Mastodon
Emperor of Sand

After three months, I finally feel ready to write a review of this album.

It is fair to say that Mastodon is the metal band that, more than any other in the new millennium, has succeeded in combining commercial success with unanimous critical acclaim, both from the old guard of metalheads and the new generations, often managing to intrigue even those who are not fans of extreme music and creating in just a few years imitators who have in turn produced high-level material, just think of Baroness or Black Tusk.

The compositional trajectory of Mastodon is nothing but a reflection of their influences: from a violent and brutal debut (“Remission”), indebted to bands like Neurosis and High On Fire, moving towards concept albums increasingly inspired by 70s prog, yet anchored to powerful sludge metal sounds, we are talking about the masterpieces “Leviathan” and “Blood Mountain.” The excellent “Crack The Skye” merged sludge and progressive with previously unheard melodies, and the subsequent move was a shift towards more hard rock territories with “The Hunter,” welcomed with complaints by first-hour fans and raised as a true scandal by those who couldn't wait to find a weak point in a discography that, until then, seemed perfect. The years have proven the Atlanta combo right, and “The Hunter” and the subsequent “Once More 'Round The Sun,” which partially reclaimed past aggressiveness, have proven to be on par with previous efforts. All these works were and are an original and unprecedented concentrate of primal aggressiveness and captivating melodies, supported by an excellent technique that never spills over into solipsism and pomposity.

This new “Emperor Of Sand” continues what the previous two chapters started, much to the peace of the detractors and those who accuse them of selling out, yet returning to the form of concept album: the lyrics revolve around the story of a condemned man wandering in the desert and his thoughts related to his destiny and condition. In reality, this is an elaborate metaphor, indeed the inspiration comes from the loss of people very close to the band due to cancer. Death and thoughts about the remaining time are therefore the main themes of the lyrics, as Brann Dailor himself revealed:

“At the end of the story, the protagonist dies and at the same time is saved. It's based on cancer, chemotherapy, and everything associated with it. I didn't want to be that literal, but it's all in there, you can read it between the lines.”

But contrary to the dark content of the lyrics, musically “Emperor Of Sand” is perhaps Mastodon's catchiest album, as demonstrated by the three singles that preceded it, the first is “Sultan’s Curse,” a classic Mastodon-style gallop that takes the place that in “Once More 'Round The Sun” belonged to the stupendous “Tread Lightly,” resulting slightly defeated in comparison but still remaining an excellent and engaging opener. The proverbial vocal harmonies are very present, perhaps inspired by the Seattle Sound, an impression supported by the use of the voice by guitarist Brent Hinds, clearly indebted to the late masters Layne Staley and Chris Cornell. The dark atmosphere, the massive yet never overly technical riffs, and the hushed, sickly vocal harmonies confirm the influence of bands like Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, or modern stoner rock bands like Queens Of The Stone Age. The presence of Brendan O’Brien, former producer of Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and the aforementioned Soundgarden, doesn’t seem to be a coincidence.

The second single is also the most discussed, namely “Show Yourself,” a radio-friendly hard rock track along the lines of “The Motherload” and “Curl Of The Burl” from the two previous albums, which unfortunately lacks the traditional aggressive punch of the group, and for this reason, it proves to be the album's Achilles' heel, although being highly enjoyable, thanks especially to Dailor’s excellent vocal performance. “Precious Stones” settles on a less engaging chorus than the two previous ones but is revived by an engaging crescendo and a final guitar solo that showcases all the experience Mastodon has accumulated over these 17 years of activity. At this point in the listening process, it’s clear we are facing a well-produced work, strong with stellar songwriting, yet lacking the expressive urgency and depth of the early albums. If tracks like “I Am Ahab,” “Hearts Alive,” or “Ghost Of Karelia” left the listener devastated and at the same time eager to hear what would come next, “Show Yourself” and “Steambreather” entertain but fail to excite, even if there are clever embellishments and brilliant details, the traditional song form seems to limit Mastodon's imagination. Ghosts of past creativity reappear in the six and a half minutes of “Roots Remain” where Brett Hinds and Bill Kelliher's fantastic guitar work takes center stage, with a succession of stoner riffs and psychedelic solos, and “Scorpion Breath,” enhanced by the presence of Neurosis' master singer Scott Kelly (a band collaborator since the days of “Blood Mountain”), and which, in just under three minutes, stands as the only purely sludge episode of the album and certainly one of the best episodes. If “Word To the Wise” and “Ancient Kingdom” narrowly miss the target and have the aftertaste of filler, the fantastic central part of “Clandestiny” is a glimpse into the past and towards the atmospheres of “Leviathan,” as is the concluding “Jaguar God,” which, with its eight minutes and the participation of singer-songwriter Mike Keneally, turns out to be the best episode and perhaps the only one where the band seems capable of freeing themselves from these new radio cravings, indulging first in melancholic and restrained atmospheres and then increasingly in wild improvisation, tempo changes, unpredictable solos, and unruly vocals.

In conclusion, “Emperor Of Sand” is perhaps Mastodon's least successful album, but Mastodon's least successful album is still one of the best metal albums of the year because these four gentlemen from Atlanta are unable to create anything less than great, but precisely for this reason, “Emperor Of Sand” cannot deserve a high rating, given their past discography and the high bar they have set for themselves and all modern metal bands, this latest effort is little more than the bare minimum.

3.5 by defect.