THE HUNTER

'The Hunter' is what happens when Mastodon attempt to fit their avant-garde progressive metal sound within the structure of a pop song - the result is an unexpected, flamboyant and forward-thinking metal album that feels boundary-less as much as it is heavy, angular and unorthodox in its delivery. What many treat as a somewhat limp follow-up to the beloved 'Crack the Skye', is in reality a refreshing offering full of fantastic ideas and crammed with memorable hooks, gorgeous and invigorating riffs as well as some truly wonderful vocal work from all four band members, all special ingredients you could only get within the courts of Mastodon. Abandoning their more conceptual side, the Atlanta-based quarter instead focus on a more song-oriented style of writing on what seems to be their no-rules album.

The accessible edge of the music is actually rather brilliantly interwoven within the gnarly riffs and fast-paced rhythms, and as a "typical" Mastodon album, there is an abundancy of raw power, majestic playing and dazzling drum fills, with the band delivering several tracks that actually have a very strong commercial potential - 'Black Tongue', 'Blasteroid' and 'Curl of the Burl, definitely among the highlights on here. And with each band member involved in the writing process, this album is perhaps the band's most eclectic release to date, inspired by their sludge and avant-garde metal roots, the progressive aspect still prevails and the unexpected twists and tuns are all over the place. Just hear the psychedelic chants on 'Stargasm' or the ardent 'Dry Bone Valley', later on followed by the wicked tracks 'Spectrelight' and 'Bedazzled Fingernails'. A fine contrast is achieved by the more acoustic, mellow title track and 'The Sparrow', both lovely pieces. Overall, 'The Hunter' is an excellent album that has a bit of everything and should be a satiating listen for fans of many different genres of contemporary music.