Mastodon - Crack the Skye

TheLastBaron

Possibly their best work to date, what ya'll think of it?

Doctor J

I'm undecided. I don't like the sound for a start, guitars are too mushy, there's often too much going on that gets in the way of other bits... It hasn't bowled me over the same way Leviathan did when it came out.

TheLastBaron

I'm not quite sure what ya mean, to be honest. Mushy guitars?

Doctor J

The tone of the guitars is indistinct, it's not a clear sound, when they're playing on top of each other the sound of one gets lost in the sound of another.

smackbunnybaby

i am not sure on it either yet. It's all very proggy in parts, sometimes I think i listening to dream theater.
Jury still out....

slave_screams

Liking/Disliking the new record comes down to pretty much whether you like the more melodic or the heavy side of their previous work. Me personally, I think its their best work to date and I'm a long time fan. I find this album compares favourably with what Opeth did on the last record, which was considerably more melodic than previous efforts (Damnation obviously excluded) I have heard the Dream Theater comparison a number of times now and to me its just being lazy. Any so-called prog rock band that has songs over 8 mins is automatically linked to DT. I think there is more of a groove to this record, than say Blood Mountain or Leviathan. They set out to make a 'classic' sounding ROCK record and despite some of the vocals sounding a tad close to Ozzy at times I think musically at least, they accomplished this.

smackbunnybaby

slave_screams wrote: »

I have heard the Dream Theater comparison a number of times now and to me its just being lazy. Any so-called prog rock band that has songs over 8 mins is automatically linked to DT.

How is it lazy - cus the comparison was so easy to make?

I listen to both bands a lot and know the difference between both. The fact that I forgot I was listening to Mastodon and thought to myself "I don't remember putting on Dream Theater" is the reason I made the comparsion.

The fact that others have alluded to this also would seem to indicate we are right in our comparisons.

seachto7

I disagree with the comparison. Dream Theater are shoite

slave_screams

Hey Smackbunnybaby - Glad to hear we both have a fondness for DT - The reason why I said the comparison was a lazy one wasnt meant to be a critique of your opinion - I read a lot of reviews on albums from a variety of sites, pitchfork, blabbermouth, metalsucks, rolling stone, etc to get a different viewpoint on what people hear/feel when they listen to a record - When I read that the new Mastodon record reminds the listener/reviewer of DT, I always ask, where? in what parts? The vocals are obviously not alike, the guitars sound completely different to me, considering Bill and Brent play a radically different style to Petrucci - Mastodon have included keyboards on the new record but it merely for atmosphere in a couple of songs, while they are far more prominent in DT records. Both bands make 'concept' records, so I get that particular comparison, but musically, to these ears at least I don't 'hear' DT in Mastodon - What parts on the new record remind you of DT?

fortuneg

The only bit on the whole album (in my opinion) that sound even remotely DT like is that intentionally weirded out 'proggy' guitar line 6:00 mins into The Last Baron.
But seeing as that constitutes ~0:20 seconds of a 50+ minute album I think it's extremely lazy/ignorant journalism to draw the DT conclusion.

Doctor J

The proggy bit in The Last Baron owes more to YYZ by Rush... a lot more, in fact

TheLastBaron

Yeah, and King Crimson's definitely in there, too.

smackbunnybaby

slave_screams wrote: »

Hey Smackbunnybaby - Glad to hear we both have a fondness for DT - The reason why I said the comparison was a lazy one wasnt meant to be a critique of your opinion - I read a lot of reviews on albums from a variety of sites, pitchfork, blabbermouth, metalsucks, rolling stone, etc to get a different viewpoint on what people hear/feel when they listen to a record - When I read that the new Mastodon record reminds the listener/reviewer of DT, I always ask, where? in what parts? The vocals are obviously not alike, the guitars sound completely different to me, considering Bill and Brent play a radically different style to Petrucci - Mastodon have included keyboards on the new record but it merely for atmosphere in a couple of songs, while they are far more prominent in DT records. Both bands make 'concept' records, so I get that particular comparison, but musically, to these ears at least I don't 'hear' DT in Mastodon - What parts on the new record remind you of DT?

