Judging by the names of the two bands that opened played the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on Friday night, one would imagine a death metal show of epic proportions. Alas, you would be far off the mark to think that, but the country/folk-infused styling of both Murder by Death and Brooklyn based O’Death sure know how to please a drunken crowd.

I haven’t seen O’Death play since the summer and that has been far too long. The group plays a mix of rock and Appalachian-inspired folk music, fused together to create a more rural sounding version of Man Man. Banjos are strummed, cymbals are smashed to the ground, and big sweaty dudes don’t wear shirts. This is also known as a typical O’Death show. Although the group threw in some new tracks they have been working on for the past couple of months, crowd favorites like “Down to Rest” had everybody in the venue hooting, hollering, and having a damn good time. O’Death’s new material sounded great and I know I can’t wait to hear what they come up with when their full length is finally released.

I also assumed that Murder by Death frontman Adam Turla was trying way too hard to sound like a modern day Johnny Cash, until I heard him talk to the crowd once he got on stage. At that point I realized, “Hot damn, that is just how he actually sound!” The group then kicked in with “Sometimes the Line Walks You,” off their 2007 album In Bocca al Lupo. Although their set did feature some songs off their newest album, which I haven’t heard yet, they played a great mix of old (“That Crown Don’t Make You Prince”) and new. Turla’s voice sounds even better live, with a deep, imposing bellow that resonated throughout the venue. Their performance was nothing extraordinary or out of this world, but sometimes it takes a solid rock show to bring you down after a long week, and that’s exactly what I got on Friday night.

More photos up on Flickr.

O’Death

Murder by Death