Mastodon - The Hunter
Reprise / Roadrunner
2011
Mastodon are a band that are full of surprises. A band that never shy away from the challenge of beating ever increasingly brilliant albums. When a band produces masterpiece after masterpiece it is a wonder how they will ever top their previous efforts. Mastodon are one of only a few bands that are capable of producing albums which are uniquely different. No band sounds like them. They constantly push the musical boundaries of what is possible and can pull it off in style.
Unsurprisingly then 'The Hunter' is a departure from their last (prog) masterpiece 'Crack the Skye', an album which pushed the band to new heights leading to a live album/DVD and set the bar nearly impossibly high. 'The Hunter' is a more to the point and direct album. There is no ten minute plus songs like 'The Last Baron' but the band has managed to maintain the complexity and beauty within the notably shorter songs.
Black Tongue
A slow paced guitar riff plays over fast paced drumming to produce the perfect way to draw you into the album. It feels dark and ominous. A call of ‘enter at your own risk’. Of course the only risk here is getting into a seriously good album!
Curl of the Burl
This seems like the most accessible song on the album. Perhaps this is why it was chosen as one of the singles. For an album that branches in many different directions, musically at least, this is about as middle of the road as the album gets. Lyrically many people will be wondering about the opening line in particular “I killed a man because he killed my goat”.
Blasteroids
The song starts off gently before all hell breaks loose and it tumbles into the lines “I want to taste your fucking blood!” This is a rollercoaster of a song that will leave the listener wanting more. The true beauty of this song is that although the pieces of the song are all jagged they fit effortlessly together.
Stargasm
A true highlight of the album. From the spaced out and beautifully played opening guitar parts to the heroic shouts of STARGASM this song has it all. The drumming is particularly impressive. The chorus will be looping in the listeners head and is impossible to not sing along with.
Octopus Has No Friends
This is not my favourite song on the album but you can’t help but admire the guitar parts. It’s a song that seems tougher to break into.
All The Heavy Lifting
A fast paced verse with a powerful chorus “Just close your eyes and pretend that everything will be fine”. The dark middle section pulls the listener in and feels like a whirlwind journey wrapped into four and a half minutes.
The Hunter
An ominous journey filled with heart filled lyrics. A song that flexes the prog rock credentials of the band and gives the listener a real treat. The song is interesting and may take a few listens to get into. The dual vocal parts give the song an increased level of depth in a deep and powerful song. The solo also manages to get across the emotion of the song without being to over the top.
Dry Bone Valley
One of the catchiest songs on the album. The song will have the listener pumping their fists in the air begging for more.
The Thickening
Another song that takes a few listens to break into. It has some interesting levels to the song. The song starts with a long musical intro leading into dark vocals which builds back up again.
Creature Lives
The only song on the album which really makes even hardcore Mastodon fans feel that this is just a bit beyond the sometime mad but always brilliant. The song feels like a curveball and leaves the listener wondering what the band were thinking when this song was written.
Spectrelight
This is the song that harks back to earlier albums like Remission and Leviathan. A catchy and heavy song, this will be a firm favourite and will be a strong live song.
Bedazzled Fingernails
One of the best choruses on the album that will resonate with many listeners. There are the unusual parts of this song that appear to come completely out of the blue.
The Sparrow
One of my favourite songs off the album. The song initially felt like just a way to close the album. Listen a bit closer and the listener will hear a heart filled song. The only lyrics of the songs are a lesson that we should all follow “Pursue Happiness… with diligence.” I defy any listener not to feel the power of the chunky riff and the guitar parts that follow. The song is a powerful closer to the album.
To summerise 'The Hunter' in one song is impossible. Some people may feel this is a downside. However, I don’t. 'The Hunter' feels like an album that is meant to be heard as an album. The album takes the listener in many different directions which ultimately leads to a full submersion into the music. Perhaps this is 'The Hunters' greatest achievement. In a world where processed popstars release one track once in a blue moon, a flavour of the week music industry where it is assumed that the general public don't have the patients to listen to actual music rather than listen to the usual drivel about clubs, pubs and gangsters. This album truly defies all that is wrong with the music industry.
'The Hunter' is by no means perfect and is not best album of the bands career but it comes perilously close. 'Creature Lives' is a little too odd for the casual listener and songs like ‘Octopus Has No Friends’ and ‘Thickening’ take a bit of active listening to break into. But ‘Stargasm’, ‘Spectrelight’, ‘The Hunter’ and ‘The Sparrow’ more than make up for this.
This album will take you into the mind of the 'don and leave you wanting more. This album is unashamedly unique and that is the true beauty of it.
