Couple of tracks out off this now.
The only original track on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqh_9g_UgI0
And a cover of Orion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKYbXVnakIs
Ha, sorry, total oversell; the whole thing has been streaming since the 11th!
Aw man, this is on it too: the intro from the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie! Quality...
https://youtu.be/wS5niV3vjKw
Are the songs re-recorded? Had that cover of Orion years ago and it was great, came on a Metal Hammer (I think) CD with covers of everything off MoP. Don't remember the rest so that's probably not a good sign. The Aqua Teen Hunger Force song is unreal
I think they've just been remastered. Like, in a way the release is no great shakes, just a way of collecting them all into one place I suppose.
Shame they didn't stick Deathbound on it, but it's a decent collection, although they haven't put out anything yet I didnt like
Listened to Orion a few days ago and there's little that would excite me about it. Very dry, pro toolsy vibe off it. Maybe it sits better in the wider release?
Usually cover songs like that are just done for compilations so I doubt much time goes into them, the covers of the two non-metal artists (Feist and The Flaming Lips) are more interesting imo.
Will be interesting to hear the next album, I enjoyed Cold Dark Place a lot actually so I'd like to hear more weird Brent Hinds stuff but he seems pretty disengaged from the rest of the band the last few years it seems like.
Quote from: Pedrito on September 14, 2020, 10:02:10 PM
Listened to Orion a few days ago and there's little that would excite me about it. Very dry, pro toolsy vibe off it. Maybe it sits better in the wider release?
Not really, it's just an odds and ends thing.
White Walkers is a cool song for what it is.
Cold Dark Place was a great release, got more mileage out of it than Emperor of Sand.
Cold Dark Place is a class record no doubt about it :abbath:
Quote from: Squigs on September 15, 2020, 11:30:48 AM
White Walkers is a cool song for what it is.
Cold Dark Place was a great release, got more mileage out of it than Emperor of Sand.
Given the fanboy you are I'm surprised by that. Though Emperor of Sand was great, although I could've done with less of the extra little percussive dings dongs and shakers. They are constant throughout.
It's moreso I haven't revisited it quite as much as I have Cold Dark Place - Emperor of Sand kind of came and went for me. Still enjoy it though and as you say, its not like there's many a weak-link in the catalogue whatever way you look at it.
Never really gave Cold Dark Place a right lash so tried today and not feeling it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmW5qNfID4w
Would definitely dig this bunch doing the whole album :abbath:
This channel has been doing some really good covers of songs with a bunch of rock/metal musicians during this whole covid thing too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULwDbZ4iSU
Mastodon appears to have shit itself. Can they go on without Brent?
https://loudwire.com/mastodon-brent-hinds-departure/
I'd be more concerned if it was Brann Dailor who left the band. I did enjoy Hushed & Grim...that said, diminishing returns are beginning to kick in somewhat and I'm not overly fussed at the prospect of new material. They've been going a while now and had a good inning's.
He's an odd fish but no doubt he contributed significantly to their sound so will be interesting to see where they go next.
I am a huge fan of Hushed And Grim and am looking forward to whatever comes next from them.
Bill said in an interview a while back he has basically been half clocked out of the band since Crack the Skye (which Brent wrote most of).
His playing is amazingly unique, but when playing live he has been holding them back for a while imo, and how contributions on record have become dwindling with each album since CTS.
Still a bit of a shock as his playing is so synonymous with the bands style though.
Quite incredible that the band has had no line-up changes in 25 years.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 07, 2025, 08:13:10 PMQuite incredible that the band has had no line-up changes in 25 years.
Indeed. Its almost unheard of nowadays.
I also read that Bill interview and he certainly painted a picture that Brent was a completely different person from around the time of Crack the Skye when the System of a Down bassist also cracked his skull. Immensely talented guitarist but I also agree he's been a weak point in a live setting.
Crack the Skulle would be a great and timely title for a compilation
Or a close shavo with death
Giving up Brent for Lent
Reality for them is they have to tour and he's not been much good live for a few years.
It's a fairly blunt statement too considering how long they've been together
I go back to Hushed & Grim every few months, but it's never really grabbed me the way the rest of their stuff has. I only realised Hinds just has two credits on the album which probably explains it, guess I'll have to lower my expectations further for any new stuff
His contributions to Hushed & Grim were quality though. If it's gonna happen, it's a great time for him to do so imo.
What happened with the SOAD dude?
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 07, 2025, 08:51:19 PMWhat happened with the SOAD dude?
They got in a fight after some awards show, the System fella decked him and Hinds whacked his head on the way down, think he ended up in a coma for a week or two
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 07, 2025, 08:51:19 PMWhat happened with the SOAD dude?
Hinds was locked/off his head and some scuffle ensued with Shavo. He either punched or pushed Hinds and he ended up with a brain bleed and in a coma. Sounded like an unfortunate and avoidable scuffle but Hinds supposedly wasn't the same mentally afterwards.
https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/system_of_a_down_beating_puts_mastodon_guitarist_in_hospital.html
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on March 07, 2025, 08:51:13 PMHis contributions to Hushed & Grim were quality though. If it's gonna happen, it's a great time for him to do so imo.
Think that makes it more of a shame, to imagine what it could've been like with more of his input
I'll still always check out whatever they come out with, but it's not like they'll ever ever top Crack the Skye anyway!
Be interesting to see who they get, they have a gig this weekend apparently.
Pete Adams, formerly of Baroness, would do it justice imo, similar chicken picking style, can sing and would give them an energy boost live.
Think he left Baroness to focus on family but I'd imagine Mastodon could be too lucrative to turn down.
