Mastodon C/D ?

OK, so now I've heard three songs from the new album and I still haven't been convinced to pre-order it. This is a bad sign. I guess I kinda wanted them to still be capable of surprising me, and none of these songs do that. I liked the last album, but... I might be over these guys.

Mastodon have a new 4 song ep out and I'm loving it. It's a little cleaner and less brutal than their last album, basically just straight up modern rock. I really like this change of pace.

Also getting a bit of a Pink Floyd vibe in places.

Apparently three of the tracks are left over from the Once More 'Round the Sun sessions, and the other is from the Emperor of Sand sessions, so it's no surprise it's more mainstream. I've only listened to it once but I liked it.

At first listen "Cold Dark Place" seemed very Southern rock, not a stretch geographically but still something of a surprise ... sounded good to me.

My understanding is that Brent Hinds was really driving this one, and he's definitely their southern rock guy

"Blue Walsh" is great

Mastodon was teasing a new song and it was just released today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiXTJvnWA_4

Not for a new album, but a "collection of rare tracks" called Medium Rarities that will be out 9/11.

http://linkstorage.linkfire.com/medialinks/images/872f0207-db7f-495f-9c50-1f5f7b4c6f1d/artwork-440x440.jpg

Track listing:

Fallen Torches (Previously Unreleased)
A Commotion (Feist Cover)
Asleep in the Deep (Instrumental version)
Capillarian Crest (Live)
A Spoonful Weighs A Ton (The Flaming Lips Cover)
Toe To Toes (Instrumental version)
Circle of Cysquatch (Live)
Atlanta (Butthole Surfers Cover)
Jaguar God (Instrumental)
Cut You Up With A Linoleum Life (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
Blood & Thunder (Live)
White Walker (from Game of Thrones mix tape)
Halloween (Instrumental version)
Crystal Skull (Live)
Orion (Metallica Cover)
Iron Tusk (Live)

I'll check it out, but a little disappointed it isn't all new stuff

I think they are working on new material as well?

Medium Rarities

that got an actual groan from me - well done!

It's alright, I'm really glad to finally have "Cut You Up with a Linoleum Knife" and some of those live tracks are pretty killer, but all of the instrumental versions get annoying and that "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" cover is pretty awful.

Medium Rarities

that got an actual groan from me - well done!

steak in the conference room?

pretty good new song from the weirdly stacked soundtrack to a new DC comics cartoon thing

https://www.stereogum.com/2147433/mastodon-forged-by-neron/music/

"Blue Walsh" is great

― calstars

Been revisiting Cold Dark Place (ironically some of their warmest songs) recently and I concur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haT5ars6RXc

posting the new song in here, plus this interview that makes me really excited about the album https://www.kerrang.com/features/how-collective-grief-shaped-mastodons-most-grandiose-gut-wrenching-album-ever/

i also just put on remission and i'm headbanging

Pre-ordered the new album, along with this absurd T-shirt:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0797/5345/products/MST10017_1200x1200.png

That looks dope

Another new song/video: "Teardrinker". I'm into it. Reminds me of something from Once More 'Round the Sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx1L2XW1N0c

Really dig the new one, love when the synth kicks in during the back half. Really excited to hear the whole thing now.

fantastic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F76JslnhBo

dopest one yet

I like that they are finding some different directions to take the guitars. Last album or two had a bit too much of just make everything sound huge all the time. I think they actually benefit from not doubling up everything to oblivion.

Yeah that's proper good. I often enjoy their less obviously heavy material - that EP a few years back for example.

record's their best since crack the skye imo

Crazy, I gave up on Mastodon years ago. Everything they'd done after Crack the Skye was forgettable, so I'll (cautiously) check the new one out.

Looking forward to checking it out tomorrow. I like their latter-day albums (Emperor of Sand in particular) so my hopes are high.

The Hunter is the only one I didn't really vibe with

record's their best since crack the skye imo

seconded

I've liked the singles well enough, but Brad and and stevie's praise has me stoked. Like Moodles, The Hunter is the only one I don't love, Emperor of Sand and that EP were both great.

enjoyed this while i was working today, but it seemed to go on for a heck of a long time

it is pretty long and almost every song is five minutes

still within that there is a ton of variety

every time i threatened to get tired of it some new flourish would pull me further along, cf. the power ballads "skeleton of splendor" and "had it all"

Haven't made it all the way to the end yet, but I like the Van Halen-isms on "Peace and Tranquillity."

"more than i could chew" is so awesome

been revisiting mastodon 2.0 in light of the new record. i forgot how much i loved "stargasm" and "octopus has no friends"

I really like the new album

as an extremely casual mastodon fan - this felt like a masterpiece, after one listen today.

i feel like i didn't sit with emperor of sand long enough when it came out... what an accomplished record, especially the second half. also "show yourself" is about as awesome as a capital-S Single from this band could sound, i love all the riffs in the bridge

once more 'round the sun was also even more awesome than i remembered it being, and made me think i should be more careful about claiming the new one as the best since crack the skye. kinda wish i had another extremely psychedelic and hilarious mastodon record

I still think the new one is the best since CTS, but I did also love Emperor of Sand. I need to revisit Sun again soon, but I can't stop going through the new one.

Hearing Crack the Skye comparisons validates my thoughts lol. Sad I didn't see them at Coachella that year, or live at all until 2018.

I was definitely more a Lamb of God fan in the past - didn't quite get the Leviathan hype, though I bought Blood Mountain on CD with all the hype surrounding it.

I've only seen them live twice, the last time was when they toured with Opeth, but they were incredible both times. I really need to try to catch them again.

also if anyone like me slept on the cold dark place ep... stop sleeping

hard to believe any of those songs didn't make their respective albums

it's going to take a while for me to gather my thoughts on this one but first impression is very positive. This may be their best sounding album, the mix is very clear as opposed to the murk of Emperor of Sand. They seem to be really going for it performance-wise, with a welcome return to higher tempos and wild riffing, as opposed to the kind of lumbering mid-tempo stuff they often get bogged down in.

wow, Pitchfork really hated this, huh? wtf?

ok, after listening to pretty much every mastodon album, the new one sounds even… more impressive? every part of “pain with an anchor” deeply rocks. feeling like “masterpiece” is otm

My current ranking: Leviathan > Crack the Skye > Emperor of Sand > Hushed & Grim > Once More 'Round the Sun > Blood Mountain > The Hunter > Remission