Mastodon - Crack The Skye

[DownTheSky]

Crack The Skye - This is when things get REALLY progy. The album is another concept album story. This time, the story is much more elaborate. In the shortest way I can explain it, it's about this quadriplegic boy who learns how to separate his soul from his body, but, he flies too close to the sun when hes out of his body and it burns his golden umbilical cord that keeps him from drifting off. He begins to drift off into space, but, gets sucked into a wormhole where he explains to the spirits that he's not dead. They send him to Czarist era Russia where cultists are performing a divination. He ends up in the body of Rasputin. He explains to Rasputin his situation, but, then Czarina warns Rasputin that he's going to be assassinated. Instead of avoiding this, Rasputin goes to his assassination destination so that he can guide the boy back to his body. After he dies, they fly between heaven and hell where Satan intercepts them and takes them to hell. They escape and its assumed they either make it to his body or stay in space forever. The album is also generally based around the element of Ether. Sorry, I had to explain that whole thing. This album is much less heavy than their previous work. It has a bit of a softer, creepy class rock feel to it in a way, but, it's still metal. There's many more guitar solos, practically in every song. The music is also slower paced and uses powerful clean vocals with perfectly executed guitar parts instead of thrashing riffs and harsh vocals. It's not something you headbang the whole way through, but, you have to sit down and listen to it carefully to enjoy it. This is also my favorite album of all time and what I think is Mastodon's best album. Must listens are Oblivion[1], The Czar[4] and The Last Baron[7]

Was watching this and I thought: Why the hell not. Somebody else might like it. If you've got some time to spare and nothing to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grm8j4fnNIU

 

[Malfeas]

I like their later work much more than their earlier releases. Their albums have become more melodic and the vocals have improved. I like heavy metal but dislike all the grunting/screaming metal bands. I like Crack the Skye most of all their albums.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I saw Mastodon when they were touring with Opeth and Ghost, and by their third song I was bored out of my mind. They suck.