Summary:A man sent to die in the desert is the concept behind the seventh full-length release from the Atlanta progressive metal band that was produced by Brendan O'Brien.
While Emperor of Sand is amongst their heaviest, proggiest material to date, it’s also the quartet at their most emotionally bare. Mastodon have dug deep into their darkest moments and have surfaced with one of the best albums of their career.
Drawing as much from their past as well as their present, Mastodon refuse to go extinct just shy of two decades of music-making. Emperor of Sand is at once emotionally powerful and musically arresting.
While it won’t fill the void left all those years ago in the mighty Leviathan’s wake and features a few gratingly saccharine moments, Emperor of Sand is full of passionate performances and serves as one of Mastodon’s most surprising and relatable releases yet
Emperor Of Sand is both progressive and regressive, as Mastodon takes two different parts of its past and slaps them together. And while it occasionally works, more often than not Mastodon just sounds confused.
Emperor of Sand, no doubt, is Mastodon's most captive and emotional album yet. The melodies are dense, the riffs furious, epic refrains, deepEmperor of Sand, no doubt, is Mastodon's most captive and emotional album yet. The melodies are dense, the riffs furious, epic refrains, deep lyrics and stellar vocals, a perfect balance of melancholy beauty and euphoric apex. The ambiences of the songs are cinematographic, it feels like in the arid desert, or you come across a sandstorm and then plunge into a river of crystal clear water, although it is only a mirage. The choruses are the best already composed by the band, but despite containing a dense emotional level and an imbued melancholy, they manage to interact with more tense passages, full of anger and anguish, and even happy melodies that pass on a post-traumatic hope. It is a sum of elements that culminates in an epic and memorable work.…Expand
Incredibly melodious for Mastodon, but much heavier in my ears than Once More and especially The Hunter. The combination that just works.Incredibly melodious for Mastodon, but much heavier in my ears than Once More and especially The Hunter. The combination that just works. Sultan's Curse just might be my favourite here, wonderful opener. Show Yourself is the most polarising song here, with the beginning just not being Mastodonish enough. In the middle section however, the song has some pretty good heavy riffs. Steambreather crushes you with monstrous riff while Roots Remain has amazing melodies and is lyrically my favourite here, really shows the helplessness and supports both the storyline and the cancer theme well. I'll also mention Andromeda and Jaguar God as the highlights of the second half of the album, although I think all the songs from the beginning to the end are great. Consistent album, and although it didn't drastically change their sound (Mastodon still Mastodons as before), it did add the melodious flavour to their music.…Expand
Epic album, very diverse in sound but at the same time quite consistent with previous Mastodon work. A beast of an album that surpasses bothEpic album, very diverse in sound but at the same time quite consistent with previous Mastodon work. A beast of an album that surpasses both The Hunter and Once More 'Round The Sun while also reviewing the sounds explored before. Every song is a highlight on its own and in the big picture.…Expand
The band's heaviness looks it's appearing here. Mastodon returns making concept album since sensational Crack the Skye. Mixing melodies soThe band's heaviness looks it's appearing here. Mastodon returns making concept album since sensational Crack the Skye. Mixing melodies so present in The Hunter, the band's beginning lapse of weight, interesting concept, vocal melodies, makes this album more worthwhile than its predecessor.…Expand
Making an album the central conceit of which is the tragedy of cancer is a daunting task, and one which requires incredible spirit lest theMaking an album the central conceit of which is the tragedy of cancer is a daunting task, and one which requires incredible spirit lest the music sputter into the darkly maudlin or nervously laughable. Yet Mastodon have taken to the pedals and the reels and have released just such a record.
Listeners will find that Emperor of Sand contains songs which echo both the massive sludge sound of Mastodon's Remission days and the trippy progginess of their later years. While some may not find this dichotic presentation appealing, the rendering is necessary for the narrative the record is presenting. The passage of time and life are almost palpable: from the opener, Sultan's Curse, up to Scorpion Breath, one is witness to an end. Yet it is in Jaguar God, the final track, that the threads connect, giving a sort of bitter yet welcome catharsis.
At their best, Mastodon make heavy metal records that encourage the listener to read the lyrics of the songs, not just for purposes of doing an abrasive take on karaoke, but to get into the story, and Emperor of Sand brings to the fore the very elements which have given the group a glutinous following of not just pure metalheads, but fantasy and sci-fi nerds as well. Predominantly heavy riffing, complex drumming, and the three vocalmeisters in good form make this record memorable; the return to highfalutin concepts make it an instant classic. This is the finest they have produced since Crack the Skye, and the most poignant the group has fashioned.
Metal has a soul, and it's almost like literature.…Expand
This review contains spoilers.
Emperor of Sand is the 7th album by Mastodon, which tries to improve their convincing song-craft, which they have built since "The Hunter". As a fan of "Once more for the sun" I was excited to see if they could get it and improve their "new style" even more. Unhappy that this has not happened, the album is catchy and the abstract songwriting around the cancer-oriented album theme and technical instrumentals, make the album still solid and pleasant. The only problem I have with this album is that it feels worse than "Once More Around The Sun" cause of to edgy songs like "Show Yourself"
Best Songs: Steambreather, Jaguar God, Word to the Wise
Worst Songs:Show Yourself, Clandestiny
Recommendations: I would recommend this Album defnetly for Fans of Mastodon and Metal and Rock listeners. its also a good get-into Album just like "The Hunter" and could even appeal to people who dont usually listen to Metal.…Collapse
It sounds like a tribute album - dedicated to this wicked cool band - called Mastodon - but I don't know what garbage band made THIS album -It sounds like a tribute album - dedicated to this wicked cool band - called Mastodon - but I don't know what garbage band made THIS album - SmashMouthdodon?…Expand
