New teaser from Mastodon

Loobs

That new song is pish. Sounds like Fall Out Boy.

Danchi

Bidley said:

I should listen to more Mastodon. I haven't listened to them since Blood Mountain came out.

Don't worry, they never improved on it. I thought Crack the Skye was absolute gash imho.

TTBZ

So my copy of Emperor of Sand arrived yesterday. So far I'm a bit underwhelmed. Has a few good tracks but overall so far I think it might be up there with The Hunter in terms of filler. Might just be a grower. A lot of the songs and even solos sound like rehashed old ones and not many of them are grabbing me yet. Andromeda and Scorpion Breath are probably my favourites so far.

Don't think they'll ever top Blood Mountain or Crack The Skye but they're pretty big albums to live up to I guess!

Show Yourself needs a bigger intro imo, it sounds too weak after the heavy opener. That song has grown on me a bit, I just don't like how it starts.

Deijavoo

Personally, I've always been hit and miss with Mastodon but I'm loving this new record.

Also, whoever said about Whores before - absolutely correct. Great, great band.

Philly_Q

I listened to most of it on Spotify a couple of days ago.  Personally I like the increasingly melodic direction they've taken over the years - I know many people don't - but after the first few tracks it did seem a bit "samey".  Too soon to judge though, maybe it's a grower.

TTBZ

Gave it another listen on the way to work today and it's grown on me a bit. Scorpion Breath is still the best track imo but I'm really liking some of the others now. I take back what I said about filler, maybe it is better than The Hunter! 

@Deijavoo was probably me who suggested Whores, I love them! So gutted I haven't been able to go to any of their UK gigs this week.

Deijavoo

Yeah I wanted to catch them at Leeds on Saturday but couldn't make it unfortunately.

RobDavies

I really like the idea of Mastodon.   Sadly, everytime I hear them, I am disappointed.

TTBZ

Haha I was like that to start with, took ages for me to get into them properly. Turns out I just didn't like Leviathan - Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye got me hooked. 

I'm getting much more into this album after a few listens. Love Brent's lead style, seems to be a lot more solos in this album than usual.

Philly_Q

I find with Mastodon there are always little "bits" of songs I like, rather than the whole thing.  I'll be listening and thinking I don't like this vocal, or this tune's a bit boring.... then there'll be some fucking amazing little riff or solo that comes out of nowhere and I think "Oh, it's this one!". 

They're a bit like Led Zeppelin - or more recently, Baroness - in that respect, the good bits are worth the wait. 

Octahedron

Philly_Q said:

I find with Mastodon there are always little "bits" of songs I like, rather than the whole thing.  I'll be listening and thinking I don't like this vocal, or this tune's a bit boring.... then there'll be some fucking amazing little riff or solo that comes out of nowhere and I think "Oh, it's this one!". 

They're a bit like Led Zeppelin - or more recently, Baroness - in that respect, the good bits are worth the wait. 

Used to be the same for me, until I saw them live at a festival.  

And the new album has definitely grown on me. So that's a win for them. When you listen to Show Yourself in the context of the album, it feels right, but it probably wasn't a good song to release early to get people interested in the album y'know? 

TTBZ

Yeah Show Yourself has grown on me as well. Though it is quite poppy sounding in parts, even my gf likes it and she usually doesnt like anything i have on in the car! Think I was too quick to judge the album though, songs like Roots Remain and Word To The Wise are really good. The only one I'm not into yet is Clandestiny.

PolarityMan

I quite like it. Only given it a few spins so far but definitely an improvement over once more round the sun although still doesnt touch the genius of crack the skye or the hunter. I like show yourself though makes total sense to me in the context of the album and previous work like curl of the burl. 

MagicPigDetective

I've listened to it all a few times in the car, it's a grower and gets better with each listen as each song becomes distinct. Jaguar God is Epic.

 

BloodEagle

Im into it, been a fan since I saw them on their 1st UK tour. I didnt like Once More.. at all, it was a horrible radio-rock record, and I wasnt that struck by The Hunter, but this is great, very much like Crack the Skye/Blood Mountain era

Dopesick

FINALLY given this a go as I've been putting it off for ages thanks to other new releases which took priority - but damn if this isn't their best album since Crack The Skye. The second half of the record from 'Root Remain' onward is pretty fantastic. 'Jaguar God' has to be the best track they've written in years.

Brent Hinds still cannot sing though. Leave it to Troy and Brann mate!

MagicPigDetective

Mastodon area really spoiling us this year. The new ep Cold Dark Place is thoroughly excellent; it started off as Brett Hinds solo album, he even plays some lap steel guitar on it. 

nick79

I've only just recently got into Mastodon, wish i had sooner. Awesome stuff, Toe to Toe is a masterpiece. 

Octahedron

I just downloaded the Cold Dark Place EP - will stick that on in the car on the drive home for sure.