Or they could share oul Zakk with Pantera, say a few on here be delighted :P
Quote from: ldj on March 07, 2025, 09:06:24 PMBe interesting to see who they get, they have a gig this weekend apparently.
Pete Adams, formerly of Baroness, would do it justice imo, similar chicken picking style, can sing and would give them an energy boost live.
Think he left Baroness to focus on family but I'd imagine Mastodon could be too lucrative to turn down.
Or they could share oul Zakk with Pantera, say a few on here be delighted :P
Zakk would be less Hushed but definitely Grim.
Steve Von Till from Neurosis perhaps? The Mastodon lads are all big Neurosis fans and I can't see Neurosis doing anything again.
Be very interesting if they got Von Till or someone like that. H&G did very little for me but love everything else.
Not shocked by him leaving really. Cool guy anyway so best of luck to him.
I hear Scott Kelly is at a loose end anyway.
Von Till has a new solo album about to come out, I imagine he'd be busy with that for a while. It'll be someone from the Georgia scene, they're fairly incestuous anyway.
Not sure if SVT can play lead guitar like that, Scott Kelly was probably on his way to a permanent guest vocal slot a la Mark Lanegan in QOTSA if he didn't do whatever he was doing to his family.
Quote from: ldj on March 07, 2025, 09:06:24 PMBe interesting to see who they get, they have a gig this weekend apparently.
Pete Adams, formerly of Baroness, would do it justice imo, similar chicken picking style, can sing and would give them an energy boost live.
Think he left Baroness to focus on family but I'd imagine Mastodon could be too lucrative to turn down.
Or they could share oul Zakk with Pantera, say a few on here be delighted :P
Pete would be a great addition to them.
Quote from: Carnage on March 07, 2025, 09:20:09 PMI hear Scott Kelly is at a loose end anyway.
Von Till has a new solo album about to come out, I imagine he'd be busy with that for a while. It'll be someone from the Atlanta scene, they're fairly incestuous anyway.
Steve has a full time job as a primary school teacher so it's doubtful he'd pack it in at this stage.
Kim Thayil would be the right job for them
That scuffle rings a bell. Seems the coma didn't hamper his ability to play the guitar because he's a beast.
Had a look on their IG page and two days ago the other three lads were at an event talking about Leviathan with Dailor sporting a bruiser under the eye, probably safe to say Hinds didn't take the sacking well.
Time will tell but the side projects I've heard from any of them have been very poor to say the least, their success could very well be lightning in a bottle.
These lads are like Opeth for me. Exciting records in the beginning but not much of a live act and never really built upon that initial promise.
Quote from: ldj on March 08, 2025, 08:30:50 AMHad a look on their IG page and two days ago the other three lads were at an event talking about Leviathan with Dailor sporting a bruiser under the eye, probably safe to say Hinds didn't take the sacking well.
Time will tell but the side projects I've heard from any of them have been very poor to say the least, their success could very well be lightning in a bottle.
He got the boot? For some reason I understood it that he left. Must have been half asleep reading it earlier.
"Mutual" parting. I'd say there was a bust up. He didn't post anything about leaving on ig.
Maybe he's still in. He'll just keep showing up to jamming and gigs and wear the poor eejits down.
He reposted a pic from a Mastodon fan page that said 'No Brent. No Mastodon' alonh with the song Cold Dark Place so it definitely wasn't a cordial split.
They played their first show with that YouTuber Ben Eller on guitar the other night.
Ben is an amazing guitarist but that's a very uninspired choice.
It all seems quite bitter. Brent was very much integral to their early sound, but that has waned massively in the years since Crack the Skye. He's clearly a contrary fucker, I can think of at least three times seeing them live where he was visibly having a strop on stage. Interesting to see what, if any, impact this has on future releases. As a massively fan, it's a shame that it is seemingly so acrimonious, but at the end of the day, 25 years of a definitive lineup is some going and I don't have to work with these people.
Hushed and Grim doesn't get enough love, some superb stuff on there.
Should get in Matt Pike and let the circle be complete.
Quote from: open face surgery on March 10, 2025, 10:40:03 AMBen is an amazing guitarist but that's a very uninspired choice.
I would imagine they were looking for someone who could competently fill the role in a short time. His channel is a bit goofy but he's a great player and has videos going over Mastodon material and he's seemed to be a very professional sit in/session guy in live videos I've seen so I can see why they got him in. He also has a visible online presence which doesn't hurt. This is a likely a stop gap measure until they find a more viable long term fit for the band.
Ya, I follow his channel and like him but I hope they just use him as a stop gap replacement.
Put yer man in Pantera and let's get Zaktodon going!
Quote from: Shardknife on March 10, 2025, 04:28:11 PMHis channel is a bit goofy but he's a great player and has videos going over Mastodon material and he's seemed to be a very professional sit in/session guy in live videos I've seen so I can see why they got him
As an aside, that's something that's really irritating about a lot of the youtube guitarists, there's some great stuff with a lot of them but I hate having to put up with the whole stupid facade they put on. I understand they need to do it to get the views, and I'm probably older than the intended audience, but I always much prefer when they're more straightforward
I don't think Ben Eller is bad for it but I don't watch a whole lot of them.
A left field choice would be more interesting. Come up with a different sounding album, rather than copy Hinds or go for a safe choice with a YouTuber who has chops. A European would be cool but would never happen.
Quote from: Trev on March 10, 2025, 09:05:28 PMQuote from: Shardknife on March 10, 2025, 04:28:11 PMHis channel is a bit goofy but he's a great player and has videos going over Mastodon material and he's seemed to be a very professional sit in/session guy in live videos I've seen so I can see why they got him
As an aside, that's something that's really irritating about a lot of the youtube guitarists, there's some great stuff with a lot of them but I hate having to put up with the whole stupid facade they put on. I understand they need to do it to get the views, and I'm probably older than the intended audience, but I always much prefer when they're more straightforward
They to have to have a gimmick to keep the views up, especially for YouTube shorts.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on March 10, 2025, 08:19:29 PMPut yer man in Pantera and let's get Zaktodon going!
