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Printer-Friendly ModeMastodon exhibits growth, maturity in Blood Mountain
September 18, 2006 —
Mastodon has been one of the most talked about bands in the vein of metal that is just a step away from mainstream, somewhere between Banana 101.5 and Khanate. Ever since the 2002 release of their full-length Remission, Mastodon has received plenty of attention on message boards, magazines, and even MTV2.
Two years after their critically acclaimed Leviathan, Mastodon has returned with another massive conceptual work, titled Blood Mountain, and once again the result is a sprawling, technical album that, while being far from perfect, will certainly grant them a foothold as one of the most well-liked bands in heavy metal.
In some ways, Blood Mountain is a return to form, yet in other ways it is wildly experimental by comparison to previous works by the band.
One thing that I missed when I heard Leviathan was the berserk, non-stop filling drumming showcased by Brann Dailor on Remission. He toned it down a great deal for Leviathan and it took away from the manic and overwhelming feel that was so appealing on Remission.
Fortunately, he brings back some of that maddening style on Blood Mountain, along with a plethora of Neil Peart-styled prog beats that sound absurdly difficult to execute.
The rest of the band has stepped it up a notch technically as well. There is a greater variety to the guitar playing than on any of their other releases, and it really helps the songs stand out from one another. What will appeal to some and disappoint others is how melodic a lot of the guitar-work is on this album. While there are still plenty of extremely heavy riffs, there is a great deal more melodic content.
The drumming isn't the only aspect of the music that sounds more proggy this time around; the band as a whole has moved much closer to a progressive metal style with Blood Mountain. A few passages, such as the intro to "This Mortal Soil," even sound like they could fit in on a Dream Theater album.
With this greater experimentation comes what has always seemed to be the most ever-changing aspect of Mastodons music: the vocals.
Featuring vocals from two members, as well as a few guest vocals from Scott Kelly of Neurosis, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and Cedric Bixler-Zavala from The Mars Volta (!), there is a huge assortment of vocal styles featured. Sometimes it works, like the vocals near the end of "Circle of Cysquatch" that sound almost like they are channeled through a didgeridoo.
At other times, they don't work, such as the awkward spoken-word which ruins the conclusion of "Sleeping Giant," which would otherwise be in contention for the best song on the album. When all is said and done, this variable vocal approach detracts from the unity of the album, and its overall quality.
Mastodon, despite their numerous releases, is still a band in the early stages of its career. Formed only seven years ago, there are many places yet to go from here. Time will tell if their best days are behind them, or if Blood Mountain is not so much a mountain, but a stepping stone to greatness.