CRACK THE SKYE

So, I am a big fat ZERO on this album. I have heard of Mastodon and know that they were big a few years back, but they never seemed like they would appeal to me. I have a funny feeling that the Cookie Monster is going to make some guest appearances on this album. Lets check it out.

Track 1 - Oblivion

Not sure if it's a 7 string or a tuned down guitar, but the opening riff has some deep bottom notes on the guitar. Then a sudden tempo shift to a much faster tempo. The vocals are ok, so far, a little like Ozzy meets Eddie Vedder. There is a different riff under the guitar solo. Pretty good playing. It's very heavy, but not in the speed metal/death metal range on this track. Not bad.

Track 2 - Divinations

The opening phrase sounded like a banjo, then guitars join, and we get heavy. There are some screamy vocals here, but not a cookie monster growl. It's tolerable to me. Some nice harmonized guitars here and there. OK track, not as good as the opener.

Track 3 - Quintessence

Some long sustained chords first, then a riff with drum fills. I think there is more than one lead singer in the band, or at least he is able to make his voice sound different ways on different tracks. His voice gets gruff sometimes but it's not demon-growls as I was fearing. (not so far at least) This track is a bit chaotic but it's not the worst thing I have ever heard.

Track 4 - The Czar :

- i. Usurper

- ii. Escape

- iii. Martyr

- iv. Spiral

A four part suite at just under 10 minutes long. Organ starts us off here, the first keyboards I have noticed on the album. Guitars and the rhythm section join in, to be later joined by chant-like vocals. So far, this is my favorite sounding track on the album. It reminds me of late 60s/early 70s heavy proto-prog bands. OK, part ii must've just started, because we return to a more modern metal sound. Still pretty good though. I can't really find a band to compare them to; they truly have their own sound. Part iii starts out more mellow, but then we get big riffs again. It shifts to a half-time feel though not long after. It keeps that feel for the guitar solo. Not certain where it morphed into part iv, but so far this is the best track on the album.

Track 5 - Ghost of Karelia

Lots of shifting meters on the opening to this track; the first time I have noticed this happening on the album. They really have a mix of classic metal (like Sabbath) and more modern sounding metal. It's really heavy, but never crosses into the unlistenable realm for me. This one has a very fast tempo throughout most of it. The vocals are gruff again, but not the Cookie Monster. A long sustained chord mixed with synth closes out the track.

Track 6 - Crack the Skye

The title track is one of the shorter ones on the album. The intro has a mix of clean & distorted guitars at a mid tempo supported by the rhythm section. Then we have a big riff for a but then the closest thing to Cookie Monster vocals I've heard. Too bad, because I really like the instrumental parts, and backing vocals. I even hear some either electric piano or glockenspiel following the guitar solo section. It gets a bit chaotic near the end. If this had come out while I was in high school, I might have liked it more.

Track 7 - The Last Baron

The closing epic which clocks in at just over 13 minutes. We have a mix of distorted and clean guitars, and heavy drumming with bass backing the vocals, which are sung in harmony. The feel changes temporarily at around 2:30. At around 3:20 we get a faster riff with a lot of drumming. The bass has yet to stand out for me, it's there but not prominent. This track is very busy, kind of exhausting. There are some cool riffs here and there, but the music doesn't breathe enough for my tastes. I like the riff at around 8:30, it has a bit of a groove to it. The music finally breathes around 9:15, as they go to a mid tempo section. Things kind of chill at the end with some keyboard sounds closing out the album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I can see why people like this band/album. They do have some skill and would definitely appeal to a METAL audience. I, however, am not their audience. I loved what metal was in the 70s & 80s, but I like only certain bands that have come along since then. Of course, I have made it well-known that I love most Dream Theater. But for me, they are prog first and metal second. The goal is not to be super heavy, its to write great songs in a symphonic prog way that have some metal elements. This album, to me, was NOT that. This was a metal album first with some prog elements. I didn't hate it, and particularly liked track 4. (The title track was my least favorite.) I liked the album more than I thought I might, but most of it still wasn't really for my tastes. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Clicked 3, but really 3.5.