Quote from: StoutAndAle on March 10, 2025, 01:36:09 PMShould get in Matt Pike and let the circle be complete.
Get Steve Austin from Today Is The Day😂
I'd say yer man from Kylesa is kicking himself for the timing of their reunion. They're all mates, he'd have made a fortune standing in there.
Other than him playing these shows, there's no official announcement that he's the new guitarist, I imagine it's just a stopgap.
He hasn't posted anything about it either.
They should get Brian Robertson in. They are all Lizzy nerds and he likes a fight
I saw them supporting High on Fire in London in 03 and they did a ripping cover of Emerald.
ya they played here in Cork in 2015 and were still covering Emerald. Great gig that actually, in the Savoy.
Bonus track on the debut album reissue:
https://youtu.be/KnWwTjhIxiw?feature=shared
Emerald from 2016 in belfast
Quote from: 0ricky7 on March 16, 2025, 11:18:53 AMhttps://youtu.be/KnWwTjhIxiw?feature=shared
Emerald from 2016 in belfast
Savage
Quote from: Floss on March 15, 2025, 07:41:20 PMya they played here in Cork in 2015 and were still covering Emerald. Great gig that actually, in the Savoy.
that was a great night, first time i saw them appearing sober and they were very tight..pity that version of the savoy never took off for gigs
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 13, 2025, 09:03:44 AMI saw them supporting High on Fire in London in 03 and they did a ripping cover of Emerald.
Was it this gig, that Leoos recorded? Emerald around 41 mins.
Edit - nope - just saw in the comments Leo saying the vid was from Nottingham...
Weren't they down to three men for that Savoy gig, as well.
Hinds played a twelve string to beef up the sound, or was I imagining it.
So they have a new guitarist for their current tour, a guy called Nick Johnston, unusual choice as he seems to come from the more Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai etc side of things. Had a listen to a few tunes from the below gig, they seem much tighter than they have with Hinds in recent years, but the leads are very different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhOFt2bFuiA
Brent has been posting shit about them and commenting on their posts on ig.
QuoteMy Guitar sounds great, but Troy [Sanders] and prawn [supposedly Brann Dailor] sound absolutely horrible. They are way out of key, embarrassing, and they kicked me out of the band for embarrassing them for being who I am. But what about who they are?"
Hinds continued: "They are two people that can't sing...together live or anywhere else in the world. Everything they try to sing in the studio is manipulated by autotune because they're incapable of singing in key. F*ck these guys, only I know who they really are.
"They are the biggest fans of themselves. I've never seen anyone in my life look in the mirror more than Troy Sanders. He thinks he's God's gift to anything. I've never met three people that were so full of themselves. It's disgusting."
Brent is in no position to be critiquing anyone's vocals :laugh: Love Mastodon and his vocal contributions work well on record but fuckin hell the man sounded like a bag of cats being strangled live. No arguing that he's an excellent guitarist though
I like Mastodon but they're all messy as fuck live. Hinds is definitely throwing stones at glass houses about the singing too.
Loved his vocal style, loved his guitar work, loving slightly less his messy bitch bawling about how it's the other bitches who're messy phase.
Quote from: Born of Fire on August 19, 2025, 01:50:32 PMBrent is in no position to be critiquing anyone's vocals :laugh: Love Mastodon and his vocal contributions work well on record but fuckin hell the man sounded like a bag of cats being strangled live. No arguing that he's an excellent guitarist though
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Snap, he sounds fair fucking bad
Getting word that Brent Hinds may have ben killed in an accident last night. Hasn't ben officially named yet but the peron who told me is close with them so it's likely true unfortunately. Hasnt been named yet but apparently he was on the motorbike
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/08/21/person-dead-after-car-crash-atlanta-police-say/
Ah no. That's terrible.
Terrible if true. The man seems to be in free fall and to not try and sort his stuff out would be a shame.
Yeah that definitely seems to be the case unfortunately. It's a sad end.
Surely the other lads will be out with glowing tributes if this is the case. Hard luck to him
What would be wrong with that if they do?
Seemingly a very sad end, if this is the case.
Shame. Worked a few of their gigs over the years and had a good chat with him on two occasions. Always a buzz.
Last IG posts were 11 hours ago. Can't tell from where.
Quote from: Squigs on August 21, 2025, 09:54:09 AMWhat would be wrong with that if they do?
Seemingly a very sad end, if this is the case.
I'd absolutely see no harm when they do. I'm sure the decision to fire him was intended for his own good and not for any nefarious reasons.
Sad if true alright, he seemed to have been a changed man since his injury. Big fan up until Crack the Skye.
To be fair to them they've maintained the lineup - I doubt the decision to let him go came easy. They still have the right to honour their past and friendship. Things change, people change.
If it is true, and I hope it turns out not to be, it would be utterly against nature for them not to honour him and to mourn him. Even if things had soured between them over the years, they still built up one of the biggest and most important metal bands of the past 25 years. A band who actually stand a chance of stepping in to fill the boots of the big boys in due course, and he was an integral part of that.
Absolutely.
I suspect it won't be formally confirmed either way for a day or so given there's an investigation pending but if it is, then it would be absolutely shocking if they didn't. The split was definitely not a frivlouous decision I'd say, and they've been fairly respectful of him to my knowledge.
I don't know how much of their trademark guitar style is down to him and how much is down to Bill, but together they had a magic touch. And his vocals, along with Brann's, elevated the band to another level.
