Artist: The Sign of the Southern Cross
Album: Of Mountains and Moonshine
Label: Season of Mist
Websites:www.myspace.com/southerncrossband
www.season-of-mist.com
The Sign of the Southern Cross is:
Seth Uldricks – vocals, guitar
Adam Ranke – bass
Brett Wilson – drums
Hailing from North Carolina, the same wonderland that bore Corrosion of Conformity, The Sign of the Southern Cross are the latest in a long line of southern bands who wear their influences on their sleeves and have no problem showing you exactly what they’re made of. Southern pride aside, this band has the talent to become a household name in the metal community for years to come if they so choose.
The title track begins with a haunting violin and banjo instrumental that leads you to believe that you’re going to be listening to some Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. While I’ll admit that I love Skynyrd, fortunately, this band has a lot more in store for you than ripping off one of the all-time great southern rock bands. “Huck Finn” begins with chainsaw riffing and the rhythm section slogging through the kind of sludge that would swallow up lesser men. Uldricks’ vocals sound eerily similar to those of Philip Anselmo as he croons with attitude and various personas while the band trudges along in it’s sludge-filled groove. This one grabs you by the throat and toys with you for a while before it sends you off to run back home to your mommy. “The South is Rising” has a lot of groove starting out, reminding me of a Down and Alabama Thunderpussy hybrid (not a bad thing, right?) Spastic vocals mesh well with the heavy as hell groove the band lays down throughout. The solo is a pure Pantera tribute, and Uldricks makes you believe what the song title infers as his vocals take on a more urgent tone before eventually settling back into the parameters of the fat groove the band has gotten into.
“Weeping Willow” is a haunting acoustic number that has some really soulful vocals: “I’m living life/On borrowed time/I carry the weight of an age/The well’s run dry/Bellies suck the spine/So I drink from the world in your hands/Here on my/Waiting for you”. As sad and depressing as it is, it’s also quite beautiful at the same time. Think Pantera’s “Suicide Note Part 1” meets Alice in Chains’ “Jar of Flies” album. “Scry” begins with searing riffs and thunderous rhythms, pummeling you while ferocious vocals hit you from all over the place. It chugs along in a manic groove throughout, breaking you down along the way. “Eating the Sun” is another sorrow-filled acoustic song to begin, but it eventually transforms into an emotional, upbeat song that really strengthens the album. “Appointed Reaper” is flat out brutality that pummels you throughout and gives you a change of pace from the stoner metal and acoustic stylings of the rest of the album, and it shows that the band isn’t afraid to mix things up a little.
What I do know after listening to this album is that they sure can play and this is one of my favorite records of 2009. A few of the songs are a little drawn out for my tastes, but that still doesn’t take away from this great record. This one can contend with the big boys of the stoner metal genre and I hope that they continue to get better so they’ll become more of a household name sooner rather than later. I give it an 8 out of 10.
Recommended tracks: Huck Finn, The South is Rising, Weeping Willow, Eating the Sun
Track listing:
1. Of Mountains and Moonshine
2. Huck Finn
3. The South is Rising
4. Dead Skies
5. Weeping Willow
6. Hog Callin’
7. Scry
8. Eating the Sun
9. Appointed Reaper
10. Unwelcome in that House
11. Purge
12. Stitch in Time (To Save Nine)
13. Stalking Horse
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HitThePitBlog 
I first heard these guys when they were ‘southern cross,’ before some british band took that name. Some of the songs on this album were on the demo album, but it’s nice to be able to buy an album from major outlets. I think I bought the demo by mail order. These guys are awesome, especially if you like southern metal like down, pantera, crowbar etc.
it’s obvious who the main influences of this band are, but they are not a copycat band. I daresay they do this as well as pantera did back in the 90s. I hope they do a tour because I would love to see them live but never made it to nc for one of their local shows.