In many ways, Tres Hombres laid the groundwork for ZZ Top’s enduring success. Today, it’s easy to draw a straight line from the sound of “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” to Queens of the Stone Age and any number of popular stoner metal bands. Artists that blur the lines between country, rock and blues — to name a few: Chris Stapleton, Gov’t Mule and Blackberry Smoke — can also turn to the album for inspiration. And in hard-rock circles, Tres Hombres was a blueprint for not just any number of southern rockers who followed, but also English barnburners Motörhead (who covered “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”) and Aussie hard-rock legends AC/DC. Tres Hombres helped push rock in new directions during the 1970s — and its formidable shadow looms large.