CRACK THE SKYE

Ten years ago an ambitous quartet had changed the world of Metal. It will never be the same with MASTODON, who were growing better from one album to another, topping with incredible "Blood Mountain" three years ago. While critics were choking in attempts of pigeonholing them (sludge/metalcore/progressive/hardcore/thrash/groove-metal??? o rly?), MASTODONts have acquired the fame of one of the most important bands in current musicworld. I have always appreciated their attitude. I admired their math-based crucnhy riffs. I saw their influence in almost every new band I loved. But I never liked their music, not a single song. What did I need? Obviously, "Crack the Skye"!!!

I borrowed it from a friend just for the record and didn't like after the first spin. But "the rule of a second chance" has saved album's grace for me, and unfolded it in it's whole beauty. While staying heavy and groovy, MASTODON added more clean vocals, keyboards and even bluesy solos (like that one in "The Czar")!!! The new album is a definitive Bible of 21th century Prog- Metal, if you won't mind, a new SFAM - fresh and catchy, melodic and heavy, art-rocky and in the same time metal as it must be! "The Last Baron" is a future classic for it's midpart alone, I'm telling you. If you never liked/heard MASTODON, start here - there could be no better example for now! Extremely recommended!!!