Mastodon - the Hunter |
Post Reply | Page 12> |
Author | |
Negoba
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 24 2008 Location: Big Muddy Status: Offline Points: 5208 |
Topic: Mastodon - the Hunter Posted: September 30 2011 at 08:52 |
I was really afraid this album was going to be bad. The gossip was they there were going "back to basics" and the new CG art work is pretty bad, so I was anticipating the worst.
But it's actually really good. Definitely still pushing some of their boundaries, still rocking hard, still some proggy / psych metal parts. I'm very happily surprised.
|
|
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
|
|
Failcore
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 27 2006 Status: Offline Points: 4625 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 09:55 |
I actually really like the artwork, it almost made me want to check them out again. I'm not really a metal fan at heart tho, even tho I'd say almost half of my music collection could be categorized as metal, anytime the music gets kind of that testosterone-soaked feeling, it turns me off.
|
|
|
|
harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 10:02 |
There's so much Pink Floyd happening in there that I was surprised to read this was supposed to be a "return to metal roots" album. For me CtS is considerably more metal and edgy.
|
|
colorofmoney91
Prog Reviewer Joined: March 16 2008 Location: Biosphere Status: Offline Points: 22774 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 12:10 |
I love it. The Hunter is absolutely fantastic.
Also, the cover isn't CGI; Troy said in an interview that the cover is actually just a picture of the sculpture and is not computer generated.
|
|
TheLastBaron
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 07 2009 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 206 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 12:36 |
I'm really enjoying it. I feel its a great melting of everything they've done and though not conceptual it is still very progressive.
|
|
" Men are not prisoners of fate, but prisoners of their own minds." - FDR
|
|
zappaholic
Forum Senior Member Joined: March 24 2006 Location: flyover country Status: Offline Points: 2822 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 20:11 |
Just picked it up today. Damn, it's good.
|
|
"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken
|
|
Man With Hat
Collaborator Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 20:21 |
The cover is fantastic, and easily the best album art they've had.
|
|
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
|
Stooge
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 09 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Status: Offline Points: 1003 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 22:53 |
This may be the most accessible album they have done, but I feel it is still very loyal to their sound. I was just expecting a re-visiting of their older sound or something, which would have been ok I guess, but this album has exceeded my expectations since I couldn't guess what it would sound like beforehand.
|
|
A fun place to review and discuss metal: MetalMusicArchives
|
|
Horizons
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 20 2011 Location: Somewhere Else Status: Offline Points: 16952 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 23:22 |
I am honestly in love with this album.
Clicked with my very quickly. The melodic tracks really pace out the album, and keep the psych influence alive from Crack the Skye, but they are integrated with more Blood Mountain'ish tracks. Overall i say its a strong 4 or 4.5. I'll give it a 5 if it lasts.
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: November 19 2005 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 10964 |
Posted: September 30 2011 at 23:30 |
Listening to this over at the Listening Room, really liking it. Will have to pick this up soon (dammit this month has too many new albums!!!)
|
|
JJLehto
Prog Reviewer Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: October 01 2011 at 01:12 |
I love the art work. At first I was like "oh god wtf is this?" but like I love to say: Metal is cheesy, accept it and life gets better :D
Besides, I'm guessing they did it on purpose, like Opeth and the cover of Heritage. Like we get it...and that's why it's not as bad as it seems. But also the music is really kickin. Some songs were weak, but overall "The Hunter" was pretty good. Even though CtS did grow on me....my Mastodon days are still the old ones. While they will never replicate that totally insane style, I like the "old" crazy and "new" proggy and streamlined mix! |
|
Bonnek
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 01 2009 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 4515 |
Posted: October 01 2011 at 01:51 |
Sounds nice, less proggy in songwriting, still proggy in sound, which is actually my preferred recipe (for metal at least) |
|
JJLehto
Prog Reviewer Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: October 01 2011 at 02:22 |
Yes, I'm very glad they are doing a bit of a throwback but it's still spaced out and proggy for sure. It's typical for a band to move very far from their origin, then slide to the middle...merging old and new sounds which Mastodon did here. Probably a 4 star in my book.
|
|
sleeper
Prog Reviewer Joined: October 09 2005 Location: Entropia Status: Offline Points: 16449 |
Posted: October 01 2011 at 04:25 |
I was another one worried about the "back to roots" talk for The Hunter since Remission doesnt do much for me, but I'm really liking this. Not as good as Crack the Skye IMO, but not far off. Still hate the artwoork though.
|
|
Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
|
|
rogerthat
Prog Reviewer Joined: September 03 2006 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 9869 |
Posted: October 02 2011 at 09:45 |
Yes, it has the straight ahead force and aggression one expects of so called pure metal but doesn't sound as predictable and stereotyped as pure metal can often be. Nice album! |
|
wjohnd
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 16 2011 Location: Scotland, UK Status: Offline Points: 327 |
Posted: October 03 2011 at 15:33 |
Wow . Listening to this right now..
Three tracks in and I already love it. Insane drumming and heavy sabbathy riffs ...what have I been missing? The second track sounds like QOTSA only 10 times more enjoyable. |
|
|
|
Icarium
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: March 21 2008 Location: Tigerstaden Status: Offline Points: 34050 |
Posted: October 03 2011 at 15:38 |
|
|
|
|
Proggernaut
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 10 2011 Location: Perth Australia Status: Offline Points: 124 |
Posted: November 10 2011 at 19:28 |
Album Rules - more metal than Crack the Skye and less thrashy that Blood Mountain - what you might call a happy medium!
Getting a lot of listens by me. Edited by Proggernaut - November 10 2011 at 19:29 |
|
Horizons
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 20 2011 Location: Somewhere Else Status: Offline Points: 16952 |
Posted: November 10 2011 at 19:58 |
Those aren't even the great tracks. Though every track is good.
|
|
Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
|
|
cyclysm748
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 28 2008 Location: ND Status: Offline Points: 116 |
Posted: November 10 2011 at 22:34 |
About the artwork, there was a video on their website of the carpenter guy actually building it from scratch and the whole project. It might still be there or on Youtube, though I'm too lazy to find a link.
|
|
I'm sorry but the card says moops.
|
|
Post Reply | Page 12> |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |