31 Records To Listen To Instead Of Mastodon's "Once More 'Round The Sun"

“I mean, it’s a terrible record, man. I just don’t get it. If you’re gonna put out a record like that, just do a fucking side project or something, ya know?” -Phil Anselmo on Metallica's "Load"

It's clear as crystal that "Once More 'Round The Sun" isn't what got the initial mass of fans into Mastodon ten years ago at the time "Leviathan" was released. Yet it is exactly what got the second big wave of fans into Mastodon; at the time of "The Hunter"'s release. So what we've got here is a crowd of people who don't like the new sound, and some who adore it; plus the band making comments like "this is different stuff". The 'different' stuff answer might even be the case, but not in the way one might think it would be. "Crack The Skye" was different, yes, and so Mastodon, too. Why then the same thing can't be claimed to be true about Mastodon's next two records? If the band's decision to sing and abandon the growl on those were to be read as their mistake then "Crack The Skye" might as well been called into question; so, why it wasn't so? Because of the embracing of the prog rock structure. Yes, it is that simple. Mastodon, more or less, meant three things: mania, complexity, and a rock n' roll vibe most popular metal bands couldn't materialize even if they sold their collective souls to God, the Devil, and every demon in between; and "Crack The Skye" had two of those for sure.

Still, the entire argument about "Once More 'Round The Sun" not being Mastodon is only valid when seen through the scope of a fan who became a fan because of a certain understanding of the band's attitudes towards music at one point, something ceasing to exist now. Here is the problematic part with the notion of a 'band'. While it is always possible for an artist who produces music under his or her name to change the directions drastically every time he or she pleases, the same thing always causes major dispute for bands. So why is it so crucial for a band to go under the same moniker even though they realize what they're doing is in complete contrast with their origins? Obviously; recognition, fame, and factors of such. If Brann, Brent, Bill, and Troy were going to release the last two records as something other than Mastodon, neither Warner would have released their record, nor it would have reached the same number of people it has reached now. So their decision is a completely rational one if you've been wondering, and nevertheless one with numerous negative results.

Interviewer: Do you think that people who live from their music compromise on their artistry?
Steve Von Till: I don’t think it is a given, but I think it is more than likely true. There’s always an exception. Mastodon perhaps, time will tell. We love those guys and wish them the best, but they are in the belly of the beast and we’ll see how it goes. For us independence is important, even as people we are not willing to have people telling us what to do.

What Von Till said in that interview has been on my mind for the past three years. Up until the release of "The Hunter", Mastodon -- while always getting an equal amount of positive feedback -- have always been this weird band to most 'metal' listeners and/or critics; not because of the albums they're making today, but because of their otherworldly brand of metal. There have been always those who found them not particularly 'metal' and my claim here is that that the same people are now enjoying the new Mastodon. Mass media has been extremely supportive of the last two Mastodon records as they were never before. With Kerrang! awarding them the best album of the year title and so on. I believe that should be observed as a signal hinting us that something's very very wrong.

Why should they be enjoying what they've never been able to fully understand in the past? Because it has changed. Yes. And precisely in a way that it now pleases their pop-demanding ears. The songs lack instrumentality and are heavily vocal-driven. That's pop music, with the mere difference that it's been hailed as the contrary. That's also a sublime process of eliminating a threat in the music business that was Mastodon. Mastodon, if nothing else, manifested a hope for great music being possible through the medium of mass media and it sure as hell wasn't something that mass media wanted. Quite an amazing instance of situational irony when Brent shares his love for Zappa, whose long-time dispute with Warner is known to almost everyone.

Getting to the list, first, I wanna make a polite request to shut your pretty mouth up if you're one of the countless people who's enjoying the new record and simply continue your listen, for I don't aim at interrupting your nice experience, and please, don't come up with anything like this guy did; deathcore? Seriously, if you think early Mastodon is comparable to deathcore, you must be either out of your freaking lil mind or have found Mastodon thru a shitty magazine like Metal Hammer. In any case, my point here is simple: "Once More 'Round The Sun" isn't Mastodon, as with the one before it, and so I'm giving you a list of records, each of which can be counted as one damn good alternate choice. Enjoy your blast.

"Covenant"

Artist: Holocaust

Year Of Release: 1997

One of the finest examples of prog metal, a relatively underrated record from heavy metal veterans; Holocaust.

