From the very moment track one kicks in it’s very obvious that something has changed with Mastodon. Gone are the brutal full frontal attacks and indiscriminate vocals that just bludgeoned you to death with the sheer ferocity and intense feeling - there was no let up, almost like a panzer division shelling you for hours on end with no break…

It’s replaced by driving guitars and ample drums that are shaped to fit exciting and describable vocals that are wrapped up by the one thing that was missing from before… MELODY…

But not in a sticky sweet, ‘we are now a radio friendly’ rock band way, but more in a ‘this could be an ozzy album if he sang on it’ kind of way. The intensity is still there, they are still a hard rock band, make no mistake, but now they are accessible to the mainstream, without actually joining it…

This record can be enjoyed by both Metal Hammer and Classic Rock Readers, which means like Metallica and Machine Head before them who started out in death defining genres and moved into the more mainstream market without (or with depending on your standpoint) moving away from what they held so true…

When we caught the band last year on the ‘Defenders of the Faith’ tour with Trivium  and Slayer, it was Trivium that was the ‘odd’ band out, now on this record Mastodon have joined them by becoming easier on the ear…

This is not a bad thing, Rock Radio breaks bands, fills arenas, it always has, so for a band to make a record that will be played on it, is essential. Just look at the ‘Black Album’ and as long as you don’t sail your boat too close to the flames then the rock/metal fraternity will stay with you…

Track four on the album comes in four parts, which just sums up the adventure left in this band, and the production (which was handled by Pearl Jam / Bruce Springsteen producer Brendan O’Brian) really makes the sum of this record add up and in some ways it’s part of the missing pieces of the jigsaw for Mastodon…

Make no mistake, this is a fuckin’ great rock record and one of the best I have heard this year; no matter where I play it (club,car,radio,home) it sounds so good. I would go so far as to say that this is a genre defining album that in years to come will be sited as a major influence and shift in rock music…

4/5

Jj

Fans love this album and are generally in tune with this guy’s view:

“Mastodon depart from their old material for a proper trip down prog-rock avenue with ‘Crack The Skye’. I’m a massive fan of ‘Leviathan’ and ‘Blood Mountian’ but don’t own ‘Remission.’ I always loved Mastodon for their Lamb of God type sound in places, but with alot more experimenting going on. Like Opeth making 4 minute songs with lots of aggression and hardly any acoustic sections! A lot of Mastodon fans may be put off by ‘Crack The Skye’. It is a lot different. It definitely has a classic rock sound; the overall standout track is undeniably ‘The Czar’ with 4 distinct sections. It’s the coolest song Mastodon have ever committed to tape, and gets into a real groove in the 2nd section. The guitar solo in section 3 is mind-blowing, and the singing sounds a lot Ozzy Osbourne. The whole track is like Black Sabbath playing for 2009.”

“A lot is said about ‘The Czar,’ but ‘The Last Baron’ stands out just as well; clocking in at 13 minutes. ‘Baron’ sees Mastodon going into prog overdrive, sounding (as others have said) a bit like early King Crimson  but also nearly as technical and down-right mad as Dream Theater. If ‘The Czar’ is Mastodon’s 4-part epic story-telling track, then ‘The Last Baron’ is just their prog metal wig-out madness suite. The other 5 tracks are concise brilliant pieces, harmonious, mostly clean singing, mostly heavy riffs, (especially the title track) and packed with awesome guitar solos. This is definitely Mastodon’s best album. It’s their classic rock masterpiece; but be warned. A major departure from ‘Leviathan’ and ‘Blood Mountain’. Brilliant stuff.”

PJT