Comments on: Mastodon – Crack the Skye

By: NworbYblehs

NworbYblehs — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:38:41 +0000

I’ve be a fan of Mastodon since the Life’sBlood EP back in the day. They never cease to amaze me with their insights, and unrelenting drive to explore the unexplored. Kudos on Crack the Skye! Mr. Dailor sums it up at best on the DVD which accompanies the album. They as a band didn’t want to jog in place, as soooooo many bands do today. I anxiously await the next effort from the Georgian quartet. I am a fan for life!!

By: gabaghoul

gabaghoul — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:32:01 +0000

saw Mastodon at a tiny venue on the Leviathan tour – they sounded amazing, vocals and everything. asked Brann Dailor what we was reading and he said Dostoevsky – obviously he didn’t act on that inspiration right away

By: meathammer

meathammer — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:51:30 +0000

I think this album is amazing, it’s just too bad that their live vocals suck so much ass. It would be such a trip to see this stuff performed well in a live setting. I’ll stick with their albums and pretend they’re just a studio band. Good shit!

By: Vance

Vance — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:55:06 +0000

Well I always thought the weakest part of Mastodon was their metal vocals, especially on the first two albums, I mean the music and riffs and songwriting has always been badass, but it’s once they started dabbling with the clean vocals that I think they really started to take off and because unfettered as far as being able to showcase all of their talents, this album is by far one of the best in my collection, with so many great tunes and choruses and riffs and bridges and just everything. Brent Hinds vocals are just unreal, such character and soul, love it… and as usual GREAT REVIEW!!!!!

By: ferg

ferg — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:51:17 +0000

“Crack the Skye is an album that will most likely split the Mastodon fanbase, because it doesn’t quite pack the sheer heft of it’s predecessors in terms of heaviness in a “brutal” sense.”

…I beg to differ. Quite the opposite. The release carries enough of their heaviness to satiate even the hardcore ‘Don fan…while opening their genius up to a whole new set of fans. It’s simply a brilliant piece of work.

By: jk666

jk666 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:13:00 +0000

So nice to see bands that are not afraid to progress regardless of the consequences. Good for them, better for us.

By: fightingmike

fightingmike — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:03:03 +0000

I am digging this record more and more. It has taken a few listens and i do miss the heavier big riff tunes, but i definately still like this alot. It sounds like a weird mix of Ozzy and Mars Volta and the opening section of Ghost of Karelia sound an awful lot like Tool’s “Parabola” main riff. This record is a grower, but it’s not up there with Leviathan in my opinion.

By: gabaghoul

gabaghoul — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:18:24 +0000

fuck the haters, they’re being shits ’cause the band found major label success. it’s not like they dumbed down their sound in the process – quite the opposite.

I’m really torn on this one. I applaud the ultra-progressive direction, and there’s no denying the skill and musicianship on display here. But the songs just don’t… rock, even if the band promised they would.

Divinations is awesome, but too short, and The Czar is another high point, and enthralling from start to finish.
But the last three tracks are just so dour, with very few kickass sections that make you sit up and really pay attention. I miss the shaggy groove and huge riffs from songs like Blood and Thunder, March of the Fire Ants and Iron Tusk, and there’s little of that to be had here, compositional pyrotechnics or not. I always loved that Mastodon could be both visceral and intellectual – go back and check out Remission and Leviathan again – but I think they’re starting to lose a big piece of that duality here.

Shit maybe I should write my own review :)
Nice one though Larry.

By: axiom

axiom — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:02:34 +0000

I do a pretty good job at insulating myself from the mindset of “fans”. If 16 year old mallrats love Mastodon, good for them. Taken on its own merit, this is a great album. I’m glad they left the brutality behind, it was just getting in the way at this point. I’ve only heard a crappy mp3 leaker, so I’m hoping they also ditched the raw and gritty production of the past albums. Good review, and good job Mastodon.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:26:59 +0000

bought it the day after it came out and haven’t stopped listening since. this is without a doubt one of the albums of the year (and this is coming from someone who was very so-so about the band until a couple years ago). The classic rock influence is perfect, but they never falter from the sound they set out to accomplish, ultimately leaving them with a sound all their own.

By: immortal

immortal — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:30:07 +0000

I’ve never heard the term “mallcore” applied to Mastodon before. Good review anyway. I like that Brann Dailor has mellowed a bit with each album. His work on Remission and Leviathan is off the wall, but here it’s restrained and refined. Both styles are impressive. Good shit.

By: Nick A.

Nick A. — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:38:01 +0000

Nice review and while I appreciate diversity in tastes from reviewers, I can’t help but notice the incongruency…This album was pretty much dogged and dismissed as ‘a venture in drug use’ by whomever reviewed Static Tensions. I guess my complaint isn’t really relevant. I love Static Tensions and have this on preorder for the vinyl. From what I’ve heard i think this is great.

By: stiffy

stiffy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:26:06 +0000

Good review!

By: legumbre

legumbre — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:40:21 +0000

cant wait to have it in my hands!!!