Hopefully it's not true, tragic if it is. What are ya at in terms of certainty? Like 80 or 99%?
I know many folks here lost interest after Crack The Skye but I personally think Hushed And Grim is a highlight. I did read somewhere though that Hinds didn't really see himself as part of the band so much back then when they recorded that.
That may be true, but his two main contributions to the writing of it are, to me, a central part of what makes it so good as an album. This, notably, is one of the best moments of it:
https://youtu.be/nrMVZvor0X4?si=0XHQei66elfzT4lH
Hushed and Grim is easily their best since CTS, for me. I like/love them all, but there's a lot going on in H&G and it sounds so massive and especially cathartic in places. Remission it isn't, but that's ok too.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on August 21, 2025, 11:21:45 AMThat may be true, but his two main contributions to the writing of it are, to me, a central part of what makes it so good as an album. This, notably, is one of the best moments of it:
https://youtu.be/nrMVZvor0X4?si=0XHQei66elfzT4lH
Great song. I actually don't think there's any filler on there though.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on August 21, 2025, 11:12:04 AMHopefully it's not true, tragic if it is. What are ya at in terms of certainty? Like 80 or 99%?
Let's just say not 100% until I see it confirmed somwewhere officially but fairly certain. I'm a little surprised that there's no mention yet in some respects (When I initially posted I thought it maybe had already got out), but at the same time its pretty much only happened in the last 12 hours, and is still being investigated. Certainly the person who told me is reliable.
A shame, especially given how things were between them lately. You'd always have the hope of a reconciliation somewhere down the line.
Crack The Skye is their peak for me as well. I quite like The Hunter and Once More 'Round The Sun but the last two were fairly dull overall IMO.
Jesus, yeah hopefully it's not true but it definitely seems like he's been spiralling for a while.
Absolute savage guitar player, and he is my favourite vocalist from the band (on record).
Funny character too, even though he had his personal issues.
Downer, if true - a savage player with real chops. Brent was always the focal point of Mastodon for me every time that I saw them live.
He seemed to go in two-footed on the rest of the band last week. There was an thing on Guitar World (or one of those) where he apparently attacked Troy and Brann's talents in live situations.
As mentioned by others, I have that hoped he'd pull out of the spiral to sort himself and his dealings with Mastodon out.
Sad if true, but the band has been boring as shit for at least a decade. H&G is bloated mess.
Real shame if it is indeed Brent. Met him in the pub beside the Academy when they played the two nights there. Sat chatting with us for about an hour and bought a round of drinks, seemed like a sound lad
Reminds me of the Children of Bodom situation, Laiho told the band he wasn't going to quit drinking until it killed him so they broke up hoping that might make him get help
Quote from: Ducky on August 21, 2025, 01:55:06 PMSad if true, but the band has been boring as shit for at least a decade.
Quite the non sequitur, given what the "sad if true" part is about!
Well it is sad, and people are discussing how they feel about the band's modern output...
Well, somebody has updated his wiki page to say "was"...
One of his other bands, West End Motel, posted 4/5 pics of him in their stories on IG.
Adam Jones from Tool also posted a pic with Silence by Brain Eno as the tune. Doesn't bode well.
I'm expecting Matt Pike to go full tribute first.
one of Burnt By The Sun beat him to it.
Twould appear to be the first public confirmation.
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/08/21/former-guitarist-co-founder-heavy-metal-band-mastodon-dies-atlanta-motorcycle-crash/
Well, there it is.
Fuck. Well, what a proper tragedy ending. Life goes off the rails, then milled out of it. Report seems to place blame on the other driver, autopsy may yet reveal if he was under the influence and impaired in reacting. I'd been genuinely looking forward to what music he might make next, either after getting over being kicked out or on the road to that place. RIP dude.
A true one of a kind, is there any other guitarist who could come up with riffs like Aqua Dementia, Divinations, Capillarian Crest etc, I'm not sure. And of course composed most of Crack the Skye... The Last Baron! Absolutely ridiculous stuff.
Obviously a troubled bloke but never would have thought he was so far gone he'd go this soon. Have to feel for his bandmates too, they were all obviously very close, despite having to give him the boot.
Yep, genuinely devastated. A truly great and unique talent who performed on albums that changed my life and that will remain favourites for always.
Yeah, its awful seeing it confirmed even though I knew from the message this morning it was legit. Incredibly talented guitarist, and its such a shame things had spiralled over the last few months for him, though I gather he'd been troubled for a while.
I had a relatively brief but pretty funny chat with him at ATP years ago which i wont go into here, but he was definitely as nice, kind and as down to earth then as you could have asked for at the time. Rest in Peace.
Yeah, I met him after the Slayer show in the Ambassador in 05 and ended up on the beer all night with him and his missus and a few other crew in Fibbers. I asked could I buy him a beer and he just "five Guinness, I want five Guinness". He got one.
Quote from: Squigs on August 21, 2025, 05:34:03 PMYeah, I met him after the Slayer show in the Ambassador in 05 and ended up on the beer all night with him and his missus and a few other crew in Fibbers. I asked could I buy him a beer and he just "five Guinness, I want five Guinness". He got one.
Met him after that show too, still have the ticket stub he signed. Horrible to see this confirmed, truly tragic way to go.
Had been hoping for the day that he was at least the survivor in the crash and some misinfo in between, a real shame to see it confirmed. Excellent guitarist and songwriter, big loss.
QuoteWe are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief... last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident. We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we've shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent's family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone's privacy during this difficult time.