"Ox"

Artist: Coalesce

Year Of Release: 2009

When TDEP were busy infecting their music with pop vocals, getting inspired by Justin Timberlake, blah blah blah, Coalesce recorded one of the most brilliant comeback records of the past ten years. Personally, I think it hasn't been topped yet.

"Days Of Fire"

Artist: Meatjack

Year Of Release: 2003

Meatjack were capable of nearly anything; anything, except making money out of their music.

"Cryptomnesia"

Artist: El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez

Year Of Release: 2009

Back in 2009, the now deceased Mars Volta were also starting to make 'different' records, but then at least w/ Omar you always have this insane variety of outputs that one of his countless records of that year perfectly matched the Volta sound.

"Voyager"

Artist: Elodea

Year Of Release: 2010

This one's for those of you who are particularly fascinated by those Neurosis rip-offs on "Remission". Elodea's music is also an (unconscious) attempt to capture the Neurosis sound using a more 'metal' framework; and it sounds like early Isis, Meshuggah, Botch, and everything in between. Totally underrated compared to bands like Intronaut, the Ocean, or even Deadbird, if you ask me. I mean, just take note of that drumming; it's simply matchless.

"Subject To Change Without Notice"

Artist: Keelhaul

Year Of Release: 2003

People/and or websites like Last.fm usually suggest bullshit like Gojira and Red Fang when asked about a similar band to Mastodon. Wrong. The answer's Keelhaul.

"Intransience"

Artist: Zebulon Pike

Year Of Release: 2008

Prog metal band of the decade, period.

"Strap It On"

Artist: Helmet

Year Of Release: 1990

Sick, sharp-edged riffage w/ some pissed-as-hell vox on the top.

"Dollars For Red Books"

Artist: Four Hour Fogger

Year Of Release: 1999

If Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson came up with Sunn O))) when they tried to pay tribute to the Melvins, Four Hour Fogger was what Brent and Troy came up with, trying to do the same thing, their own way.

"Ruder Forms Survive"

Artist: Capricorns

Year Of Release: 2005

This is what happens when a punk/metal act gets influenced by a band like Oxbow.

"Redemption Is Only Skin Deep... It's Time To Cut Deeper"

Artist: Social Infestation

Year Of Release: 1998

Way better than Killer Be Killed. Way way better.

"Dimension Hatröss"

Artist: Voivod

Year Of Release: 1988

Who were the first prog metal band again? Sorry, I didn't catch you.. dream what? you mean Voivod? Right on.

"Larval"

Artist: Larval

Year Of Release: 1996

The term heavy-rock always sounds out of place, unless you're applying it to Larval.

"Praise"

Artist: Sweet Cobra

Year Of Release: 2003

Like Keelhaul, Sweet Cobra have a long-running history of touring/friendship with Mastodon, but unfortunately they don't get to play with them on the same bill anymore, obviously because they aren't as crap as phonies like Ghost to be liked by fans of Mastodon at this point.

"Ruins III"

Artist: Ruins

Year Of Release: 1988

Recommended for those of you who think could use more of that 'Bladecatcher'/'Capilarian Crest' type of madness on the (bass) fretboard, that is neither virtuoso nor fancy.

"It's Hard To Write With A Little Hand"

Artist: Lethargy

Year Of Release: 1996

Get your faces melted while Brann and Bill manifest mathcore at the time it hardly existed.

"You Ruin Everything"

Artist: Pigs

Year Of Release: 2012

From "Lifesblood" up until "Leviathan", the vox on Mastodon albums were extremely noisy, paying tribute to the kings of noise rock/metal: Unsane.

"Only Time Can Tell"

Artist: West End Motel

Year Of Release: 2012

The problem isn't with singing, the problem is with bad, pop-infected singing; the problem is that Brann, the same person who spoke in disregard of Britney Spears back in 2004, has been digging her shit for the past few years.

"Ideas Of Reference"

Artist: Psyopus

Year Of Release: 2004

Do the math yourself.

"Taste The Sin"

Artist: Black Tusk

Year Of Release: 2010

The success of bands like High On Fire and Mastodon gave enough credence to the idea of pacing up sludge that many bands started to ape that. One sole record out of the Savannah scene's numberless fast-paced sludge albums/bands that was just as flawless and classy -- more hardcore-rooted than math/prog but still close -- as early Mastodon was Black Tusk's "Taste The Sin".

