Mastodon

One look at the art work and you can tell immediately that Blood Mountain is a concept album about the life-and-death struggle faced when one is lost in the wilderness, climbing a mountain at night and under the influence of some kind of transpersonal shamanistic sacred cacti. Right? Also, the album (their second concept attempt; 2004's acclaimed Leviathan, was about "Moby Dick") represents the elemental nature of the earth. Yeah, these guys are weirdos. You might want to avoid "Circle of Cysquatch" and "Bladecatcher" until the cactus has left your system. Or not.

Metal excess is back: exhibit A this month is Blood Mountain, the follow-up to Mastodon's
2004 breakthrough, Leviathan, which took Herman Melville's Moby Dick and refashioned it
into one hell of a heavy sea chantey. The Atlanta band consists of four guys who look like
tattooed auto mechanics, but they sound like they should be wearing capes and spitting
fire. Blood Mountain transforms potentially lame self-help bromides about overc... More >