Album number six for Atlanta’s finest, released back in 2014. I’m a huge fan of Mastodon as there is no one else sounding the way they do. The concepts for each record that they create are on a different scale to all that’s gone before.
Although this album is more of a straight up (for them) rock record there are themes to be tackled, and the title track is (from what I can tell) about addiction and alcohol abuse and it’s a subject close to members of the band. I don’t want to dwell on that subject too much as I find the music very uplifting, and in High Road with the huge monster riffs and melody it is just joyous. How can Crimes At Midnight sound so evil and yet beautiful at the same time? A quite complicated riff leads into some huge riffing and the back and forth vocals between Troy and Brent works so well. Definitely my favourite tune. Aunt Lisa is another favourite as the groove and busy riff are so cool. That, mixed with Brent’s psychedelic vocal style is awesome.
This album wasn’t loved by the critics when it came out and some of the reviews were really bad. I just don’t get that at all. If you take this as a piece of music by a band that you’d never heard before you would be drooling as was I. Bands are free to move on in what ever direction they choose and if that doesn’t please you then fair enough, but to expect a band to stay and make the same record over and over again just to make you happy is not the basis to give a bad review.
Great record and highly recommended.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
