Music Review: Mastodon- Crack The Skye
Vitals:
Name: Mastodon
Album:
Year: 2009
Label: Reprise/Warner
Genre: Progressive Metal
The Skinny
Progressive genre experiment highlighting years and years of albums and bands. Influences from many places collide here. Fresh. Encapsulating. On par to become my album of the year for 2009. Mature. Organic. Exciting.
Highlights
“Oblivion” is a fantastic album opener. Definitely envelopes all the styles present throughout the album. Attention-grabbing chorus, soul packed guitar solo.
“Quintessence” has all sorts of yesterday’s Progressive elements (Yes, Rush, King Crimson). Then, it punches you in the face with an early Soundgarden sludge groove with Chris Cornell vocal melodies. Wow. Sick.
“The Czar” has some of the best guitar grooves on this entire album starting at 2:59. Spotted with John Petrucci-ish (Dream Theater) riffs and leads. This is my favorite song on the album by far. Musically perfect for this set of ears. Perfectly raw guitar solo near the end. Hypnotic vocals and groove…purely epic.
So much more, too much to type and not nearly as important as hearing it for yourself.
Opinion
It’s rare that one album changes my perception of a band’s entire catalog. Mastodon seems to have taken their abilities to a whole new level with Crack The Skye. It’s like they spontaneously summoned the spirits of all things Progressive Rock to haunt this album. I can close my eyes, hit play, and become lost in the music. This, my friends, is truly a masterpiece. Kudos Mastodon!
Recommend it? Absolutely!
Replay Value: Very High!
yeah, its definitely a fav of mine now getting heavy play in my iPhone. Good review.
Sounds good. Gonna check it out.
Metal Matt told me about this album when it came out so I went and bought it. It is awesome. I am a huge fan, I have since gone and bought some of there old catalog, I am also a huge fan of Blood Mountain, but this album is the best one by far. I love track 3, and of course the Czar especailly around the 4 minute mark.
I totally agree with your review. This is the album of the year and I feel a Grammy for best album but it won’t since it’s a metal album. Track 1 is the best with track 2 a close second. Having Scott Kelly on Crack The Skye was a great addition.
It’s such a great album. There is no filler at all and it flows so well. It will be hard to beat this album out for best metal album of the year.
It does need some cowbell though…