But what's with the growling???

So my husband and the features writer (Brett) are having this musical male-bonding thing. It's been going on for about two years now, with Phillip serving as Yoda keeper-of-knowledge to Brett's jedi absorbtion of all the musical stuff that Phillip's apparently been dying to share with someone, and I just haven't been a good enough candidate over the last 15 years. In that time, I'll point out, I've seen Megadeth (or maybe it was Metallica?), Warrant, Tesla (I like them), so I've hung in there. I've even grown to appreciate the humor and tallness of Ted Nugent.

However, as a musical buddy, I'm lacking. Brett has taken up the yoke admirably, and apparently it is a light load to bear.

Anyway, into this exchange of musical culture comes something called Opeth -- a Swedish band that's opening for the show they're going to hear in Atlanta tomorrow. They growl. Which, I understand if you can't sing. But in the moments when this guy (Opeth's lead singer, who's probably named Lars...) sings, he's got a nice voice. Interesting music, but I don't get the growling.

Their summer of music continues in New York on Father's Day weekend. Both are fathers, by the way, which automatically makes both of their wives saints for sanctioning these outings, right?