There’s been a lot of talk of pop-metal, something conjured up entirely among music journalists who think metal can ever be pop. They are claiming that American progressive/sludge band Mastodon is one such act, becoming increasingly accessible and mainstream, as witnessed on their new album Once More ‘Round The Sun . Although that’s another debate altogether, Mastodon do go the hard rock/heavy metal way on Once More ‘Round The Sun , which is produced by Nick Raskulinecz, best known for his work with bands such as Alice In Chains and other major rock bands. Drummer Brann Dailor has mentioned how they never want to make any record to sound like their past ones, and this album does exactly that. Sure, there are the familiar grand, chunky, psychedelic riffs from Bill Kelliher and Brent Hinds and bassist-vocalist Troy Sanders’ conspicuous raspy vocals, but the arrangement definitely isn’t as ornate as their 2009 prog metal masterpiece Crack The Skye and the riffs are more catchier, like their last album The Hunter , but less hard-hitting than their early hits such as ‘Iron Tusk’ and ‘March of the Fire Ants’.
Thematically, there’s no concept as trippy and well-drawn as their 2006’s Blood Mountain and their 2009 album Crack The Skye , but the band concerns themselves with something even more metaphysical – the entire cycle of touring, releasing albums and being away from their families.
Rockstar problems, these are not. Songs like ‘The Motherload’, ‘Aunt Lisa’ (featuring a cheerleader chant from fellow-Atlanta rockers The Coathangers) and the title track ‘Once More ‘Round The Sun’ deal with personal conundrums, which the band doesn’t actually detail, but puts enough emotion into for fans to relate to.
But when you’ve got the best choruses on the first five songs on the album, it’s not surprising that the album dips at some point. ‘Asleep In The Deep’ and ‘Feast Your Eyes’ bore on repeated listens, when it becomes evident that Mastodon are just repeating the same riffs one time too many. They churn out another catchy song with ‘Halloween’, but there’s little to keep listeners hooked after that. Once More ‘Round The Sun isn’t entirely inspired or uninspiring, but it won’t hold the attention of even the best fans in its eleven-track entirety.
