The Mastodon Thread v. Emperor of Sand!

[wolfking]

Listening to The Beast and it made me think of Loch Vostok's Expiry Date On the Soul Of Man, which is a great tune if you've never heard it.

I'll check that out later.  I think you've showed me a song of theirs before.

[axeman90210]

I'm seeing Mastodon with Opeth in 2 weeks, I saw Mastodon once before opening for Primus a few years ago.  I honestly was not too into their set. But it could have been due to a few things (sound being a big one).  But I never really checked out their albums.  I plan on getting their latest and digesting it before the show. 

NYC show?

[Tomislav95]

I'm seeing them with Kvelertak (!) and Baroness (!!) in late June. This will be a long 7 months... after not attending any show since DT in February of 2020 I'm looking forward to seeing Gojira in January (but I'm not optimistic due to COVID spreading again) and DT in May.
Fun fact: Kvelertak opened for Mastodon last time I saw them and we actually got 2 for price of 1, it was unplanned, Kvelertak didn't play with Mastodon on that tour, organisers snatched them few weeks before the actual show.

And yeah, new album is growing on me, solid 8/10 right now. My favorite so far is probably The Beast.

[Lonk]

I'm seeing Mastodon with Opeth in 2 weeks, I saw Mastodon once before opening for Primus a few years ago.  I honestly was not too into their set. But it could have been due to a few things (sound being a big one).  But I never really checked out their albums.  I plan on getting their latest and digesting it before the show. 

NYC show?

Don't have tickets yet but planning to be at that show

I've seen mastodon twice, and both times they sounded great. Last show they were coheadlining with Coheed and played Crack the Skye in full 

[Kotowboy]

First time it was supporting TOOL at Wembley Arena. Tool were touring 10,000 Days and Mastodon were touring Blood Mountain !!! **

Second time was HMV Forum in London - as the headliner and they sounded much better.


** - Mad that since 10,000 Days - Mastodon have put out

- Crack The Skye
- The Hunter
- Once More Round The Sun
- Emperor Of Sand
- Hushed and Grim ( double album )
- Jonah Hex EP
- A Cold Dark Place EP

  All in the same time it took TOOL to release ONE album.

[Tomislav95]

Saw them 3 times. First time on a mini festival supporting Slayer with Gojira during The Hunter tour. Sadly wasn't into them besides Crack the Skye album. Also, my first metal concert
Second and third time in Zagreb, on Once more and Emperor tours. One of the coolest things I ever witnessed is that they actually played proper unexpected encore (Blood and thunder), they didn't play it on rest of the tour (in 2015, Once more tour).

[DoctorAction]

Twice.

Roundhouse in London. Played CTS in full. Very good.
Download in about 2015? A bit dull. But it was raining and outside so not the best atmosphere.

[cramx3]

I'm seeing Mastodon with Opeth in 2 weeks, I saw Mastodon once before opening for Primus a few years ago.  I honestly was not too into their set. But it could have been due to a few things (sound being a big one).  But I never really checked out their albums.  I plan on getting their latest and digesting it before the show. 

NYC show?

Don't have tickets yet but planning to be at that show

I've seen mastodon twice, and both times they sounded great. Last show they were coheadlining with Coheed and played Crack the Skye in full 

Yup, NYC show. And it's a Saturday! DTF meet up for some beers before the show?

[Kotowboy]

Also i really like Mastodon lyrics. It's an album about losing a friend and it's not your typical metal IM IN PAIN MY SOUL IS BLACK ETERNAL MISERY

It's more poetic like " Shelter from storms comes with long flowing robes ". They've always had really poetic lyrics ( apart from their more goofy moments like Blasteroid ofc )...

[Grappler]

So I've listened to almost nothing but Mastodon for the last week.  I haven't been terribly familiar with them aside from White Walker on the Game of Thrones/Medium Rarities comps.


I've given each of the records at least one full listen, some a few more.  Crack the Skye is my favorite so far, along with Leviathan and Blood Mountain.  I keep coming back to these 3.

Remission, The Hunter and Emperor of Sand are also good.  Once More Round the Sun didn't do much for me on first listen.

The new one seems like it's just way too much to take in at the moment and I go back to the albums above.  It's tough to listen to 8 albums in a week and comprehend everything that's going on with each one.  At least i'm learning that I don't dislike them and they have a lot that I really do enjoy!

[DoctorAction]

That's a lot of music to traverse in a week! I feel like I've only just started getting a feel on the new one in that time! 

OMRTS has The Motherload which might be my favourite Mastosong.

[Zoom E]

So I've listened to almost nothing but Mastodon for the last week.  I haven't been terribly familiar with them aside from White Walker on the Game of Thrones/Medium Rarities comps.


I've given each of the records at least one full listen, some a few more.  Crack the Skye is my favorite so far, along with Leviathan and Blood Mountain.  I keep coming back to these 3.

Remission, The Hunter and Emperor of Sand are also good.  Once More Round the Sun didn't do much for me on first listen.

