MASTODON – THE HUNTER
Released 26th September 2011 (Roadrunner Records)

Words: Tom Willmott

For me, the greatest kick is when a record drops that you never expected in the first place. So anyone with just a credible taste in music would have been stoked to hear that Mastodon were unleashing a new album. And quite rightly too, considering their reputation as the defining metal act of the 21st Century. They are definitely on their way to becoming a future festival headliner, once the likes of Metallica and Iron Maiden step aside.

With their fifth full-length, “The Hunter”, the band adopt a more pared down approach compared to their previous record “Crack The Skye” which delivered some intense and epic proportions of progressive metal. The opener, “Black Tongue” is a signature Mastodon blast, whilst single “Curl Of The Burl” is a straightforward stoner rock tune – think Alice In Chains covering Queens Of The Stone Age. “Blasteroid”, on the other hand, provides the faster, heavier outpouring that we’ve come to expect from this band. But for the majority of the time, the record takes you on the art rock journey the band have been following for some time. And the good news is they pull it off in incredible style, with tracks such as “Stargasm” and the brilliantly titled “The Octopus Has No Friends”. This leads to an intriguing cut from the album, “Creature Lives”. With an introduction like a soundcheck at an IMAX theatre, this atmospheric track is one of the more melodic tunes the band has produced. Stylistically, this is an album where Mastodon look back as well as move forward and “Spectrelight”, for me the highlight of the album, could easily have fitted on “Leviathan”. It all concludes with “The Sparrow”, yet another reason to love these four guys.

In the coming months, countless publications will no doubt produce their endless lists reviewing the albums of the year. But there’s no competition. This has to be the standout record of the year. It ticks all the boxes for a well thought out metal album and chances are that it will propel the band to a new level of success. Mastodon are the type of act that future bands should aspire to and they’ve come on an incredible journey considering a decade ago, it’ would have been inconceivable for a band of this genre to become a household name. “The Hunter” is an essential purchase even for the casual metal fan. Get on it!