Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Mastodon was formed on January 13, 2000 after drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher had moved to Atlanta from Victor, New York and met bassist/singer Troy Sanders and guitarist/singer Brent Hinds at a High on Fire show.
Their style has evolved over the years from their earliest work on Remission right through to The Hunter. The band is known for their unique "sludgy" sound, mixing clean and distortion-heavy instrumental work and often involving intricate instrumental passages and use of vocal harmonies.
Brann, Bill, Brent & Troy.
They have put out 5 incredible albums that showcase their diversity. They all have a distinct sound and feel to them, no two albums sound alike. There's no record I'm anticipating more than their new one next year, simply because I have no idea what they'll throw at me.
Because of their experimental and diverse nature, Mastodon is a band I'd easily recommend to people not into metal. There's a big chance one of the albums listed here has something for you.
So for educational purposes, I'll break down each album with some standout tracks. The first four albums have an elemental thing going on: fire, water, earth and aether respectively. Try some links out, The Hunter is the most accessible of the lot.
Remission
Their first and without a doubt heaviest record. A lot of fans still consider this their best.
March of the Fire Ants (Crushing and massive. A live highlight. Still one of the best Mastodon songs)
Workhorse
Mother Puncher (aptly named)
Leviathan
The prime whalecore album. Their most critically acclaimed record. It has a relentless pace, but maintains variety and has some of their best riffs. A true classic.
Blood and Thunder
Seabeast
Iron Tusk (slays live)
Megalodon (Couldn't believe my ears when I heard this for the first time. Incredible track)
amg said:There are remarkable no-they-didn't, yes-they-did changes littering Leviathan like chum in shark territory. "Megalodon" moves from angular post-hardcore to chugging boogie thrash with deceptive ease, turning from one to the other with a Southern rawk guitar lick
Blood Mountain
Their most experimental album and therefore takes some time to get into. Some notable guest stars here, like Josh Homme, Neurosis' Scott Kelly and Cedric from The Mars Volta.
amg said:Blood Mountain is everything fans both hoped for and feared. Mastodon has dug even deeper in its foray into prog metal, but without losing an ounce of their power, literacy, or willingness to indulge in hardcore punk, doom, and death metal.
Crystal Skull
Sleeping Giant
Colony of Birchmen
Crack the Skye
Oooh boy. Crack the Skye... is something else. From the first seconds of Oblivion to The Last Baron, this is an unforgettable ride. Always amazes me that this album is 50 minutes long. Hands down my favorite Mastodon album.
SputnikMusic said:The interesting factor in both songs [Czar and Last Baron] is that despite their length, they don't contain any long instrumental passages that is found in typical Progressive music as vocal deliveries are often present throughout, which make the songs feel shorter during the listening experience.
Highlights: the entire thing
The Hunter
The band grew tired of the proggy sound of CtS, and went back to the riff-heavy nature of Leviathan, albeit more accessible. A great starting point for new listeners. This is the album that got me into Mastodon, but after exploring their other material, it's my least favorite. Still has some great tracks though. 'Creature Lives' is unfortunate, but luckily it's followed by the stellar Spectrelight, harkening back to the days of Remission/Leviathan.
Black Tongue
Curl of the Burl
Spectrelight
The Ruiner(1:40 hell yes)
All the Heavy Lifting
Once More 'Round The Sun
amg said:Many of the tracks on Once More 'Round the Sun dig into the band's seemingly inexhaustible bag of monstrous riffs and wonderfully fractured motifs. That said, as a collective, they unapologetically explore the more polished and accessible songwriting and performing craft found on The Hunter.
The title of their newest albums is indeed apt: Mastodon takes you on a tour of their discography to date, with songs that are reminiscent of all their previous albums. It's even more accessible than The Hunter and on some songs (The Motherload, Ember City) even poppy.
High Road
The Motherload
Aunt Lisa
I'd rank the albums: Crack the Skye > Leviathan > Remission > Blood Mountain > The Hunter > Once More 'Round The Sun
'Live at Brixton' is a recording of their biggest live show yet. A trailer