Mastodon - Crack the Skye
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CD Details
Artist: MastodonBrand: MASTODON
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
CD Release Date: 2009-03-24
Model: 093624987222
Music Label: Reprise Records
Product features:
- MASTODON CRACK THE SKY
- Oblivion
- Divinations
- Quintessence
- The Czar: I Usurper, II Escape, III Martyr, IV Spiral
- Ghost Of Karelia
- Crack The Skye
- The Last Baron
Music reviews of Crack the Skye
Music Review: Excellent as always
Rating: 5 Stars
Dating all the way back to 2001's "Lifesblood" EP, and on through subsequent full-length releases -- 2002's steamrolling "Remission," 2004's beastly "Leviathan," and Ought-Six's commercial breakthrough "Blood Mountain" -- Mastodon have proven to be one of the most consistent metal bands around. They are simply not capable of making bad (or even mediocre) music, and it has gotten to the point where a great album by them is matter-of-factly. Furthermore, one might even venture to say that this Georgia-based quartet are among the top five reasons why it's good to be alive in recent years. Unfortunately, with such high achievements come equally-as-high expectations. Fans everywhere have to wonder one thing: On 2009's "Crack the Skye," can they match -- or possibly even surpass -- the excellence they captured on previous releases (especially on "Blood Mountain," which was not only a major-label debut, but also received high praised from fans and critics alike)?
Absolutely! "Blood Mountain" and "Crack the Skye" are similar releases in that they both leave a big smile on the face of whoever hears it. That said, let it be known that the latter of the two has many unique attributes that make it the group's most ambitious and progressive work to date! Yes, its production job may sound extra-polished, but the real ground broken here comes courtesy of brilliant songwriting. First of all, only seven tracks are presented this time around, and only one of them (#2) is less-than five-minutes in length, and two of them (numbers four and seven) reach well-past the ten-minute mark. Next, virtually all unnecessary changes in direction and tempo have now been scrapped, making the songs much more hooky and cohesive. As a result, no matter how good that aforementioned 2006 effort was, this one marks a definite step forward from it in terms of memorable guitar parts and contagious grooves.
And lastly, in a move not unlike what Gojira made on "The Link" in 2003 (and also similar to, say, Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," Down's "Over the Under," and Jesu's "Conqueror"), Mastodon opted to make these new songs substantially less more progressive and psychedelic and less brutal and viscerally satisfying than anything heard before. Indeed, unlike anything heard before, these songs possess a certain concerted level of tunefulness. This is in a large part due to a large increase in the use of melodic vocals. Sure, frontman Troy Sanders' unique, throaty growl remains as strong as ever, but it is now most of the time put on the back burner in favor of surprisingly accomplished proper singing. But fear not, because Mastodon's core sound - ginormous, rampaging grooves, beefy, inexorable rhythms, great, Sabbath-y, pure doom riffing, powerful and booming bass lines, and really energetic and technical drumming -- remain firmly in tact here. Hence, the new material sure doesn't skimp on heaviness. All of this considered, "Crack the Skye" is definitely a smashing success, the sound of a band at the top of their game, and, in this reviewer's opinion, the winner for the year's absolute finest piece of heavy music.
"Oblivion" begins on a momentous and thunderous doom-laden note before kicking things into high gear with a stream of propulsive, buzzsaw riffs, bullying grooves, and pounding skins. It eventually transitions into soaring melodic choruses with infectious clean singing, and a batch of blistering guitar solos caps it all off. "Divinations" quickly follows-up a funky, banjo-plucked intro with thunderous, and near drum-roll-esque drumming, hard-hitting guitars, and big, fat, chugging rhythms. An excellent, wailing solo crops up here, too. Next up, "Quintessence" has the record's most basic and predictable song structure, making it probably the simplest song you will find here. But that doesn't mean it's bad by any means! It skilfully trades off harmonic twin guitar leads, and Brann Dailor's deft, up-tempo, and jazzy drumming, with heavy, guitar-driven segments (i.e. crunchy, rollicking, Sabbath/Wolfmother-like, hard rock-flavored guitar leads, a distorted bass bottom, and lumbering rhythms) and occasional dreamy acoustic breaks. And in a final unexpected twist, Sandoval tosses in some cool robotic vocals to end. Track four, "The Czar," is nearly eleven minutes long, and is broken up into four parts: "Usurper," "Escape," "Martyr," and "Spiral." And even though it is one epically epic and indisputably multi-faceted number, it could not flow more seamlessly from one part to another. Nice, lightly-picked guitar melodies looming overhead a relaxed, crashing drum beat making it initially rather tranquil and ambient. However, Mastodon's patented heaviness lurks just around the corner: a rip-roaring groove, fiery, thrashy guitars and fast, flowing bass lines storm onto the scene around four-minutes in, greeting the listener like a kick to the noggin. And then, sans for an unexpected melodic breakdown around 6:50, and a subsequent unorthodox guitar solo section, the remainder of the tune plays like an Alice in Chains cover.
Then comes my personal favorite, "Ghost of Karelia," which is highlighted by amazing crescendo. It builds from a grungy-sounding bass intro into towering climax composed of excellent, carefully-calculated sludge riffage, dense, churning rhythms, tight and precise drumming (including ample punishing double bass work), and strong bass lines that grumble from below. An effective bit of crooning is tossed into the mix, and it works as a very nice contrast to the heavy music. But unlike most songs on "Crack the Skye," in "Ghost of Karelia," Sanders primarily focuses on using the same harsh, guttural style that he used on earlier material. The result is another chorus that is guaranteed to rattle around your head for quite some time. Plus, his dissonant snarls of lines like "holding skulls" and "bulls' bloodshot eyes" are also really cool and get tattooed to your brain after just one listen. Although the vocal melody in the title track is not one of Mastodon's strongest, it is made-up for with ample heavy, doomy, chug and churn guitar licks, and thick, crunching rhythms that evoke vintage High on Fire, as well as a few blazing solos and well-placed harmonies. Finally, set closer, "The Last Baron," marries brisk, Slayer-esque riffs, pummeling rhythms, and a Crowbar-by-way-of-Neurosis-style groove with several "math-y" tempo changes, some proggy fretboard noodling, and even a few keyboard flourishes.
In brief, this is yet another excellent instalment in Mastodon's already amazing (and nearly untouchable) discography. But hey, what were you expecting? They have already established themselves as a truly great band, and one of the most preeminent metal acts of the 21st Century. And as long as they keep knocking masterpieces out of the park like this, the "Skye" is the limit.
Description of Crack the Skye
Mastodon has taken hold of the leadership of the New Wave of Progressive Heavy Metal. The band's 2006 major-label debut Blood Mountain spun off a Grammy nomination and earned Top 5 Best Album Of The Year nods from Kerrang!, Revolver, and Metal Hammer, and a Top 10 at Rolling Stone. Now Crack The Skye, its fourth original studio album, mines subject matter from czarist Russia and astral travel to out-of-body experiences and Stephen Hawking's theories on wormholes for an unrepentantly heavy aural assault that will shake the heavens.Alternative Rock CDs
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