Overview
Mastodon’s fifth studio album “The Hunter” was released September 27, 2011 from Reprise and Roadrunner Records. This album was recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California and Doppler Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. This album features their singles “Black Tongue”, “Curl of the Burl”, and “Dry Bone Valley”.
Mastodon’s album “The Hunter” is a very optimistic album with a solid layer of positivity etched into it. It is a departure from the more grim and harsh sounds of their earlier albums, yet they continue to up their skills all around and really add in a lot of progressive elements as well.
Song Analysis
The album starts off with “Black Tongue” which begins with such a catchy guitar riff pulling you in, joined by pounding drums. The groove created by the song urges you to swing your head along. The rhythm created by the drums combined with the riffs are so catchy throughout the whole song. I think this is a great start to the album and it has definitely grown on me over time.
With such an iconic beginning, “Curl of the Burl” heavily emanates the vibe I love getting from a lot of these progressive, stoner bands. I love a lot of the pastoral and nomadic imagery that is often included.
I killed a man ’cause he killed my goat
I put my hands around his throat
He tried to reason with the sky and the clouds
But it didn’t matter, ’cause they can’t hear a sound”
I kind of enjoy how threatening these words are hahaha. This song has a really hard-ass vibe that feels light and fun at the same time. We are led out of the song with the sounds of fading distorted guitar.
“Blasteroid” starts off with guitar riffs so catchy, sprinkled in with drums. The drums start picking up the pace to lead into the beginning of the vocals. The riffs feel so optimistic, but funny enough the words are pretty tough and take no shit:
Change your hair, change your clothes
I’ll rearrange your face for you
If you can breathe when I am through
I’ll give it all right back to you”
I love how angry the words are amidst the positivity I feel from the guitars and upbeat drumming. This song feels really good to listen to and makes me feel joy while simultaneously ready to fight, 10 out of 10.
I love the way “Stargasm” begins. It starts with such an incredible movement back and forth, making me feel as if I am floating. Then suddenly the song shifts, the drumming picks up along with everything else and the vocals join in. Half way through I love how the composition chills out a little bit when they sing:
And then we shift into overdrive
But you’re not here
And your legs and the stars collide
You’re on fire
You’re on fire
You’re on fire
You’re on fire”
The drums have this really epic beat layered with the soothing sounds of the guitar makes me feel like I am leaving the orbit of planet Earth. We are left floating out of this song into the next one.
Again with the optimistic themes, “Octopus Has No Friends” begins with these happy and powerful riffs layered with pounding drums. The instrumentals sound crazy and hard for my little brain to decipher. The craziness of the guitars sound great with the craziness of the drums. The combined vocals effort is also very complimentary with how different the vocal styles are and how well they fit together.
“All the Heavy Lifting” start with really heavy guitars joined with pounding drums. The vocals come in along with the thickened sounds of the bass. I do love the words of the chorus and the way they are sung:
Just close your eyes
And pretend like everything’s fine
Just close your eyes
I’ll tell you when”
I don’t know the intended significance of them, but for me they feel like a reminder that sometimes it is better to remain blissfully ignorant through pain. The middle of the song there are these interesting guitar moments layered with unique and complex drums. I love the transition from this instrumental passage to when the vocals sing:
We didn’t come this far
Just to run away
Just ahead
We will hear the sound
The sound that gives us
A brand new day”
These words are great, they remind me of how hard life is and to remind yourself how far you’ve come, you’ve gone too far to give up. Keep on going and it will all be worth it soon. Overall the meaning I take from the lyrics are sometimes you have to pretend nothing is wrong or ignore the bad things because you will be somewhere great someday and those things will cease to exist.
The title track, “The Hunter”, starts off gently with light guitars sprinkled together, the drums and bass come in gradually and gently. The instrumentals start picking up and the vocals enter in. As the song progresses, the instrumentals get stronger and stronger. Half way through enters in a guitar solo layered over the vocals, then continuing after the vocal passage as well. The way the song progressively builds upon itself feels very powerful. The songs ends with some shredding over the chill drum beat.
“Dry Bone Valley” starts off with a sharp distorted guitar sound and eventually but abruptly enters in booming drums and other layers of guitars and bass. This transitions into a nice groove as the vocals enter in. This song ends pretty suddenly with quick guitar riffs leading us out with a nice drum rhythm.
With such sweet opening riffs, the beginning of “Thickening” leads into sultry guitar work, alternating between the two different styles. The drums compliment the guitars so well. I love this opening. The instrumental passage covers about half the song, then a buildup leads us into gentle, yet distorted singing before the intensity increases. Eventually we run into some nice guitar solos. We are led out of the song with guitar themes that are complimentary to the beginning.
“Creature Lives” begins with some unique sounds and what seems to be evil laughter. This continues for a while and just before the halfway point, some calm and uplifting guitars and bass start to play and the drums slowly come in, producing a lot of buildup. The vocals come in very prominently, the instrumentals pausing before bursting forth again with a lot of positive energy. This song ends with the sounds of big kitty purrrrrrrrrs.
The intense “Spectrelight” has such a dark and heavy intro, with crazy guitars and pounding drums along with harsh vocals. Half way through there are some pretty grim guitar sounds before we are led into a heavily distorted solo. The song manages to get more and more chaotic at the end which we follow the song out with intense drumming and guitars.
Starting off the song with such neat arpeggiating “Bedazzled Fingernails” has such neat arpreggiating guitars to start off the song. Eventually the vocals come in quiet and strong, before stepping up the intensity. I do love how the words “Lay me down / Stand my ground” are sung, it sounds so strong. The arpreggiating guitars continue throughout the song and it sounds so rad. The song end with the level of lunacy of the instrumentals increased.
Finishing off the album, “The Sparrow” begins with beautiful layered acoustic and electric guitars eventually being joined by the increasing sounds of the drums. This song sounds so sentimental and moody. The vocals come in, voices layered together singing “Pursue happiness with diligence”. I love those words because no one can make your life happen for you the way you want it. Half way through, the level of intensity increases in the instrumentals, seeming to add more intention to the words. The composition shifts a few times, the words “Pursue happiness with diligence” repeating again. The song finishes with the instrumentals slowly fading out, and the words “Pursue happiness with diligence” repeating one last time. I think it is a great way to end such a positive and optimistic album.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoy this album and it has grown on me more and more as time has passed. Often I think it can be easy for people to just want to hear metal that is overly heavy without many positive themes. I loved how this album balanced the heaviness along with positivity. It felt great to listen to! What did you think?
Great album! Love your review!