gear off between sets, wearing each other’s colors, etc.) helped set the tone of the room: communal, diehard metalheads of all ages gathered as one.
Black Tusk brings it like few others. Full-on metal bursts off the stage, with hooks so strong it really doesn’t matter if you’ve heard the songs before or not, and a three-vocalist attack that only accentuates the shape-shifting riffage. If this band has a care in the world, I’ve never seen them show it on stage, a good-time attitude always pushing out with force equal to the musical power.
Red Fang has spent the past 18 months touring ‘Murder The Mountains’ on multiple continents in a van. This crucible has forged a unit of greater might than ever before. The band now crushes without lifting a finger, in perfect organic lockstep, relaxed and powerful simultaneously. Though less overtly metal than Black Tusk, Red Fang’s combination of seamless songcraft and effortless weight carry the night to a memorable conclusion.