Official Mastodon Thread

[GeddPratLerxst]

I know there is another thread for Mastodon, but I feel like they deserve an official thread seeing as the other thread has 11 pages. Feel free to discuss everything Mastodon. Let me just start off by saying, The Hunter is f*ckin awesome!!!

[BigBob]

Dude, I saw them on this documentary about prog metal. They seem pretty cool. What would be some good songs for for some one to start out listening too?

[GeddPratLerxst]

I loved the entire Metal Evolution Doc series. But I really don't consider Mastodon your typical "Prog metal" band, though they spent a good amount of time talking about them in that episode. Their earlier stuff up to just a couple albums ago was all very heavy with screaming vocals, more of their "sludge" side, though they do incorporate some progressive elements. If you aren't too used to that stuff than I'd start by listening to their newest album "The Hunter". Its still got some of the screaming stuff but in good moderation. "Crack the Skye", the album before "The Hunter", also has some good stuff on it for first-timers like "Oblivion" and "The Czar" (though a bit lengthy). I'm not a huge death metal, thrash metal, black metal, etc. type guy, but the awesome guitar work and insane drumming of Brann Dailor makes Mastodon work for me.

[adace1]

I think The Hunter is a really solid, catchy album but it just doesn't top Crack the Skye. That album is a prog masterpiece.

[GeddPratLerxst]

QUOTE (adace1 @ Feb 19 2012, 06:50 AM)

I think The Hunter is a really solid, catchy album but it just doesn't top Crack the Skye. That album is a prog masterpiece.

I agree. Crack the Skye is definitely their best album up to date. But Leviathan comes in a close second for me.

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (BigBob @ Feb 18 2012, 10:07 PM)

Dude, I saw them on this documentary about prog metal. They seem pretty cool. What would be some good songs for for some one to start out listening too?

I got turned onto Mastodon when I heard "Oblivion" on Sirius. Check out that song. Curl of the Burl is another good tune that is easy to digest.

 

Sleeping Giant, Colony of Birchmen, and Black Tongue also rock.

 

And you can't go wrong with either CD, Crack The Sky or The Hunter.

 

 

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (GeddPratLerxst @ Feb 18 2012, 11:19 PM)

I loved the entire Metal Evolution Doc series. But I really don't consider Mastodon your typical "Prog metal" band, though they spent a good amount of time talking about them in that episode. Their earlier stuff up to just a couple albums ago was all very heavy with screaming vocals, more of their "sludge" side, though they do incorporate some progressive elements. If you aren't too used to that stuff than I'd start by listening to their newest album "The Hunter". Its still got some of the screaming stuff but in good moderation. "Crack the Skye", the album before "The Hunter", also has some good stuff on it for first-timers like "Oblivion" and "The Czar" (though a bit lengthy). I'm not a huge death metal, thrash metal, black metal, etc. type guy, but the awesome guitar work and insane drumming of Brann Dailor makes Mastodon work for me.

I couldn't agree more....I don't do death metal either, but I love Mastodon. And Dailor's drumming is insane!

 

Another great tune on Crack the Sky is The Last Baron.

[GeddPratLerxst]

Brann seriously sounds like Geddy in "The Creature Lives"

[Stormtron]

One of the best bands ever.

 

I love every album, but Leviathan is still my favorite. Just something about that one...every piece fits together and it just flows perfectly.

 

I'm also not a huge death metal fan (though there are a few DM bands I love), but Mastodon's harsh vocals are less guttural growls and more like vikings shouting.....or something. It works with the pummeling tidal wave riffs.

 

One of my favorites:

 

 

[Stormtron]

and this one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71oKBuMI44k

 

That drumming. Just insane.

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (Storm Shadow @ Feb 22 2012, 11:46 AM)

and this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71oKBuMI44k That drumming. Just insane.

I just don't understand why we don't hear more homage for Brann Dailor. You hear people gushing over Gavin Harrison all of the time, but I think Brann is pretty damn good too, and his frantic drumming is the foundation to Mastodon's sound.

