Mastodon - Crack the Skye (2009) (1 Viewer)

The only time I'd even heard the name was at a @japeo gig several years back where he was telling a story about being at one of their gigs in the Ambassador (I can't fully recall the link between Mastodon, the moon and Phil Lynott - there was one though).


mastodon do a version of 'emerald'. played it in the slayer support slot. nice little 7" picture disc too.
 
I don't have a problem with the singing .. it's one of the things I like about it. I like the way it is varied - the different voices and styles. I like the way it doesn't go for black-metal growling or constant shouting. It does get a little Chris Cornell at times all right but they tread just about on the riight side of that line for me.

I like the complexity of the songs - there is tons of stuff going on in each one and this keeps it interesting. And I really like the little Lizzy-style harmony guitar parts that pop up out of nowhere at times.
 
I forgot to complain that I find it a bit hurried and poorly paced but, as scutter hinted, maybe it needs a bit more listening in order to settle in to it.

Yeah, I was thinking on the first listen that it is a little hectic - that I wish they would slow down a bit, relax the heads, let more tension build and not be constantly barrelling forward into the next "bit" but that became less of an issue as I got a bit more familiar with it.
 
reminds me of neurosis at times which can only be a good thing.

i only have the first two albums and the lifesblood e.p. but it was the neurot-ic vibe that grabbed me at first, along with the fact that half the band was ex-'in the eyes of god'-era today is the day. the aquarius review sold me:
aQuarius said:
MASTODON Lifesblood (Relapse) cd ep 6.98
"Lifesblood" is the debut from Atlanta's Mastodon, and we have to say that this 5-song ep has us eagerly awaiting their upcoming full-length! Crushing riffs and rhythms, punishing drums, and razorsharp lead guitar...they play math-rock metalcore worthy of a Coalesce or Converge, with post rock dynamics that remind us of Engine Kid. Mostly, though, Mastodon sounds like Today Is The Day, which makes sense since the guitarist and drummer are in fact ex-Today Is The Day members! Originally in another pretty insane technical metal band called Lethargy, they were drafted into TITD for the killer album "In The Eyes Of God". Now on their own again (TITD mastermind Steve Austin isn't very good at keeping a stable lineup!), they've regrouped as the mighty Mastodon and released this ep. It's great, but we have one slight criticism: metal bands have got to stop it with the sampled dialogue before every song! The samples on Carcass' classic "Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious" were cool, but the practice is getting pretty old now! Regardless, this disc is quite highly recommended, especially if you're the sort of person who enjoys both The Fucking Champs (who Mastodon admit as an influence) and full-on mastodon-heavy death metal.

What it is though, is that in amongst the godawful dirge of 98% of metal (Tool lovers can go to hell) you get diamonds like Elder, Meshuggah and Mastodon. To my ears these are bands trying to exist beyond the tropes of modern metal, or when they do stay within the lines they're intent on some serious remodelling.

The metal bands I love don't have comparable acts, certainly not in that genre anyway. When I listen to Meshuggah I hear Beefheart, Converge remind me of Fugazi and Mastodon take cues from King Crimson and Drive Like Jehu. All groups that were trying to forge something new, and abandon the cliches of their peers.

yeah, i agree... mostly (not sure where the beefheart/meshuggah comparison derives; beefheart always has a slightly ramshackle, fall-apart quality for me, meshuggah anything but) but the bands mentioned above, along with e.g. knut, gorguts, american heritage always seemed like mastodon's peers to me. the 'emerald' split 7" was with american heritage. (remember this? American Heritage + Foe + Art Of Burning Water -> Sugar Club, Fri 10th October.)

not sure why i stopped after leviathan. maybe it was parenthood a month before blood mountain, when my record buying went off a cliff...

must check out elder.
 
Interesting the non-comparision to Tool. I see them as the fathers of this sort of Metal. I can hear Tool all over this. Though they've clearly made it better because Tool are booooooooring. At least Mastadon get going every now and then. Not enough.
 
I'm struggling with my rating for this one. It is clearly not a bad album, and I don't dislike it, but in the end it is just not my bag. I feel sad, because I wish it was. I was expecting it to be more of a fun ride.

Still easier for me than the Slayer week. The Czar is my favourite tune. Some bits of the 5th track (?) remind me of Six era Mansun, which isn't particularly a compliment.

I'll come back to it before giving a rating. I dunno how the metal heads are going to handle my Richmond Fontaine pick if it ever comes up.
 
I'm struggling with my rating for this one. It is clearly not a bad album, and I don't dislike it, but in the end it is just not my bag. I feel sad, because I wish it was. I was expecting it to be more of a fun ride.

Still easier for me than the Slayer week. The Czar is my favourite tune. Some bits of the 5th track (?) remind me of Six era Mansun, which isn't particularly a compliment.

I'll come back to it before giving a rating. I dunno how the metal heads are going to handle my Richmond Fontaine pick if it ever comes up.
Fairly sure Six by Mansun is on my list of albums for album club
 
Haha, this is real!

mstd_spaddys15_mens_grande.png
 

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