Under the Influence: Scavenger MT

Under the Influence: Scavenger MT

The sleepy mountain resort town of Big Sky, Montana might be one of the last places you’d expect a metal band to call home. Scavenger MT churns out a heavy blend of progressive sludge and stoner metal riffs, with grizzly vocals, and irresistible breakdowns. The band draws from a wide range of influences to create a unique and captivating sound. Their latest album, Feral, landed at #2 on my My Top 10 Albums for the January 2024 Doom Charts. I highly recommend giving these guys a listen. Here are some of their most influential albums.

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets

Metallica

We all had this album influence us in a big way! bassist Ben loves Cliff and this album is one of his best, Orion being such a prime example. Timmy used to drum along with it from start to finish, Joey said simply that this album is what made him want to pick up a guitar in the first place. Doobie stated that just the tone and the percussive palm muted chugs were so powerful he thought it was a buzz saw cutting through a redwood tree and couldn’t believe that sound was made by a guitar!

Mastodon - Crack the Skye

Crack the Skye

Mastodon

We all love Mastodon with a passion in Scavenger, with a couple of us saying they could be the BEST band ever! This seminal masterpiece really affected us all. From the dark themes and storytelling, to the unbelievable coordination of instruments and riffs that are so heavy, yet catchy and memorable grabbed us and our attention. It’s such a complex work and every song has its place on the album. They really stepped up the songwriting on this album, and it is amazing to hear them test their potential at this pivotal time in their career. Doobie said he had that in his CD player without taking it out for almost 2 years!

Gojira - Fortitude

Fortitude

Gojira

Flowing double bass drum patterns and dynamics. Riff heavy with meaty tones and string bass, every song is strong

Nomeansno - 0+2=1

0+2=1

No Means No

As always, insane bass and drums and catchiest riffs. Vocals stand out, never a dull moment.

High On Fire - Blessed Black Wings

Blessed Black Wings

High On Fire

Tom-heavy, thunderous drums and bass mixed with nasty chord progressions. Sick leads with distinct vocals.

Witchcraft - Witchcraft

Witchcraft

Witchcraft

Classic guitar tones and the riff induced rhythms blend with the clarity of the vocals. Dynamic tempo changes with a heavy yet mellow sound, drums are in the pocket.

Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand

Sever the Wicked Hand

Crowbar

Digging the low down tuning. Killer distinct vocals. Sludgy drums mixed with raw guitar harmonies.

Rush - 2112

2112

Rush

The three piece dynamic and virtuosic talent blows me away. Also a huge fan of the progressive nature of the lyrics and concept. Geddy Lee is the reason I first picked up a bass.