The new one seems like it's just way too much to take in at the moment and I go back to the albums above.  It's tough to listen to 8 albums in a week and comprehend everything that's going on with each one.  At least i'm learning that I don't dislike them and they have a lot that I really do enjoy!

Crack the Sky is my favourite too, but it's possible that Hushed and Grim will supplant CTS as my favourite Mastodon album.

[axeman90210]

I'm seeing Mastodon with Opeth in 2 weeks, I saw Mastodon once before opening for Primus a few years ago.  I honestly was not too into their set. But it could have been due to a few things (sound being a big one).  But I never really checked out their albums.  I plan on getting their latest and digesting it before the show. 

NYC show?

Don't have tickets yet but planning to be at that show

I've seen mastodon twice, and both times they sounded great. Last show they were coheadlining with Coheed and played Crack the Skye in full 

Yup, NYC show. And it's a Saturday! DTF meet up for some beers before the show?

Hell yes

[cramx3]

Bought the new album, digitally. Giving my first listens today on my flight 

[Zydar]

I'm really enjoying the album. The lyrics are dripping with loss and grief. So emotional.

I listened to it earlier today while on my run, it got me quite pumped up.

[Kotowboy]

I love the new Dream Theater. The new Mastodon. The new Trivium. I just need a new really good Green Day album now.

Plus Therapy? have just started recording their 16th album with the producer of Troublegum and Semi Detached and CLEAVE so I have high hopes for that one too.



I can't remember the last time loads of my favourite bands all bought out new albums that were all this good.

[DoctorAction]

Nice. Great when that happens. 🙂

[Kotowboy]

But then it's like which one to listen to ?!

[wolfking]

Listening to The Beast and it made me think of Loch Vostok's Expiry Date On the Soul Of Man, which is a great tune if you've never heard it.

I'll check that out later.  I think you've showed me a song of theirs before.

Don't get the Beast comparison however, that's a fucking wonderful tune.

[billboy73]

Finally went and bought the vinyl (got a free Mastodon slipmat with it) and gave Hushed & Grim a deep-dive.  I just think it is a career defining record for them.  I love it, and if just feels like it will be one of those records that continues to grow on me, and I'll find new things that I love about it on each listen.  Also, had a friend, who is not a Mastodon fan, go to the record store with me.  I convinced him to buy Crack the Skye, and he's already thanked me immensely, as he didn't know what he was missing.

[Kotowboy]

Finally went and bought the vinyl (got a free Mastodon slipmat with it) and gave Hushed & Grim a deep-dive.  I just think it is a career defining record for them.  I love it, and if just feels like it will be one of those records that continues to grow on me, and I'll find new things that I love about it on each listen.  Also, had a friend, who is not a Mastodon fan, go to the record store with me.  I convinced him to buy Crack the Skye, and he's already thanked me immensely, as he didn't know what he was missing.

The CD packaging is quite underwhelming. How's the Vinyl packaging ? I would quite like the vinyl but not if its as thrown together as the CD.

Please post pics if poss x.

[Lonk]

OMRTS has The Motherload which might be my favourite Mastosong.

The music video for that song is one of the best things I saw in 2014 lol

[PixelDream]

Finally went and bought the vinyl (got a free Mastodon slipmat with it) and gave Hushed & Grim a deep-dive.  I just think it is a career defining record for them.  I love it, and if just feels like it will be one of those records that continues to grow on me, and I'll find new things that I love about it on each listen.  Also, had a friend, who is not a Mastodon fan, go to the record store with me.  I convinced him to buy Crack the Skye, and he's already thanked me immensely, as he didn't know what he was missing.

The CD packaging is quite underwhelming. How's the Vinyl packaging ? I would quite like the vinyl but not if its as thrown together as the CD.

Please post pics if poss x.

Don’t have time now but the clear white vinyl edition is really cool.

[DoctorAction]

OMRTS has The Motherload which might be my favourite Mastosong.

The music video for that song is one of the best things I saw in 2014 lol

You know it, man 

[Kotowboy]

That's why I Love the band so much.

Their music is super serious and they have had many tragedies in their lives - but they're still goofy AF and the videos are hilarious.

I can't remember which song it was off the top of my head now - but the video where The Grim Reaper has to kill the band and he

keeps killing lookalikes is a quality video.

I can't bear metal bands who are always like   in EVERY photoshoot and their videos are super serious and BROOTAL.

Like the videos for Slayer's final album which were childish beyond words.

Oh wow - it's some guy just running around stabbing people. I wish i was as cool as you Kerry. 

[Kotowboy]

" Chris O'Connell of Pitchfork wrote that the album "is an overstuffed collection of downtuned alt-rock with occasional flashes of greatness. Coming from a band that masterfully executed a sludge metal

concept album about Moby Dick, it’s an inoffensive, occasionally alluring, but overwhelmingly dull 90-minute slog." "


OVERWHELMINGLY dull ? ? Did we listen to the same album ? It's long, sure but not 'overwhelmingly' dull. I'd say it's incredibly engaging and consistent for its length.