RIP Brent.
https://www.facebook.com/Mastodon/posts/pfbid035AeDdiAR5ZJkuebonGjeHAEEePMaGrync7H2rv27DPHAAWHvWJfNTj4isEopfc21l
I'll have a glass or two in honour of the fella tonight that's for sure
Terrible news - RIP Brent. One of the standout guitarists from this century.
Feel terrible for the lads in Mastodon as well - the relationship may have went sideways over recent years but they have such a shared history.
RIP.
One will suffice.
This popped up on youtube a few weeks back, a stormer of a set from the Leviathan era. He had great taste in guitars as well to be fair to him, always had extra style points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9nu2I-63g
Been listening to Gigantium off H&G all evening. H&G was written in the shadow of the death of their old manager and Branns divorce, those themes run through - it's not a miserable record by any stretch, but this Gigantium is the closer and it's like a release of the tension that has come before. It's a class, class song anyway, but lyrically it feels real apt again. Friend of mine died earlier this year and I spun the shit out of it then and doing the same now. While Mastodon are my all-time favourite band, I'm not here weeping for Brent, he wasn't my friend, but it is just truly gutting for him, the band, whatever future they could have potentially had together years down the line. He fuckin rips a great solo at the end too.
Again, Remission it isn't, but there's some real power in their later stuff, mostly on H&G and Empire of Sand.
In isolation and prob if you're not invested in wanting to care about new Mastodon it might seem shite and maudlin, but give it an the album another whirl.
Quote from: Squigs on August 21, 2025, 10:16:21 PMAgain, Remission it isn't, but there's some real power in their later stuff, mostly on H&G and Empire of Sand.
EoS seems to get a bit of a poor response but I think it's fucking class
H&G took a long time to properly get into, love it now though
Quote from: Squigs on August 21, 2025, 10:16:21 PMBeen listening to Gigantium off H&G all evening. H&G was written in the shadow of the death of their old manager and Branns divorce, those themes run through - it's not a miserable record by any stretch, but this Gigantium is the closer and it's like a release of the tension that has come before. It's a class, class song anyway, but lyrically it feels real apt again. Friend of mine died earlier this year and I spun the shit out of it then and doing the same now. While Mastodon are my all-time favourite band, I'm not here weeping for Brent, he wasn't my friend, but it is just truly gutting for him, the band, whatever future they could have potentially had together years down the line. He fuckin rips a great solo at the end too.
Nicely put. And yeah, ripping, whopper solo on Gigantium :abbath:
Never a band that really clicked with me despite umpteen tries (I must have bought at least half their albums over the years) but he always seemed like a very likeable and cool guy. As did all of them in fairness. In another timeline I could have seen them reforming but I would defer to the opinion of more a studied fan.
I remember though when the first album came out and all the lads were playing the March of the Fire Ants riff, only usually to be tauld off by their drummer for being in the wrong time signature. You just knew even back then that they were going to leave a mark in history.
I fist saw them in 2005 and they were brilliant. No frills, just a pure powerhouse.
Crack The Skye and Leviathan are 2 fantastic albums that stand the test of time.
Shite buzz. Will stick on Leviathan tomorrow, one of the best albums of that decade.
Quote from: Trev on August 21, 2025, 10:27:38 PMQuote from: Squigs on August 21, 2025, 10:16:21 PMAgain, Remission it isn't, but there's some real power in their later stuff, mostly on H&G and Empire of Sand.
EoS seems to get a bit of a poor response but I think it's fucking class
H&G took a long time to properly get into, love it now though
I think EoS is savage. I'll give H&G a lash again at some point.
I was big into them as a teenager. Everything from the first EP. I really liked OMRTS too. Wasn't huge on The Hunter. Fell off when they put out EoS.
Got back into them about 2 years ago as the missus was listening to them. Ended up really liking EoS and H&G. Thought they were both brilliant after that. Always thought they put together a varied set every tour as well.
Shame it ended the way it did. I had a feeling a reunion was possible down the line.
Some great deep cuts of there's that I never heard much people talk about.
This Mortal Soil
Trilobite
Hearts Alive
Battle at Sea
Quote from: CorkonianHunger on August 21, 2025, 11:49:43 PMSome great deep cuts of there's that I never heard much people talk about.
This Mortal Soil
Trilobite
Hearts Alive
Battle at Sea
Great tracks, I'd add
Siberian Divide
Island
Clandestiny
Chimes at Midnight
The Sparrow
I love the triple header of Dry Bone Valley/Thickening/Creature Lives on The Hunter. I saw them in Brixton in 2012 which ended up being the live album they released and they closed with Creature Lives and they dropped balloons, which was fun. I assumed it was gonna be a set closer for the album tour. I saw them a heap over the following few years and it never appeared again.
Few great shouts there.
A piece from a lad who knew him:
https://ghostcultmag.com/feature-in-memory-of-william-brent-hinds-july-16th-1974-august-20th-2025/
Ember City/Halloween/Diamond in the Witchhouse is another great run. I also love Aunt Lisa before those too, but the kiddie-vocal is a real Marmite moment.
Tying back to Brent though, very hard to have such unique personality in your playing, as an entity entirely unto itself almost, separate from the bands sound, but for it to work so well. Takes real craft and skill to make something like the seashanty riff in Megalodon not sound stupid and shit as a bridge between the intro and the Sanitarium "ripoff" riff.
Once More 'Round the Sun was the best of the post-CTS stuff, though I enjoy them all even if they're not as essential as the first four.
Cold Dark Place was a great little EP as well, and I've suspected the last few years that its release led to his disinterest in the band. He wanted to do a double album, one an upbeat 'happy' release (Once More...) and then a more sombre side, which would be the Cold Dark Place material, when the double LP didn't happen he instead wanted it to be released later in the year to accompany the album, instead it was put on the backburner and randomly released years later.
