REMISSION

Being very impressed with Mastodon's latest effort, Crack The Skye I decided to research their back catalog, working backwards from their latest effort before finally arriving here at their debut, which shows the band in a very embryonic form. It's very clear that at this point the band didn't really know where they wanted to take their music, or maybe they did but didn't know quite how to do it. While this problem would be fixed by the time of the release of the magnificent follow-up, Leviathan, this album is a little bit harder to get into.

What's simultaneously interesting and grating about the band at this point is that they're very raw. While their sound is definitely present, there's a certain amount of generic material that sounds like it could have been done by any metal band these days. A number of the tracks are fun and head-bang worthy, but not overly memorable. The band's experimental side that we all know and love had not yet emerged and the result is a lot of thrashy material such as Crusher Destroyer and Mother Puncher.

This is, of course, not to say that the album does not have any moments worth listening to. Indeed, the album is still littered with gems, especially for people who fancy themselves as fans of the band. Where the band's real personality does show there's some magic moments to be had. March Of The Fireants is the second track and the first to really show how technical the band can be on their instruments, but it's not until tracks like Ol' Nessie, Trilobite and Elephant Man where they boys really pull out the impressive stuff, including many interesting riffs and time changes, enough to keep any prog metal head interested.

Perhaps this review is a touch unfair considering that the expectations on the band were so high, but in context it still gives a fitting image for those looking into this band, who have gotten so much attention recently. Remission is good for people who know what to expect from the band, fans who are looking for more than just the three better known albums, and people who like to bang their heads a little bit more than others. Make note that this album is not experimental or groundbreaking like their more recent releases and you'll still have yourself a good time. Overall a 2 out of 5 - for collectors and fans - Good, but far eclipsed by other material from Mastodon.

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