This is by far their most personal album to date. Being a musician, I can say that I could definitely tell the difference. And this is something that I never really expected out of Mastodon. And that makes me all the more appreciative. Blood Mountain was definitely a ground-breaking and undeniably epic album, but WHY, oh WHY WITH THE COMPARISONS??!! If you want Blood Mountain, you probably still have a copy around the house, right? The same goes for the other predecessors. Stay in the now.
In my opinion, its their best album yet. That is to say that its my favorite. Already. I wasn't expecting that either. Although, I can tell you why. On certain parts of Blood Mountain and even Leviathan, I would hear these very ethereal, proggy, trippy parts (particularly in Aqua Dementia, Sleeping Giant and Pendulous Skin), and I would think, "Wow. That was interesting. I'd like to hear more of that." And Crack the Skye certainly delivered it. Right now, I had to stop typing for the Zappa-esque, poly-rhythmic breakdown in The Last Baron. I am quite glued to this album.
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