Murder by Death

There are very few bands that can make Nick Cave sound about as menacing as Nick Carter, but Murder by Death might just be on that short list. On its latest full-length, Red of Tooth and Claw, the Indiana foursome delves deep into its obsession with death, decay and old-timey storytelling, like the Decemberists playing country songs at a demon child's bar mitzvah. It's a menacing stomp through the dredges of Old West gothic. Oddly enough, it's also the most upbeat album the band's ever released. Crawlin' on all fours/I'm coming home/Turning brick walls into doors/I'm coming home, singer Adam Turla growls on the album's opener. It's bloodcurdling enough to scare even the baddest seed.