Baroness

Born out of the same scene that produced Mastodon and Kylesa, Georgia’s Baroness makes the sort of thinking-man’s metal that’s okay for scenesters to embrace but which fans of blistering riffage should also enjoy. The band’s debut on Relapse, 2007’s Red Album, smartly glued proggy experimentation to bluesy sludge without devolving into self-parody. This year’s sister recording, Blue Record, picks up where the former left off with a precise rhythm section, characteristically earnest riffs, and a melodic sensibility that’s unafraid to let in a little psychedelic sunshine.

Updated 02/08/2010