"In The Arms Of God"

Artist: Corrosion Of Conformity

Year Of Release: 2005

COC's most intricate, unique effort. Highly recommended if you crave some jazzy drumming like that of Brann's on a metal record, for it is none other than Stanton Moore playing drums on this monster of an album.

"Beyond The Lightless Sky"

Artist: Hull

Year Of Release: 2011

Still underrated as fuck.

"Mother Teacher Destroyer"

Artist: The Hidden Hand

Year Of Release: 2004

"Blood Mountain" had major stoner rock vibes to it, especially considering the clean vox. I believe I even saw Troy wearing a Hidden Hand tee in one of the recording sessions.

"In The Eyes Of God"

Artist: Today Is The Day

Year Of Release: 1999

Wanna hear more of Brann's magic on drums? Today's the day.

"Fiend Without A Face"

Artist: Fiend Without A Face

Year Of Release: 1998

If you're curious to find out about the roots of Mastodon's surf-inspired curiosities that went down in metal history (e.g. 'Megalodon', 'Deep Sea Creature', 'Divinations'), you're in for a real treat.

"Deep Cuts From Dark Clouds"

Artist: 16

Year Of Release: 2012

Huge, huge punk riffs.

"Hold Your Horse Is"

Artist: Hella

Year Of Release: 2002

One of the other names considered by Brann and Bill, before they picked up Mastodon, was Satanic Rainbow. Also, Bill played in a band called Girdle, who had this one record called "Satanic Love Songs". Just saying.

"Unipsycho"

Artist: Papa Wheelie

Year Of Release: 2002

A little too stoned to catch up with one's Mastodonian definition of sludge, but still savage enough when it gets to the vox to count as a record you might wanna listen instead of Mastodon's ridiculous brand of pop metal; and yes, this is Metallica's Jason Newsted playing pissed off stoner riffs on the guitar -- wonder why people ignore his most brilliant project, Papa Wheelie? People are full of shit.

"Mammatus"

Artist: Mammatus

Year Of Release: 2006

Want psychedelia and want it dark like in "Revenge Gets Ugly" or "Crack The Skye"? Get into Mammatus.

"Transnational Speedway League"

Artist: Clutch

Year Of Release: 1993

The sonic definition of sickness; heavier than any death metal record released in the 2000's.

"Cargo"

Artist: Men At Work

Year Of Release: 1983

There were days listeners could actually go pick a pop record, and run into some music, too. This final record is for those of you who desperately want to listen to pop music and knowing Mastodon's last few records have been poppy and all, plan to buy "Once More 'Round The Sun".

Voivod - Target Earth (2013)

First let me explain that I totally loved "Infini", so I'm not going to babble how this record is a comeback or anything. Voivod's latest offering "Target Earth" is about some new blood in their sound. With their new guitarist Daniel Mongrain (of the Canadian technical death metal band Martyr) they've basically achieved a progressive wholeness, just like they did years ago in "Killing Technology". I also don't think comparing it with "Dimension Hatröss" would be proper, because it has a lot more to do with dissonant, proggy structures rather than just angular thrashy riffage. Running over 56 minutes, it's a great chunk of thrash goodness to start the year with, and yes, it does raise the expectations for any other thrash/prog metal release after it.

2012: A Sonic Apocalypse

21st of December is over and there was no apocalypse because everything about all religions is nothing but superstition and hoax. The only thing real in this world is art, and so here I am and a list of great pieces of art, released in 2012; records that the mass media overlooks, tunes that define an actual apocalypse that happened -- the sonic apocalypse. As said before in the Holy Grails Of 2011 article, 2012 seemed to be a very potent year in music from the early days, and so it was. The number of great records released this year was nearly insane. In fact, several times I came to the decision not to arrange a list at all, but since I hadn't reviewed anything in 2012, except for some records in January, it would have been a total disgrace not to write about all these fantastic albums. Anyway, the list is here, and I should also mention that like the previous year's list, this year's list isn't in any order -- which means it's all randomly arranged, and the reason to that is simply because we're talking different music, so, to compare those would be sheer idiocy.

Swans - The Seer

There is something private about Swans' latest album that makes both the fake critical acclaim and the collective element in the making of it, extremely disturbing.

Nels Cline & Elliott Sharp - Open The Door

The soundtrack to the svelte.

Van Morrison - Born To Sing No Plan B

Folk jazz delivered with elegance.

