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[TOP SHOTTA]

Looks like Chimes at Midnight has been leaked...

It looks like more than that has leaked. A 256kb copy was apparently leaked yesterday or maybe the day before.

A friend of mine was playing Once More Round the Sun at his house last night with the speakers going hammer. I have the thing on preorder - and I am super amped about getting the vinyl too... From what I heard I like it more than The Hunter, and slightly more than Crack the Skye. It's no Leviathan, but the band is evolving and they go hard.

Brann is pissed about it, and rightfully so. Talk about shitty - where some fucker drops the thing online - literally taking money out of this excellent band's pockets. Brann is upset, not because he's got the Lars Ulrich disease, wherein he misses the fact that if you're cool and understanding, the typical fan will repay you by attending shows, and album sales are just a drop in the bucket if you have hardcore fans.

Brann knows how Mastodon fans are. I personally don't know of any Mastodon fan in real life that hasn't been to a live show of theirs or two. But that's the endless argument about downloading early.

The whole album is very much in keeping with the sound teased in High Road, in my opinion, and from my short experience with it. It is very hard, mostly melodic, mostly fast, chug-chug-chug metal - Brann sings a lot on it, and Brent too. And Troy of course. But Brann really is becoming my favorite Mastodon vocalist. I feel like it is so fuckin badass that they switch up singing duties. I can't wait to get my copy. 8 days or so and counting. Lana Del Ray will tide me over until then.

 

[ankuo]

not even close. they have unique riffs and shit but the vocals are awful. i can name 3-4 bands far superior to them.

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

not even close. they have unique riffs and shit but the vocals are awful. i can name 3-4 bands far superior to them.

Such as?

And bear in mind the judges are looking for "far".

 

[DTLIONS1013]

This is their 2nd best album behind Crack the Skye

 

[VindicatorZ]

Listening to the new album now, it's pretty great. A combination of everything they have done.

 

[Charmicarmicat]

Really loving the new album, such a good band. People would do well to check out Baroness, who have a similar sound and have taken a similar path from very heavy to more melodic. And while you're there check out the band that Mastodon worship, my favourite, The Melvins.

 

[Creamium]

Too early for me to give impressions on OMRTS in full, but Thread Lightly is such an amazing opener... Best since Blood & Thunder.

I'm not convinced by the rest of the album though (cheerleader chants in Aunt Lisa? wtf ) Doing a second full listen now.

 

[Denzar]

I'm loving it. I think it's a better record than The Hunter was, but it's nowhere near as good as my personal favourite Crack the Skye. I feel it's a mix of those two aformentioned albums, really.

So far, I'm actually loving every track on this record. The poppy song are REALLY catchy and the proggy song have just enough depth and discovery to be interesting.

THIS TIME THIS TIIIIIIIIIIIIIME IT WILL WORK OUT JUST FINE

 

[DesertEater]

I love this band. Saw them live twice and they were amazing. However, the Hunter was an album that I just couldn't swallow. It didn't have some good songs, but as a whole it didn't stand up to any of their previous works. It's very different, but not in the direction that I like. Now I've just listened to Chimes at Midnight and goddamn. The song is pretty catchy with amazing riffs. If the album is in the same quality as that song, then we might have a rival for Crack the Skye.

 

[Onikaan]

I thought it wasn't released until Monday?

 

[Denzar]

It was out here on the 20th in Belgium.

 

[VindicatorZ]

The whole thing has been leaked and can be streamed on iTunes. I've been listening to it for a few days. It's all mostly incredible. Definitely a combination of Leviathan and Crack the Skye with some The Hunter.

Tread Lightly is an amazing opener. Could've have come right off Crack the Skye. The Motherload is fucking fantastically catchy. Asleep in the Deep is kind of psychedelic and awesome. Chimes at Midnight is brutal, with an amazing intro and outro. And Halloween is awesome, might be my favorite.

Some real gems here.

 

[Cetra Yoshi]

Is there anywhere I can listen to the new album other than iTunes? I'm on a friends sofa atm and don't have access to my pc. Been hyped for this album for over a year now. Terrible timing for becoming homeless!

 

[VindicatorZ]

Is there anywhere I can listen to the new album other than iTunes? I'm on a friends sofa atm and don't have access to my pc. Been hyped for this album for over a year now. Terrible timing for becoming homeless!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGjGv5tyLFs

Here's the whole album on youtube. Enjoy!

 

[Cetra Yoshi]

Didn't even think to look on YouTube. Figured it would have been removed pretty quickly. Thanks a lot man

 

[Onyar]

AMAZING.

 

[Oveja Negra]

Disappointing. This should be called The Hunter: B Sides.

There's nothing memorable about this album. Crack The Skye remains as my fav from them.

Ah well, next time I guess.

 

[JesseZao]

Can't wait to give it a listen later. Haven't been to a show of theirs since Leviathan released, but always been one of my favorite groups.

