It’s hard to argue that Mastodon are not one of the biggest metal bands on the planet right now. They seem to be one of the natural successors to the throne when the gods of yesteryear finally depart these lands, placing them as one of the next potential arena metal bands. The way Mastodon have brought a far more technical, progressive element to classic heavy metal has earned them well-deserve praise. Now on their seventh full length, ‘Emperor Of Sand’, they are still looking for new ways to reinvent themselves.
Every Mastodon album carries a concept that weaves the tracks together, telling a story that acts as a metaphor for experiences within the members’ personal lives. ‘Emperor Of Sand’ is no different. For a band that has gone from the sublime to ridiculous across their catalogue, this may be the story that will resonate harder with the listener. More directly, lyrically, the album tells of experiences from those close to the band who have suffered with cancer; a subject more than a few can relate to.
Conceptually based around a desert wanderer who has been handed a death sentence, themes of love, death, and survival are ever present throughout ‘Emperor Of Sand’. It is their ability to bury such personal topics among fantastical musings and grandeur that makes Mastodon the band they are, and for that, they will always be revered.
Musically, this is very much Mastodon being Mastodon. Their technical prowess is still jaw dropping, with drummer Brann Dailor once again stealing the spotlight with his analytical, tightly wound ability. Not to mention his vocal contribution, which shines through on ‘Emperor Of Sand’, particularly on the powerful ‘Steambreather’. That’s not to take anything away from the rest of the band: ‘Sultan’s Curse’ packs a thick, bottom-end punch that harks back to the days of ‘Leviathan’, which will no doubt please older fans, whereas ‘Show Yourself ‘ is a driving, rhythmic track in a similar vein to the arena-ready anthems Mastodon have perfected over the last few albums.
Brent Hinds and Bill Kehllier trade off riffs with each other in their traditional off-kilter fashion, marrying Troy Sanders’ bass-driven dirge, prevalent in ‘Word To The Wise’ and ‘Clandestiny’. It’s a formula that has always worked for Mastodon, and while it has often been replicated, it is rarely accomplished with such dexterity. Vocal contributions from Kevin Sharp [Brutal Truth] and Scott Kelly [Neurosis] on ‘Andromeda’ and ‘Scorpion Breath’ respectively, add extra grit amongst the controlled chaos.
Yet for all the moments of guitar manipulating beauty that occur through ‘Emperor Of Sand’, there is something that feels a little too familiar about it. By stating this record is Mastodon being Mastodon, that is a both a blessing and a curse. Little has been done to freshen up the palette and their own unique sound. No one was expecting them to rewrite their progressive masterpiece ‘Crack The Skye’ again, but it feels a little safe in places. What makes Mastodon a special attraction is the twists and turns that unfurl with their compositions, yet the soaring choruses of ‘Precious Stones’ and ‘Ancient Kingdoms’ are to their detriment. It takes the aggression and power out of stronger moments across the album.
The direction in which Mastodon have been heading since ‘Crack The Skye’ has been a talking point for die hard fans. Of course, no one can blame them for wanting to take things down a different path after nearly twenty years of creating, but when signs pointed to them becoming even more bizarre and unhinged, they reined it in to a point that alienated a lot of people looking for something less direct. They do, however, revisit their roots on the album’s closing track ‘Jaguar God’. An eight-minute opus of meandering guitar work that builds and collapses over Dailor’s frantic drumming.
If you push aside the faults found within ‘Emperor Of Sand’, it takes you on an epic journey through dusty desert plains. It may not be their finest hour, but Mastodon don’t make inherently bad records; they just sometimes fall short of the mark in terms of cohesion. Their glory days aren’t behind them yet, and they continue to make an impression on the metal world that few could dispute.
GLEN BUSHELL