5 keepers
keeper avg .454
Though not the towering genius that was Crack The Skye Mastodon's sixth album shows no sign of diminishing returns, as the opening drone-riff of "Tread Lightly"**** is evocative of the upcoming trip into the cosmic maelstrom. But Mastodon is placing an ever-greater emphasis on totally singable choruses, such as Brann Dailor's powerful work in "High Road"****, "The Motherload", "Ember City", and hearing Troy Sanders howling "See the red, watch it flowing" in harmony in "Feast Your Eyes"**** is strangely affecting. In "Aunt Lisa"***** Brann Dailor's vocal soars over his frantic drum fills and Hinds' and Kelliher's walloping triple-punch riffs; it's the album's strongest work until the "hey ho let's fucking go" coda which reminds me more of Kid Rock than any serious metal band. Of course these guys rock because it IS their job; "Chimes At Midnight"**** is 5-minutes of chugging, chromatic madness, and elsewhere, of course no intensity has been sacrificed. There are a few of the cool squirrel-y riffs that I loved in their earlier work, such as "Feast Your Eyes" and "Halloween;" and "Asleep In The Deep" aims for the melodicism of Skye with prominent guitar arpeggio and melody lines throughout, while album-closing "Diamond In The Witch House" suggest that album's most progressive ambitions. But Mastodon's embrace of melody is their greatest strength in this post-Skye phase, and they've employed it skillfully to produce an intense but consistent album.
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