Opeth, Baroness, High on Fire

Along with Mastodon, Kylesa and Harvey Milk, Baroness is part of a mini-wave of terrific metal bands currently roaring out of Savannah, Georgia. The band's mix of psychedelia, doom and raw '70s riffage makes it one of the most potent combos in contemporary heavy music. The act's early EPs showed a fair bit of promise, but it wasn't until its full-length debut, last year's Red Album, that the outfit's sound truly bloomed. It doesn't hurt that Baroness's albums also look amazing; guitarist/vocalist John Baizley designs them all, and has also done work for Darkest Hour, Pig Destroyer, Torche and the Red Chord, among others. The group recently hired guitarist Peter Adams to replace drummer Allen Bickle's brother Brian, who's headed to law school. Consider it a trial by fire on this tour, as Baroness serves as the mind-altering, arty-but-crushing bridge between headliner Opeth's tightly controlled prog-death epics and High on Fire's raw blasts of thunder.