BLOOD MOUNTAIN

The Wolf Is Loose, on with the drum fills. So far it sounds like a trash metal band. The singing, to be honest, is horrible. It couldn't sound any worse. This song really surprised me, it turned around from what I thought it was. Mainly the drum fills and guitar lines towards the halfway mark are what caught me. Overall decent song, somewhat repetitive. (8/10)

Crystal Skull started off very intriguing. Then became packed with THE WORST SINGING ever imaginable. Oddly, during some of the worst singing on the album came one of the best drum lines in the album. Something sounding like Martin Lopez of Opeth. Other than some extended solos near the end, this song really didn't rub off all too well on me. (7/10)

Sleeping Giant, this song is much slower than the first two. It's one of the longest on the album; the band elaborates on it's length. Some quaint drum fills at the beginning, this song caught my attention. This song sounds like real progressve metal. Then, right when I expected the old car brakes (vocals) to come in, the singer was actually singing. It actually sounded good too! What happened? Scott Kelly happened. Whoever that is, he made this song all the better. Beautiful. (9.5/10)

Capillarian Crest! The song that got me to purchase this album. This is easily the most puzzling Mastodon song. It's cycles are truly amazing, especially that mind boggling instrumental in the middle. Hints of Phil Collins are peppered across Brann Dailor's drumming, but it comes out in this song. You can clearly hear it during the instrumental. The instrumental is broken up by a short vocal thing, then leads back into a mind bending instrumental leading into more vocals. Brann Dailor is truly amazing. (10/10)

Circle of Cysquatch. Starts off very interesting, then with the pirate singing again. Not all that interesting. Until the vocoder kicks in, then the cycling and the insane drumming. This song has somewhat redeemed itself from what it was before. It ends somewhat in the style of this metal band, Gojira, which I listen to. I found that to be a nice touch. Decent. (8.5/10)

Bladecatcher starts off a little jazzy, with the twin guitars. Jazz it is not however. It becomes this murdering instrumental which is actually really amazing. The pirate singing was replaced with what sounds like a demented DJ Scratch table. Every time I listen to it, that sound makes me laugh heartily. The song basically repeats itself twice. Cool! (9.5/10)

Colony of Birchmen, wow! Starts really nice, with the singer actually singing again. It's actually Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. They should have more guest vocalists, because it makes the songs better. The lyrics aren't just random lines either, they're actually very nice. This songis much calmer than the other songs, this works for them. Near the two minute mark, it gets really beautiful, it really sounds like progressive metal at this point. The instrumental at the end is awesome! They end this song with some tasteful double bass and a wicked guitar solo. Best song on the album. (10/10)

Hunters of The Sky starts off very...metal. This song is probably one of the heaviest in the album. I found it to be much more trashier than what preceded it. Didn't like that. If there's one thing in this world I despise, it's 80's thrash metal. Althought the hints of it are nice, this song hints it too hard. (6/10)

Hand Of Stone, starts off almost immediately with the fills and whatnot. This song hits you hard with some puzzling drumming and quizzingly wicked guitar riffs. Not too heavy, but not soft at all. Well played. I like the instrumentals throughout. Overall, nice. (9/10)

This Mortal Soil sounds like...Yes...what? They guitar intro really set the mood for this song, it was really nice. It reminded me of something Opeth would've done. Then that jumps into a really nice progressive metal riff. This song sounds more progressive metal than the others, which I love. It keeps on switching from one mode of playing to the other. I found this to be very progressive. The Finally Free like guitar lines towards the end really put a nice penultimate feel to the song. Great song. (9/10)

Siberian Divide starts of very proggy, with the singer actually singing. But it's actually them singing, no guest vocals. This song erupts into a carnage of heavy guitar riffs and drum fills. I can hear something in the story about avalanches. (?) In the intrumental/fill section, I can faintly hear Cedric Bixler- Zavala's vocals screeching away in the background. Cooooool. The fills section with Cedric I really loved, the drum fills were awesome there. The instrumental that comes after, however is really sweet. Then the guitar lines leads back into the fills section which then finishes the song. (9.5/10)

Pendulous Skin, I am so ready for this epic prog fest. Twenty two minutes says Itunes. Starts off acoustic, with some nice synth sweeps in the background. Then with a very The Mars Volta section. I was ready for this prog epica, I check the lyrics book. It's an instrumental....Okay, so no prog epica. I check Wikipedia, (Song ends at 5:03). This kind of made me not like this one. It isn't even that good. Pretty poor effort here, reminding me of the ender on Amputechture. I guess The Mars Volta rubbed off on them. (5/10)

I can say, I wasn't dissapointed. A great record, easily deserving of many listens. Most of the prog community shun these guys, mainly due to their harsh guitar playing and violent singing. I can handle this stuff, I listen to Necrophagist. These guys are severely underrated here, they are deserving of so much credit. I will be listening Colony of Birchmen for the next few days. Good day.

4 stars.

High Points: Colony of Birchmen, Capillarian Crest

Low Points: Hunters of The Sky, Pendulous Skin

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