[Perchance to Dream]

Whenever I feel like evicerating another human being, I listen to Motherpuncher. My pent up frustrations are released and I don't have to go to prison for the rest of my life. Win, win.

 

[tjtull]

QUOTE (Perchance to Dream @ Feb 22 2012, 02:54 PM)

Whenever I feel like evicerating another human being, I listen to Motherpuncher. My pent up frustrations are released and I don't have to go to prison for the rest of my life. Win, win.

[GeddyLeeRoth]

Somehow I've missed the Mastodon train for the last ten years, but recently got Leviathan, Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye. Their music has so much to offer, it will probably be a while before I can digest these three and pick up the new one or their debut. My initial reaction was CTS is the best of these three, but now I'm diggin' the aggressiveness of Leviathan. Their videos are killer too. They give me flashbacks.

[ColdFireYYZ]

I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next.

[treeduck]

QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM)

I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next.

We'll make a METAL maniac of you yet...

 

[tjtull]

QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM)

I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next.

Crack the Skye is much more progressive than The Hunter. I think you'll like it a lot!!

 

I've seen these guys live 3 times now. So far, the show I saw in support of Crack the Skye was the best. However, the one I saw last fall (supporting The Hunter) was a very close second. The third show was when they toured with Alice in Chains and Deftones. To be perfectly honest, Deftones totally owned that show and Mastodon's sound was very muddy.

[Stormtron]

I was thinking about how hard it would be to make a top ten favorite songs list for this band since I love almost everything they've done. It felt wrong leaving some stuff out, so I had to go to twenty:

 

1. Hearts Alive (Atmospheric, heavy, epic. Pretty much all my favorite sounds from them in one song.)

2. Megalodon (That southern rock lick into the thrashy part, HOLY SHIT!)

3. Crystal Skull

4. The Last Baron (They'll probably never out-prog this one.)

5. Aqua Dementia

6. Capillarian Crest (Maybe their most batshit crazy song.)

7. The Czar (Mastoboogie!)

8. Iron Tusk

9. Stargasm (This moved up my list quickly. Huge sound.)

10. Blood and Thunder

11. Island

12. Divinations (Love the chorus on this one. Fun to sing.)

13. The Wolf Is Loose (Sometimes I'll start this one repeatedly just for that drum intro.)

14. Ol'e Nessie (One of their most atmospheric songs, IMO.)

15. This Mortal Soil (Every sound in their arsenal in a blender.)

16. The Hunter (Brent's guitar on this one.....man.)

17. Sleeping Giant

18. All the Heavy Lifting (Dat chorus.)

19. Mother Puncher

20. March of the Fire Ants (First time I saw this live, the place f***ing exploded.)

 

I actually had to put thought into that. Looks like I tend to favor the heavier stuff.

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 07:57 AM)

QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM) I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next. Crack the Skye is much more progressive than The Hunter. I think you'll like it a lot!!   I've seen these guys live 3 times now. So far, the show I saw in support of Crack the Skye was the best. However, the one I saw last fall (supporting The Hunter) was a very close second. The third show was when they toured with Alice in Chains and Deftones. To be perfectly honest, Deftones totally owned that show and Mastodon's sound was very muddy. I'd give my left testicle to see Mastodon and the Deftones together.

[tjtull]

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Feb 23 2012, 01:31 PM)

QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 07:57 AM) QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM) I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next. Crack the Skye is much more progressive than The Hunter. I think you'll like it a lot!!   I've seen these guys live 3 times now. So far, the show I saw in support of Crack the Skye was the best. However, the one I saw last fall (supporting The Hunter) was a very close second. The third show was when they toured with Alice in Chains and Deftones. To be perfectly honest, Deftones totally owned that show and Mastodon's sound was very muddy. I'd give my left testicle to see Mastodon and the Deftones together. It was a great show! Just wish Mastodon's sound would have been better. They opened up the show. That was my first time seeing Deftones and they absolutely blew the other two bands away. Amazing show!!