The Hunter: 9/10
'RazorRich' at mlm
2011
Mastodon are a band that are full of surprises. A band that never shy away from the challenge of beating ever increasingly brilliant albums. When a band produces masterpiece after masterpiece it is a wonder how they will ever top their previous efforts. Mastodon are one of only a few bands that are capable of producing albums which are uniquely different. No band sounds like them. They constantly push the musical boundaries of what is possible and can pull it off in style.
Unsurprisingly then 'The Hunter' is a departure from their last (prog) masterpiece 'Crack the Skye', an album which pushed the band to new heights leading to a live album/DVD and set the bar nearly impossibly high. 'The Hunter' is a more to the point and direct album. There is no ten minute plus songs like 'The Last Baron' but the band has managed to maintain the complexity and beauty within the notably shorter songs.
Black Tongue
A slow paced guitar riff plays over fast paced drumming to produce the perfect way to draw you into the album. It feels dark and ominous. A call of ‘enter at your own risk’. Of course the only risk here is getting into a seriously good album!
Curl of the Burl
This seems like the most accessible song on the album. Perhaps this is why it was chosen as one of the singles. For an album that branches in many different directions, musically at least, this is about as middle of the road as the album gets. Lyrically many people will be wondering about the opening line in particular “I killed a man because he killed my goat”.
Blasteroids
The song starts off gently before all hell breaks loose and it tumbles into the lines “I want to taste your fucking blood!” This is a rollercoaster of a song that will leave the listener wanting more. The true beauty of this song is that although the pieces of the song are all jagged they fit effortlessly together.
Stargasm
A true highlight of the album. From the spaced out and beautifully played opening guitar parts to the heroic shouts of STARGASM this song has it all. The drumming is particularly impressive. The chorus will be looping in the listeners head and is impossible to not sing along with.
Octopus Has No Friends
This is not my favourite song on the album but you can’t help but admire the guitar parts. It’s a song that seems tougher to break into.
All The Heavy Lifting
A fast paced verse with a powerful chorus “Just close your eyes and pretend that everything will be fine”. The dark middle section pulls the listener in and feels like a whirlwind journey wrapped into four and a half minutes.
The Hunter
An ominous journey filled with heart filled lyrics. A song that flexes the prog rock credentials of the band and gives the listener a real treat. The song is interesting and may take a few listens to get into. The dual vocal parts give the song an increased level of depth in a deep and powerful song. The solo also manages to get across the emotion of the song without being to over the top.
Dry Bone Valley
One of the catchiest songs on the album. The song will have the listener pumping their fists in the air begging for more.
The Thickening
Another song that takes a few listens to break into. It has some interesting levels to the song. The song starts with a long musical intro leading into dark vocals which builds back up again.
Creature Lives
The only song on the album which really makes even hardcore Mastodon fans feel that this is just a bit beyond the sometime mad but always brilliant. The song feels like a curveball and leaves the listener wondering what the band were thinking when this song was written.
Spectrelight
This is the song that harks back to earlier albums like Remission and Leviathan. A catchy and heavy song, this will be a firm favourite and will be a strong live song.
Bedazzled Fingernails
One of the best choruses on the album that will resonate with many listeners. There are the unusual parts of this song that appear to come completely out of the blue.
The Sparrow
One of my favourite songs off the album. The song initially felt like just a way to close the album. Listen a bit closer and the listener will hear a heart filled song. The only lyrics of the songs are a lesson that we should all follow “Pursue Happiness… with diligence.” I defy any listener not to feel the power of the chunky riff and the guitar parts that follow. The song is a powerful closer to the album.
To summerise 'The Hunter' in one song is impossible. Some people may feel this is a downside. However, I don’t. 'The Hunter' feels like an album that is meant to be heard as an album. The album takes the listener in many different directions which ultimately leads to a full submersion into the music. Perhaps this is 'The Hunters' greatest achievement. In a world where processed popstars release one track once in a blue moon, a flavour of the week music industry where it is assumed that the general public don't have the patients to listen to actual music rather than listen to the usual drivel about clubs, pubs and gangsters. This album truly defies all that is wrong with the music industry.
'The Hunter' is by no means perfect and is not best album of the bands career but it comes perilously close. 'Creature Lives' is a little too odd for the casual listener and songs like ‘Octopus Has No Friends’ and ‘Thickening’ take a bit of active listening to break into. But ‘Stargasm’, ‘Spectrelight’, ‘The Hunter’ and ‘The Sparrow’ more than make up for this.
This album will take you into the mind of the 'don and leave you wanting more. This album is unashamedly unique and that is the true beauty of it.
The Hunter: 9/10
'RazorRich' at mlm