This isn't alien territory for at least one of the band members; Hinds famously contributed to the now classic concept album about Moby Dick that set Mastodon upon a path to greatness. In some ways, then, Legend of the Seagullmen plays like a sort of parody of Leviathan, even being so brazen as to incorporate nautical sound effects throughout. The story is, as I said, a bit difficult to decode, but rest assured that shit gets absurd.
And so, Legend of the Seagullmen seems destined to be simply a throwaway novelty act, silly rock stars making silly music. The thing is, having accomplished musicians such as Hinds and Carey involved actually elevates the proceedings to a point where the music transcends its ridiculousness. As cheeky and as goofy as this album gets, damn if it isn't enjoyable and damn if the enjoyment doesn't trump every other emotion this record wrings out. Every chuckle and cringe is met with a haunting cinematic passage, a ripping guitar lead or one of Danny Carey's earth-rumbling fills.
By the time its 37 minutes are over the tales of seagullgod kings, ancient pirates and a murderous behemoth squid that terrorizes Los Angeles (sort of to the tune of Metallica's Seek and Destroy, no less) are all perfectly acceptable because the music is so on point. Singer David "The Doctor" Dreyer lays the concept all out on the band's title track anyway: "That's right, this is entertainment / we don't know how we can explain it". Fair point. Why try to parse deep meanings or thread together plot lines when we can just turn the volume up and let the Seagullmen entertain us for a while?
February 9, 2018 • Dine Alone
Highlights The Fogger • Shipswreck • Rise of the Giant
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