[ColdFireYYZ]

QUOTE (treeduck @ Feb 23 2012, 02:29 AM)

QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM) I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next. We'll make a METAL maniac of you yet...

[ILSnwdog]

QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 01:51 PM)

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Feb 23 2012, 01:31 PM) QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 07:57 AM) QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM) I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next. Crack the Skye is much more progressive than The Hunter. I think you'll like it a lot!!   I've seen these guys live 3 times now. So far, the show I saw in support of Crack the Skye was the best. However, the one I saw last fall (supporting The Hunter) was a very close second. The third show was when they toured with Alice in Chains and Deftones. To be perfectly honest, Deftones totally owned that show and Mastodon's sound was very muddy. I'd give my left testicle to see Mastodon and the Deftones together. It was a great show! Just wish Mastodon's sound would have been better. They opened up the show. That was my first time seeing Deftones and they absolutely blew the other two bands away. Amazing show!! If they opened the show, odds are they were playing through another band's equipment, or couldn't bring their whole arsenal.   When I saw Mastodon last November, they sounded great...my only complaint was that they didn't play Oblivion.   Mastodon and the Deftones are two of my favorite newer bands. I don't know how I missed that tour.

Edited February 23, 2012 by ILSnwdog

[tjtull]

QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Feb 23 2012, 02:07 PM)

QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 01:51 PM) QUOTE (ILSnwdog @ Feb 23 2012, 01:31 PM) QUOTE (tjtull @ Feb 23 2012, 07:57 AM) QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Feb 23 2012, 12:54 AM) I got The Hunter today. First time I listened to them and it was awesome. I'mm going to check out Crack The Skye next. Crack the Skye is much more progressive than The Hunter. I think you'll like it a lot!!   I've seen these guys live 3 times now. So far, the show I saw in support of Crack the Skye was the best. However, the one I saw last fall (supporting The Hunter) was a very close second. The third show was when they toured with Alice in Chains and Deftones. To be perfectly honest, Deftones totally owned that show and Mastodon's sound was very muddy. I'd give my left testicle to see Mastodon and the Deftones together. It was a great show! Just wish Mastodon's sound would have been better. They opened up the show. That was my first time seeing Deftones and they absolutely blew the other two bands away. Amazing show!! If they opened the show, odds are they were playing through another band's equipment, or couldn't bring their whole arsenal.   When I saw Mastodon last November, they sounded great...my only complaint was that they didn't play Oblivion.   Mastodon and the Deftones are two of my favorite newer bands. I don't know how I missed that tour. It was the Black Diamond Skye tour. I saw them in Oct 2010 in St. Louis. That was a year after I'd seen them with Dethklok at the Pageant (my favorite venue of all time) also in St. Louis. I actually skipped the Dethklok set.   Yeah, the 2010 show sounded like they were a warmup band for sure. However, they did have the projections that were part of the Crack the Skye tour (2009). Just bad sound.   The show I saw last fall kicked major ass!! Excellent sound and the setlist completely rocked!!

[sco703]

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this band, listening to Mastodon is one of the greatest things that you can do for yourself. They are one of my all-time favorite artists, and are unlike ANYONE in music. That's what makes them so amazing, they're uniqueness. They don't sound like anything I've ever heard before.

 

So, do yourself a favor and pick up their album Crack the Skye. Then go from there. I think that The Hunter, while good, is not the best starting platform in order to be reeled in.

[ILSnwdog]

I have this fancy Sony radio alarm clock that I can plug my iPod into and listen to it though the speakers of the alarm clock. Sometimes I'll set the sleep function and fall asleep to music. Last night I decided to play The Hunter...wrong. I couldn't go to sleep. I just to got too geeked up.

 

So, I switched to Enigma, and I was out in 1 1/2 songs.