 

[VindicatorZ]

Disappointing. This should be called The Hunter: B Sides.

There's nothing memorable about this album. Crack The Skye remains as my fav from them.

Ah well, next time I guess.

Give it a few listens. There's some great stuff there, although I have a couple little disappointments with it as well.

If you love Crack the Skye, you have to love Tread Lightly. The song could be straight off that album.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

if anyone hasn't heard them and cares to check them out a lot of their music is "free" on amazon prime streaming. you can even have it streamed to your smartphone! do it!

 

[VindicatorZ]

Aunt Lisa just grew on me. I like it alot. I even like the girls chanting at the end. It's the most experimental song on the album, I actually wish there was a bit more of this on the album.

 

[Pennybags]

The album took a while to bake for me but I enjoy it greatly. The relative smoothness of the vocals caught me off guard, although I already liked the groovier Mastodon from the last few albums.

My personal ranking:

Blood Mountain
Crack the Skye
Leviathan
Once More Round the Sun
Remission
The Hunter

 

[Greg]

much better than The Hunter, but that's not saying a lot

Crack the Skye >

 

[Gr1mLock]

Great record. Suck it haters. You always got remission.

 

[Servbot24]

Disappointing. This should be called The Hunter: B Sides.

there is nothing you could have said to lower my hype more.

rip mastodon, they had a couple good albums back in the day.

 

[bone_and_sinew]

I'll listen to the new shit on the way to and from work, looking forward to it!

 

[RangerX]

I think this is my least favourite album after a few listens. Its a bit too straight forward and some of the riffs and solos sound recycled. Just sounds a tad unispired really. Not a bad album but I expect more from Mastodon. Asleep in the deep is a cool song though.

My ranking: Blood mountain
Leviathan
Remission
Crack the skye
The hunter
Once more round the sun

 

[Servbot24]

I think this is my least favourite album after a few listens. Its a bit too straight forward and some of the riffs and solos sound recycled. Just sounds a tad unispired really. Not a bad album but I expect more from Mastodon. Asleep in the deep is a cool song though.

My ranking: Blood mountain
Leviathan
Remission
Crack the skye
The hunter
Once more round the sun

I have the same ranking aside from not having heard the new one

CtS is actually quite cracking indeed at points though

 

[Manzepi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zbik9SXcsA

Dat solo, Hinds is really someone else. And Dailor, oh man what a drummer, such a beast.

But as much as I love this band, they'll never beat Leviathan for me, it was really a masterpiece, a diamond, one of the greatest metal album ever recorded
The Hunter was ok, the new record seems quite fun..

 

[VindicatorZ]

there is nothing you could have said to lower my hype more.

rip mastodon, they had a couple good albums back in the day.

Don't listen to that shit. It's not Hunter B-Sides at all and I can't believe you actually gave credence to that statement. This album is another beast entirely, and it's fantastic.

I'll say it again, it's very much a combination of all their past works. Alot of Crack the Skye, a good amount of Leviathan, a bit of The Hunter, and a little Blood Mountain (Aunt Lisa).

There's something here for you to like.

Here's the sensational opening track, Tread Lightly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuMjmQMZu5A

And my personal favorite, Asleep in the Deep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1EUcKiD2Kc

Halloween is another favorite. Chimes at Midnight and maybe Ember City are the hardest tracks on the album. And The Motherload, while catchy and perhaps poppy, is an absolutely perfect track. It's great.

 

[Manzepi]

I love High Road, Aunt Lisa (except the last part with the kids.. sounds meh), and Once More, really catchy stuff !

The rest of the album didn't shine so much after many listening. So far..

 

[XANDER CAGE]

I haven't listened to anything since Crack the Skye, which I enjoyed well enough but I really miss their old style of vocals. Is the new album reminiscent at all of their older, more aggressive stuff or does it still have slickly produced 90s rock-ish vocals?

 

[Oveja Negra]

there is nothing you could have said to lower my hype more.

rip mastodon, they had a couple good albums back in the day.

First, one bad album doesn't mean the band deserves a RIP (except if you think their previous ones sucked too ).

Just give it a listen, man. Who knows, but for me, as I said, it sounds a lot like The Hunter, but much less catchier and uninspired. At least in The Hunter you have an amazing drum work from start to finish, in this one is kinda bland, which is a surprise, since Mastodon always delivers in that regard.

Whatever, give it a chance.

I haven't listened to anything since Crack the Skye, which I enjoyed well enough but I really miss their old style of vocals. Is the new album reminiscent at all of their older, more aggressive stuff or does it still have slickly produced 90s rock-ish vocals?

I'd say it's a mix between Crack The Skye and The Hunter, which I think it's great. I don't like the scream singing of their older albums.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

I'd say it's a mix between Crack The Skye and The Hunter, which I think it's great. I don't like the scream singing of their older albums.

Ehhh, that's a shame. I'll give it a listen for sure but I don't have high hopes.

