Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Rating
RIYL
BaronessRush
Kylesa
Release Date
03/24/2009
Label
Reprise/Warner Bros.Tracklist
1. Oblivion2. Divinations
3. Quintessence
4. The Czar: (I) Usurper
(II) Escape
(III) Martyr
(IV) Spiral
5. Ghost Of Karelia
6. Crack The Skye
7. The Last Baron
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It has been twenty years since Metallica released …And Justice For All, their fourth and final album released in the 80s (also known as the only decade in which a Metallica album meant anything). Needless to say, these past twenty years have seen Metallica maintain their role as the face of metal. Plenty of bands have tried to take the throne, but none have succeeded. Until now.
Atlanta quartet Mastodon have made quite a name for themselves since 2002’s progressive sludge opus Remission. Since then, they’ve released two critically acclaimed albums that would lead to a major label contract. Quite simply, the band has followed a path similar to that of Metallica, and with their newest and most ambitious effort, Crack the Skye, they look to fully take Metallica’s place as the new face of metal.
How do they plan to do that? By guitarist Brent Hinds writing the music for an entire new album after suffering a head injury, with Brann Dailor’s lyrics featuring an elaborate story involving outer space and Rasputin, while also being about his sister, Skye, who took her own life when he was younger. In short, the music is quieter (relatively speaking of course) and the lyrics are personal, meaning a fan of pre-Blood Mountain Mastodon may initially be turned off before diving into Crack the Skye.
Ironically, the first riff on the entire album promises heaviness worthy of the Mastodon name, but that soon dissolves into a track that while strong, doesn’t live up to the introduction. “Divinations” is the first track in which Mastodon has fully utilized Brent Hinds’ banjo playing background. After the twangy introduction, we are treated to a song that is far from the cliché "single that is the worst song on the album". Next, the album hits its lowest point with “Quintessence”, whose odd chorus seems unnatural for Brent Hinds and bassist Troy Sanders. Fortunately, the next track is the second-longest song, “The Czar”. Divided into four parts, it is the first of two epics on the album that fully showcase the band’s abilities, both musically and lyrically.
Much like the first half, the second half of the album starts out with a strong track that is hindered by one section. In this case, “Ghost of Karelia” utilizes an introduction that is strangely similar to Blood Mountain’s “Sleeping Giant” – complete with the delay effect. Fortunately, the rest of the song doesn’t lean on the melody too much and actually ends up being a strong number. Next up is the title track, a song that features the only “harsh” vocals on the album. However, these vocals aren’t done by anyone from Mastodon. Instead, they are done by Neurosis frontman Scott Kelly. His vocal performance perfectly complements a track that, while repetitive, is heavy enough to recall Mastodon’s first full-length. The album climaxes with the thirteen-minute epic “The Last Baron” which is arguably the best song Mastodon has ever written. Complete with “Hearts Alive”-esque layering, Brann Dailor’s best drum performance on the album, a Rush tribute section, and several brilliant guitar solos, it is as close to perfect as a song can be and is a wonderful ending to the album.
Much like …And Justice For All, Crack the Skye is a “slightly flawed masterpiece”. Tracks like “The Czar”, “Crack the Skye”, and “The Last Baron” would fit perfectly on a Greatest Hits disc, but unfortunately the shortcomings of other numbers, even though they are overcome more often than not, do take away from the full impact that the album would have otherwise had. Still, Crack the Skye is undoubtedly going to capitalize on the success of Blood Mountain and push Mastodon into a prime spot to take over the metal world. It is well deserved. Let’s just hope the next Mastodon effort doesn’t resemble The Black Album. And who knows, maybe in a few years we’ll get a Guitar Hero: Mastodon video game.
--Logan Broger
Comments
VT
I love how everyone seems to love Mastodon all of a sudden, five years after their best album.
I like the sound on this album. They still sound good even without all the growling.
My Top Songs of '09
The Appleseed Cast//as the little things go
Caspian//sycamore
Sunwrae//Chinook Winds
Dredg//down to the seller
If These Trees Could Talk//the sun is in the north
From Monument to Masses//an ounce of prevention
Straylight Run//i'm through with the past
LpShinobi's Post-Rock and Shoegazing Recommendation, via YouTube
Lpshinobi's Post-Rock Band, New Song Posted
Toronto
*Seven years
Minnesota
I like this album WAY more than any of their other stuff. Yeah, Leviathan was pretty epic, but I really dig the new direction a ton more.
BTW, if you want to look back at some Decoy history, here are our reviews of Blood Mountain and Leviathan.
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I'd forgotten how lonely that Sins of Arcadia guy was until I read the thread under Blood Mountain.
PA
Still can't get into the band. Maybe if they were instrumental.
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
Eh, I'll stick to Remission and Leviathan.
Brooklyn, NY
this is my favorite due to the lack of growling.
www.explodinginsound.com
Lehigh Valley, PA
Amazing band, amazing album. End of story. Every album of theirs is amazing.
NJ
Leviathan ftw. come on you can't really beat a mostly moby dick themed album. This is my second favorite album by them
Go FLYERS Go
Edmonton, AB
These guys have become rapidly unlistenable since Leviathan
hahaha awesome
Beer Blog
Fishers, Indiana
I fucking love this album. I've never liked them before, but this one clicked with me. Too bad that isn't the case with all you afficianados.
Top Albums: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 || Tumblr | Twitter
Los Angeles
that album cover is atrocious and reminds me of golden axe for some reason.
postrockpaperscissors
ARIZONA
1) Mastodon topped Metallica the second Leviathan was conceived.
2) there is an instrumental version of this album available
3) there cover is cool I think. goes with the topics of the album. Josh Graham (Neurosis, Red Sparowes) designed their video background for the current tour and it was freakin' sick! They played this album in its entirety, then did a 2nd hour long set of older tunes, always with great visual enhancements
4) this band, and this album are awesome
Brooklyn, NY
i love the album cover
www.explodinginsound.com
California
another band I just can not get into for the life of me. i love how everyone here is so divided though on all reviews Decoy does, makes for good discussions.
Toronto
So I changed my view on this album...why? Because last week I saw the band play it in it's entirety live and was blown away. Everything that I loved about the album I love even more now, and the things that bugged me don't bug me anymore. Album of the year so far.
Minnesota
I was pissed that the show here in Minneapolis was sold out and I couldn't get a media pass either to cover it. I wanted to go however possible, but couldn't. Dammit.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
