The dudes in Mastodon are big and hairy and pretty good at writing concept albums. Following up the excellence of “Leviathan” and the awesomeness of “Blood Mountain” might make some bands shit their pants. Mastodon simply shrugs and writes an even better album. This time around they just pull out all the stops and perfect their progmetal, creating something most bands can only dream of.
There is a concept to “Crack The Skye” but it’s not easy to follow… it involves dark magic, astral travelling and Rasputin and his role in the downfall of the Czar in Russia. Yeah, it’s pretty far-fetched but who really gives a fuck when the music hits you this hard? As if they didn’t rock enough already, Mastodon throws a shitload of seventies rock into their sound and combined with their affection for rolling drums and excellent riffage, things get massive this time around.
Just have a listen to “Quintessence” or the title track which comes with guest vocals from Neurosis’ Scott Kelly. The addition of keyboards in tracks like “The Czar” add yet another dimension to Mastodon’s already ever-expanding sound and thanks to producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, AC/DC) everything sounds crystal clear allowing us to find something new to be amazed over every single time.
People who awlays claimed that metal is for meatheads are already reported fleeing from cities to go hide in shame.
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.repriserecords.com
http://www.mastodonrocks.com
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