 

[Prodigal]

Enjoying the new album, but I'm also getting pretty disappointed with Dailor. Ever since Crack the Skye his drumming has been boring as hell.

 

[Toparaman]

I haven't listened to anything off the new album yet. The Hunter gave me "Black Album" vibes at first, but it grew on me so much. It's their most re-listenable album imo.

Seeing as they successfully made the progressive-to-streamlined transition, unlike Metallica, I have nothing but optimism for this next album.

Enjoying the new album, but I'm also getting pretty disappointed with Dailor. Ever since Crack the Skye his drumming has been boring as hell.

Disagree. The Hunter had his best drumming to date, mainly because the simpler song structures allowed him to play looser.

 

[Creamium]

After a few listens, I'm starting to like most of the album, except title track, Asleep in the Deep and Feast your Eyes. Aunt Lisa grew on me. That being said, even though there are a few standouts, I still think it's their weakest album. Some of the tracks sound very similar to earlier work. Chimes at Midnight for example sounds a lot like Spectrelight. Overall it's just not that memorable compared to the other albums. Ranking:

Crack the Skye
Leviathan
Remission
Blood Mountain
The Hunter
Once More Round The Sun

But I'll give it more spins, it could still beat The Hunter.

 

[Onyar]

It's ok that some people don't like the album, because the sound is different from older Mastodon, and that's what make a band great, the evolution of their sound. May they sound bad for some people, may they sound good for other, but it's great that it's different and dont try to make the same sound all the time just for sell a formula that works.

I mean, selling a formula that works, let's say like Iron Maiden, it's not bad I could enjoy it a lot, but the bands that try something new and you can still enjoyed it they are at some other level, like Baroness for example, this is my option ofc.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

It's ok that some people don't like the album, because the sound is different from older Mastodon, and that's what make a band great, the evolution of their sound. May they sound bad for some people, may they sound good for other, but it's great that it's different and dont try to make the same sound all the time just for sell a formula that works.

I mean, selling a formula that works, let's say like Iron Maiden, it's not bad I could enjoy it a lot, but the bands that try something new and you can still enjoyed it they are at some other level, like Baroness for example, this is my option ofc.

I'm not against bands changing their sound - I actually love the way Baroness has changed over the years, all their stuff is great.

 

[HighAmperage]

I like it, but don't love it yet. The highs aren't as high as the ones on The Hunter for me.

 

[Facism]

I'm not convinced about Tread Lightly. It has that quality opening into the verse, but the vocals drag their nuts all over the song.

 

[Cetra Yoshi]

Finally got to listen to it in bed last night. Kinda mixed about the vocals. Crack the Skye is my favourite album, so for me Mastodon are at their best when Brent does vocals. Songs just feel more Crack the Skye-ish with him singing. But his singing is going downhill live.

On the other hand Branns singing is great live, so maybe him singing a bunch on this album is an attempt to get him singing more live.

Didn't catch track names while I was listening, but the title track was great, there's a less heavy song with Brann singing somewhere in there that I thought was incredible and the song with the girls singing at the end was pretty cool.

Excited for another listen when I get a spare hour... Maybe I can learn some damn track names too

 

[solpadeine]

It's not up there with Blood Mountain, Crack the Skye or Leviathan, but it's good. And good Mastodon is still awesome.

 

[Onikaan]

In my opinion (I've been a fan since Leviathan days) this is their worst record.

Shame.

 

[MetalGuardian]

I did not like this record at all upon first listen, but I'm so glad I stuck with it.

Crack > Leviathan > Sun > Blood > Hunter > Remission

Also, more of you blokes should come hang out with us in the Metal Thread

 

[Onikaan]

I did not like this record at all upon first listen, but I'm so glad I stuck with it.

Crack > Leviathan > Sun > Blood > Hunter > Remission

Also, more of you blokes should come hang out with us in the Metal Thread

There are a few good "Mastodon" pieces in here, but some of these songs are weak.

I'll go through it a few times and see, though.

 

[MetalGuardian]

There are a few good "Mastodon" pieces in here, but some of these songs are weak.

I'll go through it a few times and see, though.

I thought the exact same thing after the first... four or so listens? Now I genuinely like every song on the album except High Road. It's groovy, catchy, and well-performed... once I removed my expectations of what I thought a Mastodon album should be with what the final product actually is, it began to click with me a lot more.

 

[Mononoke]

I like this album. I know on paper it's a bad record for them ( I mean technically). But it's a catchy metal album. So as its own thing I'm enjoying it. I can totally understand why fans or enthusiasts of the kind of music they make would be let down though. It is pretty slow/simplified. And the vocals aren't always so hot. But for whatever reason I'm enjoying it!

 

[Prodigal]

Still enjoying it, and I also feel like ranking their albums.

Blood > Remission > Leviathan > Crack > Sun > Hunter

I miss the days when Mastodon was a metal band. At least I have some new Septic Flesh to tide me over!

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

Never heard their music but I thoroughly enjoy their greatsword.