Mastodon
"Emperor of Sand"
(Reprise (ASTERISK)(ASTERISK)(ASTERISK))
Metal purists are like country purists. The debate is about remaining true to the cause. Are bands keeping it sludgy _ or twangy _ enough to please old-school fans? Or are they selling out by rendering the music too easily digestible, hawking their wares to the mainstream? On "Emperor of Sand," Atlanta heavy-hitters Mastodon skillfully walk both sides of the line. The pummeling prog-rockers with three singers _ guitarist Brent Hinds, bassist Troy Sanders and drummer Brann Dailor _ return to the concept album approach. The songs are linked by a narrative about a lone warrior wandering the wasteland after being handed a death sentence by a desert tyrant ("Sultan's Curse") as the sands of time fall through the hourglass and lead us all towards our ultimate demise. There's plenty of time-signature switching, precision playing, and intricate riffage, but also inviting melodic choruses that could almost pass for pop hooks. And though the story line might seem a mere exercise in heavy rock fixation with scary-seeming mythology, note that the album was recorded while several people close to the band were battling cancer and guitarist Bill Kelliher's mother died of a brain tumor, and the narrative about the struggle to survive intentionally resonates beyond its literal story line.
_Dan DeLuca
