Album Review: Mastodon "Once More 'Round The Sun"

2 1/2 out of 5 

If you told me in high school when I was listening to Mastodon's first album, the perfectly brutal "Remission", that a decade later they would be a hook-driven, hard-rock butt-baby on a major label I would've called you retarded because these guys made heavy music for people who liked heavy music, not melodic hard-rock for people who listen to the local Clear Channel's "Rock" station. But here we are, six albums deep (the fourth for a major) and I'm still confused as each song blurs into the next. I don't think I'm wrong when I say that Mastodon shouldn't be classified as "Heavy-Metal" anymore. This album and their last, 2011's fart-fest "The Hunter" fall somewhere between hard-pop-rock (think Foo Fighters circa 2005) and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"-era Yes (less Prog, more marketable single). As where "The Hunter" was a sloppy attempt to turn the band into a cleaner, streamlined pop-rock band complete with Maroon 5's producer on board, "Once More 'Round The Sun" at certain moments hints at the Mastodon of yesteryear, if only in brief glimpses. Thankfully the band used some common sense and turned to producer Nick Raskulinecz who recently produced Ghost's amazing second album "Infestissumam", so even if they glow from the major league sheen they've acquired since being called up, it's much less polished than their previous effort. Opener "Tread Lightly" has a gallopy feel that is reminiscent of their earlier sound and would fit nicely on "Leviathan" if it were a smidge dirtier, while the first single (and annoying catchy) "High Road" has a harmony filled soaring chorus that definitely left Arcade Fire jealous somewhere. In fact a majority of the songs here are very melodic, very catchy and yes, even "pretty". I mean, who doesn't hear a perfect three-part harmony and go, "Oh, that's nice"? And there are harmonies in abundance. When I finished my first listen through I found myself comparing Mastodon to Crosby, Stills & Nash. But as hard as I can rag on them for making songs that appeal to a broader base of people instead of just metal enthusiasts, I have to admit that they do it in a uniquely Mastodon way: the guitar work is intricate without being self-absorbed showboating and when they feel like turning up volume it's pleasantly crunchy. Even though "Once More 'Round The Sun" isn't a game changer, it does showcase their unquestionable talent with songwriting. It's just kind of boring.