Working our way through the month we’ve already seen fourteen exemplary acts not many bands in this list however hold a candle to the Atlanta quartet. Releasing a new album this year it was almost certain to be an album of the year contender so fierce is their reputation. Making the album itself is a work of art but what is truly to be admired is the evolution this band has gone through.
Mastodon – Once More ‘Round The Sun
Once More ‘Round The Sun marks the bands true transformation in the mainstream. This is no bad thing, believe you me. Harnessing their progressive roots and coupling that with slick song writing the band created an eleven track album that could easily rival some of their best work. With a discography as beautifully crafted as theirs, Mastodon have only themselves as competition. Over the course of the album were treated to a similar blueprint of accessible songs that seem to deviate mid way through.
First explored in their previous, slightly underwhelming release The Hunter the band began to explore shorter songs with more of a compact effort. Prior to this however the band had gone full prog, with the lengthy lumbering Crack The Skye and the progressive seed Blood Mountain not forgetting of course their ace in the hole the Moby Dick inspired Leviathan. On Once More ‘Round The Sun however they seem to have figured out what it is that makes them tick. With all of the songs following the same format, they remain all the while some of the most out there music the band has created whilst being totally accessible.
New single “The Motherload” showcases the hydra like singing of three Mastodon’s. The herculean Troy Sanders, melodious Brann Dailor and the screeching Brent Hinds and their absolutely monstrous hooks, doubt not lovers of heavy though as “High Road” brings the colossal weight of their riffs and then some along with the atmospheric closer “Diamond In The Witch House”mirroring the earth parting to finally swallow humanity whole. Although gold star goes to “Chimes At Midnight”, which quite possibly neatly wraps up everything the album encompasses in one song. Being catchy and easy to follow, then out of nowhere segueing into psychedelic madness of Mastodon’s new sound with some old haunts before returning masterfully to its origin.
Once More ‘Round The Sun is Mastodon dipping its foot into the mainstream without losing its integrity. Crafting an album that is as progressive as it is straight forward and if this is just a simple experimentation it seems as though Mastodon have found their formula to enter the stratosphere and become one of the biggest bands in the world.
