Something metal this way cometh

Mastodon - Crack The Skye | 4/5

Unifying themes are rare in a metal album, rarer still when they’re as abstract as Water (2004’s Moby Dick inspired Leviathan) or, in this case, Czarist Russia. This is exactly why Mastodon are amazing. They make interesting, intelligent and, crucially, excellent music about Czarist Russia. It really does seem like the skye they’re trying to crack is about the limit to what they can do.

Despite this, there is no pretension about them. True, staple metal techniques like slow build crescendos ending in mayhem are very much in evidence here. But when you blend these with near-perfect instrumentation and lyrics that are not only insightful but vivid (“the fire’s dancing in the silvery sea of breath” is my favourite, but give me an hour and I’ll have found another one) you get something truly special.

Standout moments are difficult to pick, but lead single Divinations is immaculate. Its creepy banjo intro has barely electrocuted your brain before the verses thunder through, dragging behind them a chorus that promises “no escape”, not that you’d want one.

Troy Sanders’ Cornell-lite vocals do sometimes grate, but his harmonies with Brent Hinds are all over this album (the aforementioned chorus is a prime example), and they’ll do just fine. He also has the rarest of things in metal singers; the twin abilities to emote without sounding over-earnest and roar without sounding cartoon-ish. Scott Kelly (Neurosis) guests on the title tack

Mastodon’s growth over albums is phenomenal, but not in a self-conscious we’re-trying-to-change-so-we’re-not-stereotyped way. Mastodon change because they feel they’ve gotten everything they can out of a sound and don’t need to stick with it any more. If you were expecting more of the same, you’ve come to the wrong album. If, however, you want something truly deserving of that most overused of words; epic, then this is for you.