20 years for this classic today (High on Fire's 'Surrounded by Thieves' released on the same day coincidentally).  Whatever your opinion of their recent stuff, there's many bands that would kill to have this as their best album, and they went on to better it with Leviathan and Crack the Skye.

Just have it spinning now and even though it's a completely different beast to what they are now it's easy to see why they where destined to catch on with so many people, a bit of the chaos from 90's noise rock/metallic hardcore, a bit of the murkiness of sludge metal, a pinch of southern rock in the guitars, and just enough classic metal to tie it all together, an all timer imo.

I was very into all of the Mastodon stuff when I was younger, fell off a bit in recent times but still respect them. Had all ot the LPs but kept Remission, its a great album. Still take some inspiration from some riffs today.

Incredible album. Mad to think it's twenty years. Relapse was churning out amazing releases around that time. Nile, Cephalic Carnage, Pig Destroyer, Uphill Battle, Nasum, Dillinger Escape Plan, Dying Fetus, Skinless. Was primetime for a young gossoon. Mastodon were the last of the bunch I got into but are the only one I actively keep up to date with. Been meaning to throw on Leviathan lately but I'll add this to the list as well.

One of those it took a while to come around to, I think it was around the time Leviathan came out that it clicked. Powerful stuff though, would have been great to see them then. Nice cover of Emerald tacked onto the reissue, too.

I saw them supporting High on Fire in London on this tour and they played Emerald. I was gimped and shouting at them, telling them to play Dublin, the cunts  :laugh:

Certainly a different beast, agreed you can hear tiny nuances of what's to come. I adore Remission and Leviathan both of which I go back to regularly. I have very much a love/hate relationship with albums after Crack, but Remission not only is a brilliant album but it was on its release the soundtrack to my summer.

When they play stuff from Remission live it sounds so so heavy.
Leviathan tops it for me followed by Crack The Skye.

Ya, those 3 are def the best for me as well but love them in general. I do however think that any Remission songs they play sound weird these days.

Quote from: open face surgery on May 28, 2022, 11:48:37 AM
Incredible album. Mad to think it's twenty years. Relapse was churning out amazing releases around that time. Nile, Cephalic Carnage, Pig Destroyer, Uphill Battle, Nasum, Dillinger Escape Plan, Dying Fetus, Skinless. Was primetime for a young gossoon. Mastodon were the last of the bunch I got into but are the only one I actively keep up to date with. Been meaning to throw on Leviathan lately but I'll add this to the list as well.

Nasum still to this day get regular spins in my gaff!

I was well into it when I heard it first but it fell off the radar for me over the years. That and Leviathan I thought were great but then I dunno they just got overplayed or something. It's so long since I've heard it now that it might be like a new album if I threw it on. Still mad to think it's 20 years.

Quote from: OpenSores on May 28, 2022, 10:14:59 PM
Nasum still to this day get regular spins in my gaff!

First 2 Nasum are incredible and I liked the other two as well but rarely go back. First 3 Nile get the most plays of the bands listed, outside of Mastodon and while I wasn't mad into at the time, I listen to High On Fire somewhat regularly as well.

Played the Uphill Battle self titled album a few weeks back. Still fucking savage.

Ya, I've gone back to that plenty of times.

Yeah Relapse were on such a roll around that time.  I used to head to their website and just take note of everyone on the roster. Practically everyone signed was putting out good stuff then.  Remember buying Neurosis's 'A Sun That Never Sets' around then without having heard a note of their music. Blew me away. Even more obscure stuff like Halo's 'Body of Light' and Alchemist's 'Australalien' made an impression on me. Need to go back to those. 

But yeah, 'Remission' is still unreal. I love 'Leviathan' and enjoy the later stuff but there's something just so fuckin primal some of the songs on 'Remission'. You can still hear echo of them playing in TITD in some of the tracks with the amount of dissonance. Hard to choose a favorite moment. The end of 'Where Strides...' after the snare fill with the huge chug riff for a few seconds. Bluegrass bit in 'Crusher Destoyer'. Main riff in 'Mother Puncher'. Sign of a fuckin classic when you can't choose.




Quote from: open face surgery on May 28, 2022, 11:48:37 AM
Incredible album. Mad to think it's twenty years. Relapse was churning out amazing releases around that time. Nile, Cephalic Carnage, Pig Destroyer, Uphill Battle, Nasum, Dillinger Escape Plan, Dying Fetus, Skinless. Was primetime for a young gossoon. Mastodon were the last of the bunch I got into but are the only one I actively keep up to date with. Been meaning to throw on Leviathan lately but I'll add this to the list as well.
Did relapse go like Earache in a way? So many quality releases back then and a European site also. Seems to have dwindled really