Mastodon’s Divinations: The Epitome of Badassery

***

Editor’s Note: Rockworms is glad to have Sean Anderson back with us and writing reviews again!  Did you know that Rockworms is open to all writers? Just Register for your username and a password will be emailed to you! Then log in, and start writing like Sean did!

***

Well, now that the body spasms and ear orgasms have subsided for the time being, I’m going to take the time to seriously review Mastodon’s latest single, “Divinations”.

First, a brief background on the band. Mastodon is based in Atlanta, GA and have released 4 studio albums to date. They started as a very raw, screaming force of sludge metal. Not appealing to most listeners, but they gained a solid fanbase early on. Their first “breakthrough” album would have to be “Leviathan”, which pushed boundries of progressive metal and story-telling. They are most likely the first band (or at least the first well-known band) to pull-off an album based entirely on the myths and stories surrounding Moby Dick and not get made fun of. It still has that “sludgey” sound they became known for, but the riffs seemed more focused and deliberate. In 2006 they released their critically acclaimed album “Blood Mountain” and won Metal Album of the Year. This album to date has been the most sonically impressive and well arranged album I’ve heard from any modern metal band ever. Everything from the catchy, heavy riffs, to the sweet and smooth bass slides, the tribal-sounding vocals, and of course their famous award-winning jazz drummer Brann Dailor ripping on his kit, Mastodon seemingly laid all their cards on the table for their new label, Warner. I listen to that album nearly everyday and it still hasn’t gotten old to me. I’ve wondered to myself if they’ll ever be able to top themselves. And so comes “Divinations”, the single off of their upcoming album “Crack the Skye”.

The record was produced by Brendon O’Brian, who is most famous for working for Bruce Springsteen among other mega artists known worldwide. They met Brendon through Max Weinberg’s(the drummer from Conan O’Brian and Bruce Springsteen, ironically) son who came backstage to one of their shows and befriended the band. The band had a lot of fun writing and putting this album together, which they claim came together effortlessly. And it shows. “Crack the Skye” is easily coming along to be their Magnum Opus, their greatest work to date, and probably the greatest metal album of our time, all fanboy bias aside.

“Divinations” is an excellent title for this track. The overall feel is very spaced-out and the opening riff (played on a banjo… only mastodon could pull that off) sounds like something straight from the sitars of India. After a few measures, the famous Les Paul of Brent Hinds kicks in with a harmonizing riff, with Brann already going nuts on the hi-hat. The rhythm and bass smash in a very staccato manner, matching chords in a lower octave. Brann at this point is already pulling off his wicked awesome drum rolls and fills he’s made himself famous for. A 3rd harmonizing part starts off in the distance to the left shortly before the song finally crescendos into probably one of the sickest riffs I’ve ever heard Mastodon play. I contend that the verse is more catchy than the chorus itself. It’s got a solid rock’n'roll gallop, but with their signature heavy sound. It’s just natural impulse to start banging your head like a madman and throw up the horns m/ at this point. Don’t try and stop your body, just go with it. One huge difference you may notice with this song (and hopefully the album too) is that Brent is actually singing and not screaming his balls off. Both him and Troy(bass) have a distinct vocal style that you simply wont find in any other metal or hard rock band. The chorus comes in seamlessly with no break in the serious momentum built up to this point. Troy takes over the vocals for the chorus belting out:

“No escape;
Binding spirits.
No escape;
Trapped in Time Space.”

This lyric really adds to the already erie, spaced out sound of the track, giving you a real sense of flying through space and having no control over where your spirit is traveling. After the chorus it rolls right into the verse riff, keeping the momentum going. There’s no stopping now. After the second extended chorus, the bridge that they play is the epitome of badassery. I’m not sure quite how to explain it even, its something you really must hear for yourself. The rhythm guitarist, Bill, lets his inner wolf loose (Blood Mountain reference intended) on his guitar with a tone that is like something you’d hear in an old Bond film, or a Beach Boys song, or that famous great single “Secret Agent Man”. But he’s playing so fast all you’re hearing is “danananananananananananan