• Record Label: Reprise
  • Release Date: Sep 27, 2011
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Negative: 0 out of 29
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  1. Kerrang!
    Nov 15, 2011
    100
    The Hunter is an album in which to lose yourself. [24 Sep 2011, p.52]
  2. Q Magazine
    Nov 8, 2011
    100
    The Hunter represents them at both their most concise and their thrilling best. [Nov. 2011, p. 135]
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Sep 28, 2011
    91
    Those hybrids mutate awesomely, creating one burly, beastly adrenaline spike. [30 Sep 2011, p.74]
  4. Oct 11, 2011
    90
    The Hunter is an example of how to crossover without selling out--something Metallica never learned--and no matter how many copies it sells, this is the mainstream heavy rock album of the year.
  5. Oct 5, 2011
    90
    From start to finish, The Hunter is a collection of songs that inadvertently expands their repertoire and capabilities while they turn off their heads and let their fingers tell the story.
  6. Oct 5, 2011
    90
    The shorter form of most of the songs (none longer than five and a half minutes) means that you rocket through The Hunter at what feels like breakneck speed, strapped to an intergalactic, pyrotechnic rollercoaster of awesome.
  7. Sep 26, 2011
    90
    The Hunter is a pitch for the mainstream--but it doesn't compromise on Mastodon's core ambition.
  8. Sep 22, 2011
    90
    The band stand undiminished, combining Leviathan's raging metal with the sterling production of the proggier Crack The Skye.
  9. Sep 28, 2011
    88
    The Hunter, their finest album yet, is proof enough.
  10. Sep 27, 2011
    83
    Hinds hasn't delivered a logical sequel to Crack The Skye, but The Hunter triumphs in a less profound, more immediate way: It's the first truly fun Mastodon album.
  11. Nov 29, 2011
    80
    It's Apocalypse a-go-go for the Georgia gentlemen. Go with them.
  12. Oct 7, 2011
    80
    While their last four records loosely represented the four classical elements of water, earth, fire and air, The Hunter has no obvious thematic through line, and yet its 13 tracks make for a plenty cohesive listen.
  13. The Hunter is another polarizing yet captivating (and incredibly fun) effort from one of the most talented bands in modern metal.
  14. Sep 29, 2011
    80
    A delicately fingerpicked intro gives way to an expansive soundscape that, more than anywhere else on The Hunter, brings the band's mastery of dynamics to the surface before culminating in a pair of colossal solos that are among the most intense Hinds has ever ripped.
  15. Sep 27, 2011
    80
    The Hunter is the album that shows that as long as Mastodon stay true to their selves, they have the creative wherewithal to not only endure but keep themselves in the spotlight for years and years to come.
  16. Sep 27, 2011
    80
    Mainly, though, The Hunter demonstrates how contemporary radio rock can still be made with imagination, precision and a majestic sense of force.
  17. Sep 26, 2011
    80
    It's an album that doesn't really need to peak, as it never promises a thing it can't back up, boldly and loudly.
  18. Sep 23, 2011
    80
    As a first stab in the direction of avant-garde pop-metal, The Hunter is pretty damn compelling.
  19. Sep 22, 2011
    80
    The Hunter, with its monstrous choruses, powerful percussion and jaw-on-the-floor fret-work, is sure to connect with anyone who's previously rocked out to their wares just as easily as it will absolute beginners.
  20. Sep 22, 2011
    80
    Gone are the 13-minute multipart epics--the longest track here is just five and a half--yet there's a depth and darkness about The Hunter.
  21. Oct 12, 2011
    79
    Yeah, sometimes you can't even hear the lyrics, and when you do they don't make sense (although that's improving by album). But the music is endearing, and most of the time spectacular and that's a great feature to have in any rock band.
  22. Sep 30, 2011
    75
    I do miss the grit, heavy-lifting, and larger excavations of their earlier work--nothing merits tossing around the word "epic" here--but what they do, and what they've become, is fascinating.
  23. Sep 26, 2011
    75
    If not quite as mind-blowing as its best work, The Hunter provides a solid summation of Mastodon's musical range.
  24. Oct 5, 2011
    70
    Rather than play into expectations and write 12 15-minute songs about H.P. Lovecraft or the Dead Sea Scrolls, Atlanta's finest created a more-than-decent metal record.
  25. There are a few radio-friendly moments. Happily, they're so sufficiently steeped in classic rawk that songs like 'Curl Of The Burl' don't sound like cynical stabs.
  26. Nov 23, 2011
    60
    Overall, this album is sure to divide opinion on the band and its future; it will more than likely continue to raise Mastodon's star higher in the sky, enough to get the non-metalheads interested, but not enough to pull the group completely out of the sludge where it belongs and where it works best.
  27. Uncut
    Oct 18, 2011
    60
    The Hunter feels purposely immediate. [Nov 2011, p.93]
  28. Oct 3, 2011
    55
    It trades the organ liquidating power of Crack the Skye for a collection of songs that sound as much like a B-sides compilation as a new LP.
  29. Oct 6, 2011
    52
    Mastodon's most accessible album to date finds the ATL-iens as unfocused as ever--and out of gas.
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 96 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 96
  2. Negative: 3 out of 96
  1. Sep 27, 2011
    10
    The fact that this band tried something so different so confidently this late in their career, at the apex of their commercial success, provesThe fact that this band tried something so different so confidently this late in their career, at the apex of their commercial success, proves that they are the most creative band of the genre. This is really good stuff. Some of the songs require a second listen to really dig, but you will be rewarded for your patience. There is also some strange stuff on here, Creature Lives for example, but its still very good. We're dealing with our generation's ZepFloydRush people. Enjoy the ride. Full Review »
  2. Oct 4, 2011
    10
    Ignore any inner hipsterism and just enjoy this album even if you think it sounds too radio-friendly for your pretentious ears. The Hunter isIgnore any inner hipsterism and just enjoy this album even if you think it sounds too radio-friendly for your pretentious ears. The Hunter is an excellent album that really deserves more credit than it's gotten so far, which is saying a lot considering it's received largely positive reviews. I love this LP's meshing of elements found in all types of rock music. It's truly a wonderfully experimental yet cohesive effort and I applaud it. One of my favorite releases from this year, without a doubt. Full Review »
  3. Sep 27, 2011
    8
    A very solid album. Some of the songs are a bit more straight forward than previously seen from Mastodon, but nonetheless there isn't really aA very solid album. Some of the songs are a bit more straight forward than previously seen from Mastodon, but nonetheless there isn't really a 'bad' song on the album. I don't think they "lost" any of the aggression they used to have, but rather chose to downplay it for a slightly different approach. I enjoy it thoroughly. Standout songs are "Stargasm" and "The Hunter". Keep an open mind and enjoy the album. Full Review »