Unsane - Wreck

Five years after the release of their last album, "Visqueen", Unsane have returned with a real monster. "Wreck" conquers both of their post-2000's albums; "Blood Run" and "Visqueen", beating"Occupational Hazard", and standing on top with "Scattered, Smothered & Covered". Having been labeled as a noise rock band, the overall aesthetics to Unsane's sound and imagery have always been metal, so, although noise metal doesn't exist, you can have them as its best example.


16 - Deep Cuts From Dark Clouds

Sludge metal of the year.

Steve MacLean / Chris Cutler ‎- The Year Of The Dragon

RIO in 2012? Yes, RIO in 2012.

Evan Parker / Georg Gräwe - Dortmund Variations

Gräwe's necromantic piano work on Frisque Concordance's "Spellings" made it practically impossible for me not to check out his latest collaborative work with Evan Parker.

Bong - Mana-Yood-Sushai

Bong's most terrestrial effort to date is also the most cosmogonical piece of music I've ever listened to. Partly based on Lord Dunsany's "The Gods Of Pegāna", it transcends Om's religious roots, as well as any Greek or Norse mythology-themed work.

Merzbow - Uzu Me Ku

Gerhard Von Graevenitz manifested in the sonic realm.

Dirty Three - Toward The Low Sun

How can you possibly have a Dirty Three album released in a year and not have it in the top-albums list?

Jozef Van Wissem & Jim Jarmusch - Concerning The Entrance Into Eternity

Esoteric acid folk and drone.

Saint Vitus - Lillie F-65

Goddamn it. 33 minutes after 17 fucking years? What the hell, the junkie needs junk.

Cosa Brava ‎- The Letter

Sorrower.

Hawkwind - Onward

Finest thing they've put out since 85's "The Chronicle Of The Black Sword".

Phobia - Remnants Of Filth

Phobia are neither into the experimental sound that Brutal Truth are always trying to grasp, nor the death metal that Napalm Death fuse into their sound. Phobia is about one-hundred percent grind, right into your face.

Kanada 70 / Pacha / Hangedup & Tony Conrad - Musique Fragile Volume 02

Is there anyway to fuck the Holy Ghost?

haarp - Husks

"The Filth" saw haarp digging the grave of everything groove-related about metal, and so "Husks" was not only a continuation of that, it was the band's attempt to observe the ultimate darkness -- the desolate sonic realm that is usually overlooked by the sludge metallers. The record renders the same landscape funeral/death doom acts like Disembowelment and Thergothon try to depict, only thru a swamp.

Han Bennink / Uri Caine ‎- Sonic Boom

Comics and drama do not go well together. Tragicomedy, that's something else. And don't even think of comparing Nolan with Beckett, unless you want to prove yourself as the stupidest person on earth.

Lord Mantis - Pervertor

While their name continuously reminds me of Zorak and the lone locust of the apocalypse, locust/mantis argument with Space Ghost, what in fact drew my attention towards Lord Mantis was neither Zorak nor the band members' previous bands -- it was Justin Bartlett's fascinating artwork.

Black Bombaim - Titans

"Saturdays And Space Travels". That was great, wasn't it?

Eagle Twin - The Feather Tipped The Serpent's Scale

Who cannot remember Eagle Twin's terrific record "The Unkindness of Crows"? Really, I mean a record full of 15, 17, and 19 minute pieces of drone doom poetry doesn't just drop every single year.

John Zorn ‎- Rimbaud

Rimbaud and Zorn. No further comments needed.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

Less politics, less drama.

They Yearn For What They Fear - Eat.Work.Sleep.Die

The reason why I didn't put "The Infernal Plains" in previous year's list is still unclear to me.

Conrad Schnitzler - Endtime

While I've always felt allergic to posthumous releases in the spectrum of rock music, the Schnitzler record challenged my view, re-appearing in many of my playlists from the past year.



Karnarium - Otapamo Prałaja

Esoteric, orchestral death metal.


Buck Satan And The 666 Shooters - Bikers Welcome Ladies Drink Free

Read the review.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Two Neil Young/Crazy Horse records in one year? YES! One of them running over 1 hour and 20 minutes? YES! One of them an acid rock record akin to the "Dead Man" soundtrack and 2010's "Le Noise" with the addition of drums? YES! Three giant tracks; one running over 27 minutes, and the other two over 16 minutes? HELL YES!