Maybe I'm reaching but he seemed to lose a lot of interest in the band after how the release was handled, great little EP though other than Toes to Toes which is a bit cheesy.
Also, Halloween is a deadly tune.
Was gonna say, love Cold Dark Place.
The kiddie vocal in Aunt Lisa is great. Pure Faith No More buzz.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on August 22, 2025, 12:54:31 AMThe kiddie vocal in Aunt Lisa is great. Pure Faith No More buzz.
100 percent, alsways thought it was a direct nod. Cool song.
Quote from: ldj on August 21, 2025, 10:01:26 PMThis popped up on youtube a few weeks back, a stormer of a set from the Leviathan era. He had great taste in guitars as well to be fair to him, always had extra style points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9nu2I-63g
Thank you for posting this, I had never seen it before so I watched with a few beers last night.
By Christ, they ripped it up.
I stopped being devout and blindly buying their records after "The Hunter" but watching that video (plus listening to "Leviathan" yesterday and "Remission" this morning) reminded me of all the craic that I had seeing them live over the years.
Blood Mountain was always my favourite of theirs. It's by far the least talked about of their classic run of 'elements' albums, but it's always my go-to when I'm in the mood for Mastodon. I will concede that Leviathan is probably better, but there's something very absorbing about Blood Mountain. It's a big, meaty album and the one that most feels like you have to set the time aside for it to go on that adventure.
I never fully got into Crack the Skye but it often seems the one most raved about after Leviathan.
RIP to Brent, one of those truly shocking deaths. They played Belfast a fair few times in the mid 2000s and he was always just hanging around Katy Daly's having drinks with people. Definitely the kind of guy who would have just went off into the night with strangers to go on an adventure.
RIP - Tragic death - haven't really followed these guys - 'Blood And Thunder' was one of those popular songs that put me off them until I heard 'High Road' which peaked my interest at the time but never dived in - where's the best place to start? I'd assume the debut onwards judging from the comments here?
Yeah, could give pointed recommendations, but you really can't go wrong with a chronological go at it.
Quote from: Mooncat on August 22, 2025, 04:23:25 PMBlood Mountain was always my favourite of theirs. It's by far the least talked about of their classic run of 'elements' albums, but it's always my go-to when I'm in the mood for Mastodon. I will concede that Leviathan is probably better, but there's something very absorbing about Blood Mountain. It's a big, meaty album and the one that most feels like you have to set the time aside for it to go on that adventure.
I never fully got into Crack the Skye but it often seems the one most raved about after Leviathan.
Agree with this. CtS left me kinda cold when I first heard it at release and for a good few years afterwards. Eventually warmed up to it in a big way, but would still call it my least favourite of the first four.
Blood Mountain sounds like they threw everything including the kitchen sink down in the studio, and it all stuck. Their best production job too.
Leviathan is home to Aqua Dementia, which is one of my favourite songs full stop.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on August 21, 2025, 02:04:45 PMQuote from: Ducky on August 21, 2025, 01:55:06 PMSad if true, but the band has been boring as shit for at least a decade.
Quite the non sequitur, given what the "sad if true" part is about!
I want to come back to this and your comment specifically - mine was completely tone-deaf and poor form.
RIP to the fella, he's partially responsible for some of my most enjoyed music this century, which is a towering achievement and absolutely dwarfs the fact that I didn't enjoy the last two albums much.
No worries. Think the "is he, isn't he" had me a bit on the rag. It's not even a non sequitur, sure!
Brann made a tribute to Brent at their gig in Alaska last night. Must have been a tough one to play.
RIP Brent
Ah god.
Imagine being the guy booing. People are assholes.
Jaguar God another great Brent track.
Quote from: Giggles on August 23, 2025, 09:13:15 AMBrann made a tribute to Brent at their gig in Alaska last night. Must have been a tough one to play.
RIP Brent
You can hear his voice starting to crack in places, fair play to them for managing through the gig, must have been rough
Quote from: Ducky on August 22, 2025, 09:42:37 PMQuote from: Mooncat on August 22, 2025, 04:23:25 PMBlood Mountain was always my favourite of theirs. It's by far the least talked about of their classic run of 'elements' albums, but it's always my go-to when I'm in the mood for Mastodon. I will concede that Leviathan is probably better, but there's something very absorbing about Blood Mountain. It's a big, meaty album and the one that most feels like you have to set the time aside for it to go on that adventure.
I never fully got into Crack the Skye but it often seems the one most raved about after Leviathan.
Agree with this. CtS left me kinda cold when I first heard it at release and for a good few years afterwards. Eventually warmed up to it in a big way, but would still call it my least favourite of the first four.
Blood Mountain sounds like they threw everything including the kitchen sink down in the studio, and it all stuck. Their best production job too.
Leviathan is home to Aqua Dementia, which is one of my favourite songs full stop.
Aqua Dementia is a beast! Also the outro to Sea Beast is crushing. They did those dynamics so well of moving from something complex and fiddly into something crushing and heavy.
Been listening to basically nothing else spinning around the last few days. Blood Mountain, Leviathan, Crack the Skye anyway. You would nearly forget sometimes how good they are and they take me right back into an era of my youth where I was obsessed (Leviathan and BM in particular).
You would also forget how lethal Hinds' style of playing is, it is ridiculous and really makes the songs. A hundred thoughts surrounding the rest of the band, their albums, form, formula, etc etc but outside of all of that - when the music is good it is unreal.
Blood Mountain almost turned me off then when it cane out. Leviathan was so powerful in felt BM was wishy washy in comparison.
Crack The Skye though, that's perfection.