How many double albums are there where the back half isn't mainly padding ?

I can think of Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness where tracks 23 - 28 are largely un-necessary.

[cramx3]

Well, I've given about 8 listens to this album and I can see why someone says it's dull... it is on some levels.  There's a ton of paddling on this album.  A bunch of songs just kind of melt into each other and it feels like I've heard it before as the albums draws near the end. 

I do think there's a lot of interesting guitar melodies throughout though.  I think the drums and overall sound is really good here too. I do like the album, but it definitely feels bloated and drags a bit. 

But, generally, the songs aren't sticking with me.  I think a lot of it comes down to me not really liking the main singer.  His voice doesn't really work for me in about half of the songs he sings in.  The other singer I am really liking though, makes me wish he was the main singer. 

I gave a listen to the Crack the Sky album on youtube this afternoon which on my initial listen, I enjoyed more.  I'll get a better feeling on the 20th when I see them.

[Kotowboy]

This album did take a few listens to click - but I get it now. I think it will end up as one of my faves.

[cramx3]

This album did take a few listens to click - but I get it now. I think it will end up as one of my faves.

Yeah, I immediately knew this was going to take a few listens after the first run through. It's a very dense album.

[Kotowboy]

But crucially - for a 90 minute album - it doesn't have the one song that just flat out sucks. Which is quite something.

It's like they just happened to write 90 mins worth of great songs. Which i think they said themselves.

They were gonna trim it down to 50 mins - but then they thought the remaining 7 songs were just too good to waste.

[cramx3]

But crucially - for a 90 minute album - it doesn't have the one song that just flat out sucks. Which is quite something.

It's like they just happened to write 90 mins worth of great songs. Which i think they said themselves.

They were gonna trim it down to 50 mins - but then they thought the remaining 7 songs were just too good to waste.

I'm only speaking as someone trying to get into them here, but starting with a 80+ minute album is not an easy way to get into a bad.  I don't blame them for their artistic vision, but for me, if they cut 30 minutes out of this, I think it would be much easier to digest and form opinions on.  And a lot of that comes back to me feeling like there's a bit too much of the slow paddling music.  There's a big part of me that didn't like it enough to want to invest more time, but I do want to keep coming back to this until the show on the 20th.  I'll form my final opinion afterwards as to whether or not I even like this band honestly. 

It may simply just be, they aren't for me.  That's OK. 

[RandalGraves]

But crucially - for a 90 minute album - it doesn't have the one song that just flat out sucks. Which is quite something.

It's like they just happened to write 90 mins worth of great songs. Which i think they said themselves.

They were gonna trim it down to 50 mins - but then they thought the remaining 7 songs were just too good to waste.

I'm only speaking as someone trying to get into them here, but starting with a 80+ minute album is not an easy way to get into a bad.  I don't blame them for their artistic vision, but for me, if they cut 30 minutes out of this, I think it would be much easier to digest and form opinions on.  And a lot of that comes back to me feeling like there's a bit too much of the slow paddling music.  There's a big part of me that didn't like it enough to want to invest more time, but I do want to keep coming back to this until the show on the 20th.  I'll form my final opinion afterwards as to whether or not I even like this band honestly. 

It may simply just be, they aren't for me.  That's OK.

Honestly, it is a dense album. I've given it a few spins and although I really like a handful of tracks, it has yet to click for me as a whole. And this is coming from someone who really digs Mastodon.

Then again, my introduction to the band was The Hunter, which from what I understand is not among their most loved albums, hahah, so maybe it's just me.

[Grappler]

That's how I felt about the new album, also as a new fan. 

Remission, Leviathan, Blood Mountain - those are really accessible records and easier for me to put on as background music.  Crack the Skye too, for more of a melodic/progressive element thrown in. 

[DoctorAction]

That's why I Love the band so much.

Their music is super serious and they have had many tragedies in their lives - but they're still goofy AF and the videos are hilarious.

I can't remember which song it was off the top of my head now - but the video where The Grim Reaper has to kill the band and he

keeps killing lookalikes is a quality video.

I can't bear metal bands who are always like   in EVERY photoshoot and their videos are super serious and BROOTAL.

Like the videos for Slayer's final album which were childish beyond words.

Oh wow - it's some guy just running around stabbing people. I wish i was as cool as you Kerry. 

Couldn't agree more. I've never seen the Slayer video you mention but late Slayer was such a pale parody of its prime self, it's hard to accept as reality. Just atrocious. Kerry's lyrics sound like an angry 12 year old. Pathetic.

I almost never watch metal videos as it makes me question my life choices. The ones by the polished European proggy or gothy metal bands are the worst / most hilarious. All wind machines, perfect leathery costumes, slo-mo gurning and head banging and oh-so-serious, even though the music is about as moving as a cold plate of beans. Throw in a theatrical female singer for extra eye rolls. 

[wolfking]

This album is anything but dull.  Every song has a place, substance and is a winner IMO.  Love it.