Jim O'Rourke - Old News #7

Wait a moment...

Melvins - Freak Puke

There comes Trevor Dunn, making the Melvins sound twice as spooky as they've ever been (that is with"Pigs Of The Roman Empire" in mind).

Horn Of The Rhino - Grengus

Better than the new HOF? Correct.

Incantation - Vanquish In Vengeance

Read the review.

Meshuggah - Koloss

Never this concrete since "Destroy Erase Improve".

Pilgrim - Misery Wizard

Read the review.

Dragged Into Sunlight - Widowmaker

The band behind "Hatred For Mankind" sound as though they've met Christ midway in the air upon his return to earth, while on their way to purgatory.

Stephen O'Malley & Steve Noble ‎- St. Francis Duo

Noble & O'Malley? You must be joking.

Pigs - You Ruin Everything

Don't you?


Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

To break into your afternoon and steal your soul for a moment.

Floratone - Floratone II

Never mind its ugly cover, "Floratone II" is an album of beauties.


West End Motel - Only Time Can Tell

Featuring the ol Blood Vessels tune, 'Bite', among its tracklist, WEM's "Only Time Can Tell" made it quite clear that Brent has no intention of continuing with BV, and that he will most probably merge it with West End Motel. The record itself, despite being extremely short, was an impressive one.

Swarm Of Arrows - The Great Seekers Of Lesser Life

Swarm Of Arrows' selftitled EP had sounded great enough that when the band contacted me about their debut full-length "The Great Seekers Of Lesser Life", I stopped right in the middle of "Lawless" (which was by far Nick Cave's worst attempt at entering the domain of cinema. Although the idea wasn't his originally) to check it out. A clever mix of sludge, doom, and post-hardcore; their music lurks somewhere between Sweet Cobra, early Baroness, and Trouble.

Hooded Menace - Effigies Of Evil

"[Do you] know that I could hear every sound she made? That I heard her breathing in her casket? Heard her first gasps as she awoke? Her first scream of terror? Did you know that I could hear the scratching of her fingernails...on the casket lid? [You are mad!]"

Tygers Of Pan Tang - Ambush

As a huge fan of 80's NWOBHM, I had definite sex with Tygers Of Pan Tang's new record, "Ambush", also Tank's "War Nation"; however, the Tank record was more a leather metal, Saxon/Dio sort of record than the punk metal Tank that we all know from "Filth Hounds Of Hades" or "Power Of The Hunter". And sorry, I don't believe in guilty pleasures.

Goatwhore - Blood For The Master



Goatwhore's fifth full-length to date is also their finest. They've finally mastered a sound that is as death metal as it is black metal, something that they've been seeking since the release of "The Eclipse Of Ages Into Black", back in 2000.

Sons Of Otis - Seismic

As high and heavy as the mountains.

Eddie Prévost / Giancarlo Schiaffini / John Tilbury ‎- PST: Live In Rome

45 minutes of non-stop improvisation.

Asphyx - Deathhammer

Eventhough I thoroughly dig the Ron van der Pol era Asphyx, and consider the selftitled album to be one of the best death doom releases, ever; Martin van Drunen is the fucking man. He's one of the very few vocalists in death metal who can fuse intense emotions into his growls instead of just preserving a cookie monster of his own. That said, "Deathhammer" is one ruthless son of a bitch. And that means a number of things: One -- the guitars scourge and slay, and not a single attempt has been made to polish their sound during the mix. Two -- the sound of snares and cymbals make your ears bleed and Three -- the maddening growls make you cry out so loud your neighbors would think you've jumped off the roof to commit suicide.

Sardonis - II

Imagine Matt Pike not open his mouth during a High On Fire gig. I know it's fucking hard, but that's what Sardonis sound like.

Nate Hall - A Great River

Inevitable.

Soundgarden - King Animal

"King Animal" is the definition of a comeback.

Trippy Wicked & The Cosmic Children Of The Knight - Going Home

This is rock n' roll.

D.O.A. - We Come In Peace

14 tracks that top anything D.O.A. have recorded since the Jello Biafra collaboration "Last Scream of the Missing Neighbors".

Jon Mueller & James Plotkin ‎- Terminal Velocity

Only one remains.

Grave - Endless Procession Of Souls

Barely has anything to do with early 90's Grave, including "Soulless", as the title suggests.