Coming from the classic rock/early doom side of things is Ogre, and as Seven Hells attests, they�ve got a keen grasp on how to lay down the righteous. Following the blueprint established on Dawn of the Proto-Man, their 2003 debut, this three-piece comes across as half Cactus, half Pentagram, and fronted by Bon Scott�s third or fourth cousin.

While it�s easiest to pigeonhole �em in the doom category, their tendency to let loose and jam makes them more than just �doom.� Take �Dogmen (of Planet Earth)� for instance. There are more awesome grooves in that one song than most bands can muster up on an entire album, culminating with a sweet solo by guitarist Ross Markonish. On �Sperm Whale,� the band as a whole takes turns in the spotlight, including drummer Will Broadbent. Yeah, that�s right. There�s a motherfucking drum solo. That sort of self-indulgence can be tough to pull off without seeming, well, self-indulgent, but with Ogre, it just sounds natural, like something you�d expect to find on a live Deep Purple record. Throw in a cover of Pentagram�s �Review Your Choices� and you�ve got the makings of a winner.

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