I'd still listen to The Hunter and Once More Round The Sun on a regular basis. Brilliant albums.
There are countless tributes and well wishes online , it seems everyone thought he was the life and soul of everything.
Like most I've been listening to my favourites and revisiting the albums I've disliked. Some tracks between Hunter, Once More..., Emperor are fine but Hushed & Grim I've enjoyed more. Live at the Aragon up next.
Quote from: Circlepit on August 24, 2025, 09:54:24 AMThere are countless tributes and well wishes online , it seems everyone thought he was the life and soul of everything.
I did laugh at Ben Weinman from Dilliger Escape Plans story about him , where Brent pretty much did the Dewey Cox "You don't want none of this shit" to him.
I've had Remission & Leviathan on this afternoon since I've the house free. Pair of flawless records.
Quote from: Circlepit on August 24, 2025, 09:54:24 AMThere are countless tributes and well wishes online , it seems everyone thought he was the life and soul of everything.
In fairness he is absolutely integral to their sound. His guitar playing, the dual vocals, and Brann Dailor's drumming are the core aspects of the Mastodon sound. I've never actually listened to the new iteration, but it's hard to imagine what they'll sound like now. Will be a different band for sure.
Quote from: ochoill on August 24, 2025, 09:23:12 AMBeen listening to basically nothing else spinning around the last few days. Blood Mountain, Leviathan, Crack the Skye anyway. You would nearly forget sometimes how good they are and they take me right back into an era of my youth where I was obsessed (Leviathan and BM in particular).
You would also forget how lethal Hinds' style of playing is, it is ridiculous and really makes the songs. A hundred thoughts surrounding the rest of the band, their albums, form, formula, etc etc but outside of all of that - when the music is good it is unreal.
Exact same here with all of that. Been spinning those three non-stop the last couple of days.
The detail in the complexity of the riffs, band interplay, and songwriting, without overindulging and still making it all work perfectly as a song is stunning. Melodic, atmospheric, and heavy.
For as big as they are it's making me wonder how they weren't a lot bigger. I guess they just never really had their Enter Sandman moment to take them past that final hurdle into the biggest leagues. Not even so much a crossover hit, but even songs that became metal standards. I guess Blood and Thunder was the closest they got to a metal 'hit'
I think that's it to be honest. Thought when The Hunter dropped they might level up but it didn't really happen.
Also it has to be said they weren't great live. I gave them a few goes earlier on so maybe someone else is best placed to comment on later performances. The one that stands out for me was the Slayer support at the ambassador- a lot of people here were calling time on them , and ahead of the gig I thought yeah maybe. But mastodon were awful that night just stood there, sound absolutely garbage, vocals terrible.
Quote from: Pagan Saviour on August 24, 2025, 06:23:11 PMI think that's it to be honest. Thought when The Hunter dropped they might level up but it didn't really happen.
Also it has to be said they weren't great live. I gave them a few goes earlier on so maybe someone else is best placed to comment on later performances. The one that stands out for me was the Slayer support at the ambassador- a lot of people here were calling time on them , and ahead of the gig I thought yeah maybe. But mastodon were awful that night just stood there, sound absolutely garbage, vocals terrible.
I saw them live twice. That time supporting Slayer and then supporting Metallica at Marlay Park in 2009. Live they did little to impress me but I was OK with that. There are several bands that I like that just cannot translate their art on stage.
Just occurred to me, did anyone have a bad live experience of a headline show of theirs? Both headline shows I saw were lethal, the one support (Tool in the Point) just weak, could barely hear what was going on.
Yep Tool support was terrible too. Someone suggested I needed to see them headline and I went to a show in Vicar street which was even worse, they played as a three piece for whatever reason, can't remember who was missing but sound woeful, vocals woeful and zero presence.
Well that's just damn bad luck for you! Who was missing that night?
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on August 24, 2025, 07:27:05 PMJust occurred to me, did anyone have a bad live experience of a headline show of theirs? Both headline shows I saw were lethal, the one support (Tool in the Point) just weak, could barely hear what was going on.
I've seen them four times I think, three headlining and one support. One was bad, rest were lethal. The bad one was a headline slot touring OMRTS in Dublin. On the same run of tours but a month or two beforehand in Vancouver they were excellent. The one support was with Opeth, they put Opeth to shame that night lol
Quote161 Today at 07:56:47 PM
Well that's just damn bad luck for you! Who was missing that night?
Genuinely can't remember! Must've been 2006/2007?
I never stopped buying the albums mind, as someone said earlier maybe just doesn't translate to live performances
Bill missed that one, he was sick. Fiend Without A Face supported. Brent played a 12 string for most of the show to beef out the sound. I had seen them a load at that point so the novelty was fine for me, but it was less than ideal.
They always got a bad wrap live and I definitely saw some really poor shows by them, but on-form, which was the absolute majority of the time, they absolutely slayed. Their last shoe here was the Olympia in 2019 with Scott Kelly for a few tracks and they were absolutely lethal.
That gig was Dec 2008.
Ambassador March 2007 was prob the best I ever saw them.
Yep just checked there the gig was December 2008 and Bill was missing
I think that was the night they covered The Bit which was cool.
Yah, Scott Kelly was with them when I caught them in Prague on the Emperor of Sand tour. Amazing gig, one of those real cherished live memories for me.
Saw them headline 3 times in Belfast. First time was great, second was the three-piece night which was terrible (likewise Fiend Without a Face. Wasn't that members of Mastodon too?), and the third time was ok. So the full range there!
Also saw multiple festival performances which were all ok.
They're definitely the kind of band that needs their sound to be really nailed for the music to come across.
Bar the Slayer support in Cork I thought they were great everytime I saw them which was probably about 6/7 times.
