Mastodon - Hushed And Grim

Monday again, so it's time to introduce "Record Of The Week".

Over the past twenty years, Atlanta's MASTODON has proven to us that they master the craftmanship with some pretty wild adventures. Where they have given us as listeners great stories to dig into. Like the 2004's album "Leviathan" where the white whale was the main story, or the cyclops in 2007's "Blood Mountain" or Rasputin in 2009's "Crack The Skye", the walk true the desert in 2017’s "Emperor Of Sand".

The new album "Hushed And Grim" is big piece to dive into, eightyeight-minutes divded on fifteen tunes gives a overwhelming size but with a grandeur result. Im really impressed how well oiled the MASTODON machine have come to over the years. All the knowledge that is built up during all these years is realized here with all the important parts that they succeed with before, results are almost like a greatest hits if you can now say so. At least it's completely magical.

For the first time on a MASTODON album they really showcase all the three singers that gives a great mix in the songs where they cover most of the genres of thier musical experimentations, like stoner rock, doom, progressive rock and metal. "Hushed And Grim" is produced by the Canadian record producer David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, dEUS, KING CRIMSON, DREAM THEATER and FAIR TO MIDLAND among many others).

The album opens up with the progressive piece "Pain With An Anchor" where classic sound is boosted with some brutality. It's followed by the progressive metal tune "The Crux", where parts are a bit punkish. The same manner and heat can be heard in tune like "Savage Lands" and "Pushing The Tides". On the softer and withdrawn side, you get songs like the groovy "Sickle And Peace" where they offer some excellent guitar work that is so overwhelmed with details that will amaze you. Other tracks in the same vein would be "The Beast" and "Skeleton Of Splendor" where we get served some acoustic guitars and creepy mellotrons. "Teardrinker" is a big tune, could say an anthem, could be one of the strongest pieces on an already very strong album where all the tunes have such an excellent quality that you flabbergast. Tunes in the more psychedelic spring are "Dagger" and "Had It All" where the final track "Gigantium" really wraps up the bag with the flag is waving at the top. "Hushed And Grim" is an epic and very varied release that never loses an ounce of its scintillating power along the way. An album that fits in perfectly during Christmas time. When you can not bear more Christmas music, play this and everything will be fine. Nice work MASTODON!

The album also serves as a tribute to MASTODON's former manager Nick John, after his death from cancer in 2018.

Sum: "Hushed And Grim" is a magical release, get it!

Today's tune "Teardrinker", taken from the eighth studio album "Hushed And Grim", was released as a double album on October 29, 2021, through Reprise Records.



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