Falling somewhere between the early ’70s metal of Black Sabbath and late ‘60s psych-rock, locals Mountain Tamer (Sometimes spelled MTN TMR) mix heavy riffs, experimental structures and pop hooks with an eerie, almost sinister sound. It’s not easy to understand the lyrics, but it almost doesn’t matter—they are obviously dark.
At their shows, they play loud and heavy, but they bring something unique to stoner rock: a lot of energy.
“A lot of psych bands don’t move around much,” says guitarist/vocalist Andrew Hall. “We’re all over the place. [Bassist] Dave does not sit still. I’m constantly all over the place. It helps give us a little more accessibility. When people see it live, they can see the passion, and the energy, and it helps people connect more, I think.”
The trio, which formed in 2010, has already done a few tours, and is releasing a record on the Italian label Argonauta later this month. Mountain Tamer plays so loud sometimes that venues ask them to turn it down. And to get a really heavy sound, they down-tune their guitars and play some brutal syncopated riffs.
“One of the heaviest things you can do in rock is to syncopate. I don’t know when exactly the heaviest point to syncopate your rhythm and your melody are, but when you get it right, it really hits heavy. That’s something we really focus on,” Hall says.
INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, July 31. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994.