They weren't great at the Ambassador gig from what I recall. Heard the Academy gigs when Harvester from Galway supported them were meant to be savage.
Only saw them once, supporting 'Tallica at Marley Park in 2009.
Probably not the best venue to see them, but I certainly enjoyed them the most that day by far (and picked up a CTS tour t-shirt I still have).
Quote from: Mooncat on August 24, 2025, 10:02:09 PMSaw them headline 3 times in Belfast. First time was great, second was the three-piece night which was terrible (likewise Fiend Without a Face. Wasn't that members of Mastodon too?), and the third time was ok. So the full range there!
Yeah likewise, Fiend on the night seemed to be fleshed out with the rest of the members. Didn't Big Business support on one occasion? My memory for gigs at least date wise is getting somewhat hazier with age.
Ya, BB supported them in The Academy on one occasion. That was the around the time they cameoed in Game of Thrones. Brent was locked and hilarious beforehand. Punched a dent in the cab during the gig. The dent was still there a few years later when they played the Olympia.
The Big Business gigs were 2014, I did Dublin and Belfast that time. 2013 and 2016 I think had two-nights in The Academy each, in fairly sure.
Been blasting through the back catalogue all weekend. Some killer musicianship all throughout. Leviathan is still top of the pile after that it's a close call between Emperor of Sand and Once More Round The Sun for second place. Possibly EoS tips it because the riffs and guitar tone on the likes of Precious Stones and Steambreather are so fuckin moreish!
Crack the Skye is obviously savage but it's kinda one of those albums where you have to be in the mood for it unlike the immediacy of their other albums.
Blood Mountain is one that I sometimes forget about but after listening this weekend I can't for the life of me think why! Brilliant start to finish. Big fan of Hushed and Grim too, production is monstrous it and a great effort for a band that far in their career.
The Hunter is definitely their weakest but still some excellent riffs on there. Remission is the one that does the least for me. Again you have unreal crushing riffs like March of the Fire Ants but the album never really clicked with me.
There's another video of that speech Brann made in Alaska on youtube from a closer angle. God love them. You can see the absolute heartbreak on their faces, and you can tell Bill and Troy have been bawling their eyes out. That gig must have been so difficult.
I'd say they're devastated. If Brent was still in the band he'd probably still be alive, so who knows what kind of horrors they could be tormenting themselves with.
Haven't been arsed listening to any of the albums but watched The Workhorse Chronicles last night and the making of Hushed and Grim just there. They always seemed to have a great buzz although H&G sessions seemed separate and more Brent just doing leads.
Listening to Crack the Skye atm, an album full of many epic moments but...
"How long, has it been, since we flew through shadows
I have, walked on, many other planets"
And the accompanying riff, just amazing.
https://metalinjection.net/news/police-determine-brent-hinds-was-at-fault-in-fatal-accident?fbclid=IwY2xjawMnoRpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHYUVWVE5XcUNxTTBVQjhjAR5_5eDvreXKJ3e2EbIxEkVvPJB7gYPv10cPeuxNC3emfU3hKgwDRhOdh2JtlQ_aem_HUua6Cs51etaRZmzuzRYLQ
Fuck me, still getting mad levels of feels listening to Mastodon at the moment, which has been a daily occurrence since the news. Weirdly, the best consolation is knowing how very unlikely it was the four of them would ever have made music together again even if this hadn't happened.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 12, 2025, 11:34:51 AMFuck me, still getting mad levels of feels listening to Mastodon at the moment, which has been a daily occurrence since the news. Weirdly, the best consolation is knowing how very unlikely it was the four of them would ever have made music together again even if this hadn't happened.
Have had them on a ton here too, not daily but significantly more than the past few months.
I wonder what the way forward is for the rest of them now, do they keep writing with the current replacement guitarist? Do they write themselves and just have hired hands for live?
I don't know, I think with how close they were they definitely would have brought him back into the fold if he got his shit together. Fucking terrible all round for the lads though.
Seen a thing pop up on Reddit saying Bill posts to one of those patreon sites or something, a picture of him in a studio with Kurt Ballou from Converge, could be interesting if he produced.
Nah I reckon they would've got back together. Sacking him can't have been a decision they made lightly, they really appeared as a close knit bunch so he must have been an absolute nightmare to deal with professionally leading up to it
Couple of years apart, Brent gets himself sorted, big reunion album/tour...I'd say it was very possible
Quote from: ldj on September 12, 2025, 12:46:16 PMI don't know, I think with how close they were they definitely would have brought him back into the fold if he got his shit together. Fucking terrible all round for the lads though.
Seen a thing pop up on Reddit saying Bill posts to one of those patreon sites or something, a picture of him in a studio with Kurt Ballou from Converge, could be interesting if he produced.
Ballou'd be amazing for them. Bring back the heft of the early stuff a bit too.
I'm with you guys, I'm actually surprised by how sad his passing made me feel. Perhaps having followed them closely coming up and being of the same vintage.
I've Remission on here Leviathan next.
I've been listening to the first three endlessly, plus Crack the Skye here and there.
I'd never paid much attention to anything after that but finally gave the full run a go. Gotta say I wasn't a fan of the more accessible direction they were taking, but there's still lots of good stuff. The first track on Emperor of Sand was interesting in that it sounded heavily influenced by Lamb of God. It was even more LoG sounding than the track the two bands did together.
That first run of albums though, holy shit.
Once More Round the Sun is my favourite of the 'melodic' era, just great tunes.
The Hunter, while I understand the backlash, has great songwriting too, the production is just very shiny, guitars don't have that nice crunch they had on the albums before.
I like The Hunter, but it'd be my least favourite of the run after the big four. The Sparrow is fucking great though