All right, well, here's we go with another hard rock edition of ELAH. This time around we've got Mastodon. This Atlanta, Georgia band formed in 2000, and this album is their fifth and possibly most successful. The debut hit No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.
We're apparently in for a "mix of clean vocals and harsh screams." They're pretty proud of this album, saying not only that it's been the most fun to make, but that they can't see any other bands going one better. It's also their most collaborative album to date, and even someone stripped-down and less riff-oriented. Some other notes of difference from previous work: second non-concept album; first not related with a classical element; first new artist on the cover art. The metal reviewers call this one of the absolute best of 2011, so here's to hoping!
Here's the Spotify link.
And here's the trailer the band posted for the album!
We're apparently in for a "mix of clean vocals and harsh screams." They're pretty proud of this album, saying not only that it's been the most fun to make, but that they can't see any other bands going one better. It's also their most collaborative album to date, and even someone stripped-down and less riff-oriented. Some other notes of difference from previous work: second non-concept album; first not related with a classical element; first new artist on the cover art. The metal reviewers call this one of the absolute best of 2011, so here's to hoping!
Here's the Spotify link.
And here's the trailer the band posted for the album!
"Black Tongue" revs things right up with some heavy drums and guitar work. Okay, it's not awful. I mean, I don't think I would listen to this without prompting by, oh, say, a Grammy nomination. It could be a lot worse than it is. It's got that Van Halen sound that I don't necessarily love (okay, I sort of hated the sound of their latest album) but somehow it's more polished. Didn't think that was going to happen actually.
It blurs right into "Curl of the Burl," which was abruptly interrupted by my internet connectivity failing for a moment. This is so not the right music to have that happen during. Ah, and we're back again. Luckily, this one's got a lot of "oohs" in it, that make it far less alarming when the music kicks back in. It's kind of strange to hear harmonies sort of going on, or at least some weird layering. While I have more respect because it's happening, I can't help feeling it would sound better with one clear voice.
"Blasteroid" passed right by me in its 2:36 of 'explicit' material, and I couldn't really tell you what happened other than lots of screaming. Sometimes songs like this happen. My apologies. But moving on to an intriguing opening for "Stargasm," which loses its flavor once a semi-galactic sound takes over between verses of non-understandable words are sort of sung at us. Galactic isn't the right word. Think intergalactic horror story, with a really beautiful sounding bridge about 3/4 of the way in. Ah, redeeming qualities.
It's off how so much of this is winding up decent background music. I think the steadiness of the instrumentals makes for some pretty decent headphone/drown out the world while I type music. "Octopus Has No Friends" is lighter than the rest of the songs, and actually has some great riff throughout, provided by the guitar and, what sounds like, a heck of a drummer who has great control over an intense set. "All The Heavy Lifting" has sort of funny lyrics - almost like a Savage Garden love song. Honestly it's sort of odd given the sound of the rest of the song, but still, acceptable. Bah, cut the extra voices though. Sometimes too much really is too much. I mean, it's enough to hear "just close your eyes, and pretend that everything's fine" is enough to hear - you don't need it with that much reverb, drums, or distorted guitar.
Oh, but the title track shifts the effects onto the instruments instead, in the very dark title track of "The Hunter." It's an odd twist on some old messages given by the greats on love. Well, at least the parts that I can understand. It's kind of hard throughout most of the song, as the vocals drag out and take on this dark tone that hurts comprehension. "Dry Bone Valley" leads in with this actual pretty guitar tone, and then kicks up full gear with the rest of the band. We're in for more of the time over-used vocals and something that has no unique or thrilling sound whatsoever. I'm not asking for an album with something different in every track, but variety here and there wouldn't kill. Out of the first half of the album, all but one song sounded remarkable similar.