Hey slave screams. I suppose I should have been more accurate when I said DT. I think this is like Train of Thought era DT, they sound very alike, the reason being as you alluded to above "a classic rock" sounding record. DT set out to make a classic rock record with ToT as did Mastodon here.
This is why I think they sound similar - so maybe not in the actual DT mould but definitely in the ToT DT as both bands were setting out for the same goal.
Therefore it would be fairer to say that it is a classic rock sound.
I am only up to song 5, but i would say:

song 1 - INTRO sounds like DT AND solo is very Petrucci with lots of held notes and then runs before extapulation on the theme further.
the guitar pieces before the breakdown at 430.

song 2 - didnt notice anything

song 3 - 15 seconds in a riff which re-occors throughout the song

song 4 - 1.07 as the song actually takes off.a very john myung bassline. 3.48 crunchy DT TOT riff.4.30 again riff and vocal. 5.03 again with harmonics, Petrucci esq.
this song is littered with DT style breakdowns like at 10:15 again.

song 5 - another DT style opening.

that is far as I have gotten so far!
Thanks for the challenge though, I haven't done that with an album in a while and I now see it as being a very very good album.

CrazyTalk

Giving it a listen on www.deezer.com right now, I'm really like the more melodic elements so far, it's different.

brianthebard

I wasn't sure what I thought for a few days but I get more and more into it as I listen. The first two songs are pretty 'classic' Mastodon, in that they are quite heavy going, which is good. But I'm liking the new sounds and ideas on the record. Someone I was talking to about it made a Black sabbath comparision and I think I can hear that a little too. I've only read one interview/piece on the album in MH and it seems that Brent is taking a more commanding position in the band (which is good since he's the main creative force) and taking it away from the harder edge of Leviathan and Remission. I love those albums, but more than that I love and appreciate the creative energy that Brent puts into the albums, therefore I'm willing to go along with what he's trying to achieve. I'm not sure there will be albums that sound anything like Remission in the future, but that in a way shouldn't be surprising considering the growth this band achieves from album to album.

Otis Driftwood

TheLastBaron wrote: »

Possibly their best work to date, what ya'll think of it?

Nope.Its their 4th best album.
Self indulgent (the last baron and the czar) lazy (2 instrumentals of 2 of the album tracks on a 9 track album )and utterly disappointing(by their own high standards)
By no means a bad album but compared to their back catalogue very very meh IMO.

Fad

nedtheshed wrote: »

Nope.Its their 4th best album.
Self indulgent (the last baron and the czar) lazy (2 instrumentals of 2 of the album tracks on a 9 track album )and utterly disappointing(by their own high standards)
By no means a bad album but compared to their back catalogue very very meh IMO.

Lazy? I presume you downloaded the one that leaked a bit before it came out.


Its a 7 track album, someone leaked it with 2 of the instrumentals tagged on.

Patricide

Gotta say most pleased with this album, id still put it behind leviathon but im really digging the newer more melodic sound. I miss the heavyness but the added proggy ness certainly makes up for it.

slave_screams

And Smackbunnybaby, you have done the same for me, I have listened to the album again tonight, with headphones and I have to say your comparisons with TOT era DT are spot on - As opposed to a similar song 'sound' interlinked between both bands, the DYNAMIC between them has become more apparent to me - Brent has said it numerous interviews how much DT inspires him, but I have normally dismissed this as there are so many bands that list DT as an influence - I've gotten so used to bands like Between the buried and me, Opeth, Meshuggah through to Porcupine Tree, Pain of Salvation etc citing DT as an inspiration that I've neglected to actually hear where it permeates into their music - Im actually listening to Metropolis Pt 2 as we speak! I see King Crimson have been mentioned by The Last Baron, you will need to elaborate on where you hear KC in Mastodon, cause I dont hear it!

TheLastBaron

The YYZ bit in The Last Baron leads onto a bit not unlike 21st Century Schizoid Man.

Vanhalla

not for me. didnt like it at all. reminds me of opeths stuff. not metal enough

GhostInTheRuins

I'm liking it so far. I've only listened to it all the way through once so far so I'll need a couple more listens to take it all in. I've got to agree with whoever mentioned the black sabbath sound, a couple of tracks have that crunchy symptom of the universe feel to them.

Czar is the most stand out track for me so far.

Elle Victorine

I have to say I loved this album. Probably their best yet actually and can't wait to see them again

John

I haven't given it much time but after a couple of spins I feel it's a bit forgettable. Doesn't really sound like Mastodon to me (although I don't have the previous album so I don't know if they've moving towards this style) and it just feels flaccid.

ShotgunblueZ

....principally listened to The Czar & The Last Baron (was nearly gonna type The Red Baron) as they are pure indulgent escape to space tracks...and great to listen to when your out jogging...

But I appreciate the other tracks more now...It is a departure from the core cloudy sound of yore but enjoyable nonetheless...