10 Bands To Listen To If You Love Led Zeppelin

4. Bigelf

In a way, America’s Bigelf – led by keyboardist/vocalist Damon Fox – got their name from the British foursome, as Fox has admitted that he’s “always wanted to have one of those ‘classic’ oxymoronic band names that people remember, like Led Zeppelin, Gentle Giant, Iron Butterfly, etc.”

It’s no great shock, then, that Fox and his bandmates are celebrated for putting a wonderfully zany heavy prog / psychedelic rock spin on their forefathers’ classic rock foundation.

This is most evident on early gems such as Money Machine, Ironheel, and Disappear (all of which evoke Led Zeppelin's knack for hectic gracefulness and moody environments). Even Fox’s notably gravelly voice channels Robert Plant at his caustic best.

As striking as their first two LPs are, it’s 2008’s Cheat the Gallows that finds the group really excelling at mixing their own flamboyant complexities with the quartet’s bedrock of both entrancing fury and evocative fragility.

Of course, 2014’s follow-up – Into the Maelstrom – is damn good, too, so it’s safe to say that Bigelf have always kept Led Zeppelin's torch burning bright.

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Hey there! Outside of WhatCulture, I'm a former editor at PopMatters and a contributor to Kerrang!, Consequence, PROG, Metal Injection, Loudwire, and more. I've written books about Jethro Tull, Opeth, and Dream Theater and I run a creative arts journal called The Bookends Review. Oh, and I live in Philadelphia and teach academic/creative writing courses at a few colleges/universities.