IN REVIEW: Mastodon - "Emperor of Sand"

Having taken a two album detour from their highly lauded, highly conceptual early career to make somewhat more accessible material (though not so much a dumbing down of their sound as a maturing of it), plus a host of side projects, 2017 sees the return of Mastodon in more ways than one. Emperor of Sand, their seventh album, isn't just the follow-up to 2014's relatively stripped down Once More 'Round the Sun, it's also their first concept piece since 2009's mammoth Crack the Skye; in fact, to fans who were left a bit cold by the band's foray into more standard hard rock territory, Emperor of Sand will likely feel like the proper successor to Crack the Skye they didn't get in 2011. It's an idea made all the more credible considering the band has Brendan O'Brien producing for the first time since Crack the Skye.

Indeed, this album tells a story centered around death (much like Crack the Skye), and does so with a complex, metaphor-filled narrative (much like Crack the Skye). Where Emperor of Sand flips the script is in its distillation of this narrative into more conventional song lengths and, by times, a continuation of the more streamlined songwriting approach from their previous two albums. So as to say, there are no true multi-suite prog epics here, although Mastodon do allow themselves to stretch the songs out occasionally; it's just that, by and large, they've opted for a more concise approach here.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on Show Yourself, a short and snappy number that seems designed for maximum airplay and, though that undoubtedly will ruffle feathers for staunch supporters of the group's early work, it shows that the penchant for hooks they've picked up along the way can be put to thrilling results; it may be radio friendly, but it's miles ahead in terms of quality compared to the majority of what those radio stations play. There's nothing wrong with expanding your opportunities in this volatile musical climate, and if Mastodon can do so this successfully I certainly won't line up to fault them for it.

Besides, it's not like they took this approach over the whole album; there's plenty of heavy riffs, dizzying drumming and molten prog-metal to be had here, especially on the album's back half. Andromeda features a section that seems ripped from the Leviathan sessions, while Neurosis member Scott Kelly returns once again as a guest vocalist on Scorpion Breath, lending the album's penultimate track some welcome added brutality. And closer Jaguar God, while starting off starkly soft, builds up quite the fire in its belly as it approaches its conclusion.

All that said, and given my belief that Mastodon has pretty much established that they're incapable of making a bad record, Emperor of Sand feels as close as they've come to taking a step back. That's not to say there's anything disappointing about it, but there are a few moments where my feelings boiled down to, "yep, this is a Mastodon record". It's a cheap criticism to make considering that they're responsible for a handful of definitive modern metal masterpieces, but something about the way this album plays out just prevents it from reaching those same lofty peaks in my heart of hearts. Still, as a means of bridging their career-defining early work and their recent affinity for more melodic fare, Emperor of Sand does a fine job of splitting the difference.

March 31, 2017 • Reprise
Highlights Show Yourself • Andromeda • Jaguar God