Sometimes albums come along which stir you. Once in a while they make you sit up and take notice. Very rarely, they even take your breath away.
On Monday Mastodon released their new album, CRACK THE SKYE. It feels like the most important heavy rock release for twenty years.
The fourth in a series of albums that have explored the four elements after 2002's REMISSION (Fire), 2004's LEVIATHAN (Water-an album that takes MOBY-DICK as its inspiration) and 2006's BLOOD MOUNTAIN (Earth), Mastodon go heavenwards with as bold and beautiful an album as you could wish to hear.
The band's success has been creating an ambitious modern metal album which fully embraces the warm-blooded aspiration of the classic rock era: from the Melvins to Frank Zappa, Neurosis to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Lightning Bolt to Pink Floyd. It feels so vivid and powerful because they have invested real emotion, not just crazy, conceptual inventiveness (ranging from astral projection to the mad Russian monk, Rasputin) into the recording. Skye (named after the Scottish island) was the name of drummer Brann Dailor's sister, who killed herself aged fourteen; the loss and bereavement is palpable throughout the record's reflective, expansive passages.
Guitarist Brent Hinds was left in a coma after an assault at the VMAs two years ago. He spent 8 months with intense vertigo, wavering between despair and euphoria. It breathes through his playing, his remarkably improved singing and his incredible soloing. I could go on and on about why this album is so earth-shatteringly good, but I'll urge you instead to immerse yourself in their world.
If I had to nominate a band that encapsulates a genre of music I'd nominate Mastodon to represent Metal. In fact, Rock in general. Listening to this album I am reminded why it is such a fecund and vital art form. Listen and weep.
