Thoughts on Mastodon??

[Triple7]

It took me a really long time to get into these dudes. A friend played me Sleeping Giant from Blood Mountain and that's what got me hooked. After listening to all their albums, I'd have to say Blood Mountain is my favorite, followed by Crack The Skye and then Hunter. Leviathan and Remission are good albums, Remission being the better of the two in my opinion.

 

[abandonist]

I super-hate that DethKlok band.

 

[Harry]

When I saw them at Soundwave earlier this year, their sound was TERRIBLE.
Pretty much all I could hear was the booming bass drum and bass guitar. Vocals and guitars were pretty much non-audible unless I hold my ears closed with my hands to make it slightly more clear (I was already, as always at gigs, wearing ear plugs as it is), and let's face it, you're not going to bother doing that for an entire 45-60 minute set of a band
It bothered me that much that I actually walked out halfway through the set.
I'd been listening to the bands for years at that point and after finally getting a chance to see them, it was do disappointing to hear the live mix sound so awful, easily the worst sounding mix of all the band's I'd seen at the festival that day

 

[Slunk Dragon]

I found them on Crack the Skye, by far one my personal favorites for a perfect example of a heavy as hell, progressive metal album that blows my mind every time I listen to it. Hunter kind of had to warm up to me, but I dig 'Dry Bone Valley', those harmonies just tingle my spine in the best of ways. Can't really stand Leviathan, idk, just way too much of something I'm just not into atm I guess, need to get their earlier stuff as well.

 

[peagull]

Man, I love Mastodon, I have a guitar tuned to D standard purely for cracking out some 'don! My fav album is Blood Mountain, the right mix of sludge and prog. I love all their stuff though. And they really turned me from super high gain modern amps to flabby sludgy marshalls. Remember their guitar sounds made me sell a 6505 as I wasn't using it lol.

I've seen 'em a few times live and they can be a bit hit and miss with Vox, Best one was when I saw them tour Blood Mountain supporting Tool that was awesome.

Was trying to decide what to listen to at work, The Faceless or Vildjharta... Decided on some Mastodon coz of this thread, awesome!

 

[RagtimeDandy]

I have literally 4 copies of Leviathan in various formats, it is my favorite no frills metal album ever. Just pure riffing, bellowing, soloing, drum filling awesomeness.

 

[troyguitar]

I didn't know that they had gotten more melodic, I might actually like some of the new stuff! The old stuff had potential but was too br00tal for me. I'll make it a point to check out the new albums this weekend.

 

[Captain Shoggoth]

One of my all-time favourite bands, own all their releases (Call of the Mastodon, Remission, Leviathan, Blood Mountain, Crack the Skye, The Hunter). Unbelievably good band who in my opinion are yet to release a bad album or even a bad song.

 

[blaaargh]

^Even Creature Lives?

 

[ittoa666]

I have literally 4 copies of Leviathan in various formats, it is my favorite no frills metal album ever. Just pure riffing, bellowing, soloing, drum filling awesomeness.

And country licks.

 

[abandonist]

Guess having seen them a bunch before they were even signed to Relapse it's strange to watch a band you like SO much (call of the mastodon, remission material) changing their sound away from that. It certainly has brought them nothing but good fortune, and it's not like they're writing cop-out material, but it's just not for me. Leviathan was the last one I liked.

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

I agree I loved their heavier sound, but Crack the Skye is an all time favorite. I like them overall, some more some less. March of the Fire Ants and Mother Puncher are earth shattering live. I saw them once at Hard Rock Live Orlando, and they sounded perfect. Might have been my seat, because some bands suck there, as well as other venues. Since I know the "sweet spots" it's never a big issue. Really good band to me, both older and newer progressive material.

 

[RevDrucifer]

^Even Creature Lives?

That's one of my favorites on the album!

 

[Imalwayscold]

I'm sort of with abandonist on this one. Without sounding like a complete hipster, after following them from the very beginning. Their evolution of sound, although fantastic, has moved on from the reasons I originally loved them.

Still to be said I absoloutley adore the band

 

[beanriffs]

I didn't know that they had gotten more melodic, I might actually like some of the new stuff! The old stuff had potential but was too br00tal for me. I'll make it a point to check out the new albums this weekend.

Yeh, you should definetily start listening to Crack The Skye to start with, I was never really into Leviathan, Blood Mountain but I heard Crack The Skye, and my opinion of the band completely changed and now Mastodon is like my favourite band!

 

[xxvicarious]

Love every note they've ever played, ESPECIALLY The Hunter
and Crack The Skye.

The Hunter blew my fuckin' mind. Some awesome chorus'.
All The Heavy Lifting is quite a tune.

 

[darkinners]

Wasn't really into Mastodon until this year.

For some reason I really into High on Fire and Electric Wizard this year and of course there comes to Mastodon after those two bands.

I literally like ALL Mastodon albums and songs now.

My favorite song I think it's The Sparrow. I like how they put some Pink Floyd vibe into it.

 

[Darkened]

I love Mastodon, especially their blood and thunder.

I was even on concert of them, but unfortunately, they are a bit sturdy live. Although, I was sick from happiness when I caught Brann's drumstick after the concert

 

[Esp Griffyn]

I listened to Today is the Day when half of Mastodon was in that band (even though their creative input was probably close to nil) and when I heard "Remission" it absolutely blew my mind. Since then, they've gotten weaker and weaker with every album, which is not that surprising to me as they set the bar so, so high with Remission.

"Leviathan" was the last Mastodon album I really liked, but I can appreciate that "Blood Mountain" and "Crack the Skye" are "good" albums too in terms of quality, they cooled off their intensity way too much. Mastodon were at their best when they were crushing souls with those huge, Mother Puncher riffs. "The Hunter" is dire imo, just sounds like a bunch of guys jamming on some rock tracks because they couldn't get fired up to make it heavy.

 

[Mprinsje]

Swell band on record, hit or miss live, especially vocal wise.