It's off how so much of this is winding up decent background music. I think the steadiness of the instrumentals makes for some pretty decent headphone/drown out the world while I type music. "Octopus Has No Friends" is lighter than the rest of the songs, and actually has some great riff throughout, provided by the guitar and, what sounds like, a heck of a drummer who has great control over an intense set. "All The Heavy Lifting" has sort of funny lyrics - almost like a Savage Garden love song. Honestly it's sort of odd given the sound of the rest of the song, but still, acceptable. Bah, cut the extra voices though. Sometimes too much really is too much. I mean, it's enough to hear "just close your eyes, and pretend that everything's fine" is enough to hear - you don't need it with that much reverb, drums, or distorted guitar.
Oh, but the title track shifts the effects onto the instruments instead, in the very dark title track of "The Hunter." It's an odd twist on some old messages given by the greats on love. Well, at least the parts that I can understand. It's kind of hard throughout most of the song, as the vocals drag out and take on this dark tone that hurts comprehension. "Dry Bone Valley" leads in with this actual pretty guitar tone, and then kicks up full gear with the rest of the band. We're in for more of the time over-used vocals and something that has no unique or thrilling sound whatsoever. I'm not asking for an album with something different in every track, but variety here and there wouldn't kill. Out of the first half of the album, all but one song sounded remarkable similar.
Oh wait, have my prayers been answered? "Thickening" has a different beat and tone entirely! Okay, maybe not a totally different tone, but the guitar is waling something of a different nature, and it's a welcome breath into the second half of the album. Think pain of GNR with hardness of Metallica. Maybe that's right.
Damnit. "Creature Lives" brings on those weird amp up and down sounds that have no place in anything other than a DJ's set. And even then, it's questionable how okay the sound is. A minute of it, including some maniacal laughing is downright unpleasant, even when some gorgeous guitar starts simply playing afterwords. I'm already lost on the whole song, no matter how much I want to assimilate it with 'Rocky Horror.'
And we're back to the hyper-active metal sound with "Spectrelight." I'll be honest, about half of these titles make absolutely no sense to me at all. I'm missing something amongst the lyrics, I'm sure. I mean, I already know I'm lost and outside of my element to begin with. Oh wait! There's the title in the lyrics! Annddd we're done.
"Bedazzled Fingernails" has got me totally thrown. I mean, look at the damn title of the song! WHAT?? I'm just lost here. At least give me a title again. Or some sort of sparkly sound amongst the rest of it. Even ignoring the title isn't working here. The opposite can be said for "The Sparrow." Everything works here for a sag songbirds tune. Sure, the lyrics are fuzzy, but the tone is right for what I can only imagine it's meant to be. There's still that edge of metal to it - they certainly haven't lost that. But the mood has shifted, and it fits, and that's a welcome change, even at the end.
Added to My Playlist:
Damnit. "Creature Lives" brings on those weird amp up and down sounds that have no place in anything other than a DJ's set. And even then, it's questionable how okay the sound is. A minute of it, including some maniacal laughing is downright unpleasant, even when some gorgeous guitar starts simply playing afterwords. I'm already lost on the whole song, no matter how much I want to assimilate it with 'Rocky Horror.'
And we're back to the hyper-active metal sound with "Spectrelight." I'll be honest, about half of these titles make absolutely no sense to me at all. I'm missing something amongst the lyrics, I'm sure. I mean, I already know I'm lost and outside of my element to begin with. Oh wait! There's the title in the lyrics! Annddd we're done.
"Bedazzled Fingernails" has got me totally thrown. I mean, look at the damn title of the song! WHAT?? I'm just lost here. At least give me a title again. Or some sort of sparkly sound amongst the rest of it. Even ignoring the title isn't working here. The opposite can be said for "The Sparrow." Everything works here for a sag songbirds tune. Sure, the lyrics are fuzzy, but the tone is right for what I can only imagine it's meant to be. There's still that edge of metal to it - they certainly haven't lost that. But the mood has shifted, and it fits, and that's a welcome change, even at the end.
Added to My Playlist:
- "Octopus Has No Friends"
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