Mastodon
Marrow Deep
Loma Vista Recordings
If ever a band has earned their moniker, it is undoubtedly Mastodon. With a heavy sound, the weight of which can barely be computed, this crew from Atlanta have been crushing skulls and stomping over the world since 2000. However, unlike the mammoth from which they take their name, Mastodon are very much alive and kicking with latest album Marrow Deep finding them revived and revitalised. The band’s longevity has undoubtedly been due to their constant evolution; they’re a pleasantly hard band to categorise and their willingness to draw influence from any source will ensure they remain so. It’s an approach which means Marrow Deep is in constant motion, Mastodon serving up a labyrinthine affair and one that leads the listener down some strange rabbit holes. Those who like the band in their heavy guise will find much to admire here, ‘Poisonous Weapons’ and ‘The Vanishing’ (the latter with shades of Sabbath) pushing the needles into the red. Yet there are plenty of curveballs thrown into the mix; ‘The Three Fates’ has jazzy flourishes that recall Miles Davis at his most inventive whilst the lither moments on ‘Golden Spires’ capture the ethereal nature of Pink Floyd. All of which suggests there’s still plenty of life in the old Mastodon.
https://www.facebook.com/Mastodon
Review by Peter Dennis.