New Mastodon Album and Single - "Hushed and Grim" October 29th

[MaxOfMetal]

Mastodon definitely need something of a lineup shake up. I don't think Brent needs to be tossed, he's still a big part of the band.

But this, to me, as someone who has seen them live tons, is the best they've ever sounded:



Troy has always been a reluctant vocalist, let him focus on bass and backup. Get a full time singer to inject something new and different.

 

[Ataraxia2320]

Mastodon definitely need something of a lineup shake up. I don't think Brent needs to be tossed, he's still a big part of the band.

But this, to me, as someone who has seen them live tons, is the best they've ever sounded:



Troy has always been a reluctant vocalist, let him focus on bass and backup. Get a full time singer to inject something new and different.

Respectfully, I couldn't disagree with this post more. I think that each member brings so much to the band that any of them going or any new blood coming in would just be a huge detriment to the band. Scott Kelly being a frequent collaborator is better than Scott Kelly being in the band imo.

I for one would also be hugely bummed out if Troy stopped singing, he has such a cool voice. For that matter they all do.

 

[gunch]

Monkey paw twitches and the band breaks up but Brann and Bill go back with Eric Burke to reform Lethargy

 

[BlackMastodon]

So I'm finally listening to the album now and it's definitely got a mood to it, but that might just be my bias from looking at the album cover. I dunno if that makes any sense, but the album cover fits the music very well.

I'm only a few songs in but so far More Than I Could Chew is a fucking absolute banger of a song, The Beast is practically a twin to Pendulous Skin but with actual lyrics (which is fine because it's one of my favourite Mastodon songs), and the production sounds huge.

So basically I'm still a fanboy and don't think that's ever gonna change.

 

[RevDrucifer]

So I'm finally listening to the album now and it's definitely got a mood to it, but that might just be my bias from looking at the album cover. I dunno if that makes any sense, but the album cover fits the music very well.

I'm only a few songs in but so far More Than I Could Chew is a fucking absolute banger of a song, The Beast is practically a twin to Pendulous Skin but with actual lyrics (which is fine because it's one of my favourite Mastodon songs), and the production sounds huge.

So basically I'm still a fanboy and don't think that's ever gonna change.

I rarely learn cover tunes from bands I love as I’ve found it tends to ruin some of the magic for me, but when I heard that riff come in after the synth in “More Than I Could Chew” I had to learn that riff. That pummeling A-string got me all kinds of giddy. While I was at it I went and learned “Pushing The Tide” and that’s a fun one to play, totally different feel to it than playing “Chew” because you gotta stay right on top of the beat instead of laying back into it and that verse riff is fucking sick.

I think I might try tackling “The Beast” at some point, there’s some great Brent stuff in there I’d like to get under my fingers.

 

[Dekay82]

Been spending more time with it as well, finally. There’s some great stuff in there, but also some really generic bland stuff as well. Kind of a mixed bag. When its good, its amazing, when its not, bleh.

 

[BlackMastodon]

Yeah, they probably could've cut it down to 11 or 12 songs and it would've been better for it.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

After like a million start to finish listens, that's still what I think too. Cut it down to just under an hour of absolutely killer, rock solid material and it would have been a top three contender. It's just when it's bad it's bad and it sort of stops the album in its tracks.

I've still warmed up to it a lot since my first several goes.

 

[Dekay82]

Its a great album, no doubt. But at this point it’ the Bill and Bran band. You can tell that Brent just comes in, spits out a solo and peaces the fuck out.

The Beast is the only song with his DNA on it, and they had to get his friend to play on it to get it down. To me, it’s pretty obvious he’s done with Mastodon.

Also, he told me when we hung out he’s sick of playing Mastodon songs.

 

[BlackMastodon]

Anyone else surprised at the lack of an appearance from Scott Kelly? It was always a nice treat on Mastodon albums to see where he pops up.

 

[beerandbeards]

Man I love Brann’s vocals. Every time he’s featured on vocals I’m digging it. His voice has a certain feel, really contributes to the emotion or atmosphere of the song.

Not Mastodon but a track Brann did for DC Comics and it’s a great example of his voice adding dimension.

 

[akinari]

Monkey paw twitches and the band breaks up but Brann and Bill go back with Eric Burke to reform Lethargy

If only we lived in a world where Lethargy was as financially/commercially viable as Mastodon...

 

[MFB]

I'd actually be down for another Arcadea album if there's time

 

[RevDrucifer]

If only we lived in a world where Lethargy was as financially/commercially viable as Mastodon...

I just found a video of a Lethargy practice last night, it was fun to watch and reminded me of every band practice from high school. Seeing a very young, brown-headed drummer I wasn’t sure if it was Brann or not until he started in with the fills and heard his voice. Dude was a monster drummer back then and couldn’t have been any older than his late teens.

It had Club Brann in the title of it. Also had a guitarists who must have been drinking an empty can of beer. There was some awkward-as-fuck teenager stuff on there, but the guitarist constantly sipping this can of beer, after 5 minutes of it there couldn’t have been anything left and it was very much a “Gotta make sure the camera sees me sipping this can of beer.” I miss high school in the 90’s.

 

[akinari]

I just found a video of a Lethargy practice last night, it was fun to watch and reminded me of every band practice from high school. Seeing a very young, brown-headed drummer I wasn’t sure if it was Brann or not until he started in with the fills and heard his voice. Dude was a monster drummer back then and couldn’t have been any older than his late teens.

Yeah, that was shot in Brann's basement. He was 19 then. He was really into Dave Witte and Brandon Thomas, the drummers from Human Remains and Ripping Corpse respectively, and it shows. Brandon Thomas was one of the best drummers in metal ever IMO, shame he never really gets the credit he deserves.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Yeah, that was shot in Brann's basement. He was 19 then. He was really into Dave Witte and Brandon Thomas, the drummers from Human Remains and Ripping Corpse respectively, and it shows. Brandon Thomas was one of the best drummers in metal ever IMO, shame he never really gets the credit he deserves.

The blast beats were nonstop and pretty sick, it was also cool to see that even back then he had his own thing going on with his fills.

 

[fps]

Brent isn't that good of a musician to absorb bad press. They might want to put him on a shorter leash or send him off to pasture.

Brent is the special magic sauce in the band. The lack of Brent on the latest Mastodon was a real shame. Moments where he was singing to a frazzled guitar on The Beast were greatness.

 

[fps]

Its a great album, no doubt. But at this point it’ the Bill and Bran band. You can tell that Brent just comes in, spits out a solo and peaces the fuck out.

The Beast is the only song with his DNA on it, and they had to get his friend to play on it to get it down. To me, it’s pretty obvious he’s done with Mastodon.

Also, he told me when we hung out he’s sick of playing Mastodon songs.

Brann sings way too much now.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Brent is the special magic sauce in the band. The lack of Brent on the latest Mastodon was a real shame. Moments where he was singing to a frazzled guitar on The Beast were greatness.

Yeah, him and Brann are probably the most irreplaceable members as far as the "Mastodon sound" goes.

I've seen interviews with the band and stuff that alludes to a lot of the polishing of stuff into good songs is Bill though.

It's a shame that the person who seems to want to be in the band the least now is Brent.

Brann sings way too much now.

Yeah, agreed. His vocals were great in small doses, and yeah he's got a great voice, but it's definitely changing the dynamics a bit too much now. To me at least.

 

[RevelGTR]

Crack the Skye and The Hunter were the best balance of vocals from everyone IMO.