MASTODON FEATURING SCOTT KELLY
There’s something about Mutoid Man. The brainchild of Cave In frontman Stephen Brodsky, at first they appear as no more than a mad metalcore band, but listening carefully to what they do here it’s clear there are progressive, restless depths to their ambitions. Have no doubt that Mutoid Man are developing into a formidable experimental band.
Mastodon have nothing to prove. But is that becoming a problem for them? There’s a definite whiff of this band now being in a comfort zone. Yes, they receive a rapturous reception, and clearly enjoy the whole ethos of being onstage. However, where once they were pushing out the boundaries of what we know as progressive metal, now Mastodon are stuck in a rut of their own construction. Some might mistake this for a groove, but the reality is that the band almost seem bored with what they’ve achieved so far, and consequently live energy levels have dropped slightly.
Naturally, the set features a smattering of tracks from the well-received Emperor Of Sand album, with the likes of Scorpion Breath and Steambreather standing as impressive musical works. But both Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds seem to have problems raising their game to give a full-on performance of this material. It’s as if they are skating across a well-polished floor and unable to gain suitable traction.
Interestingly, it’s when Mastodon bring out older songs such as set-openers Iron Tusk and March Of The Fire Ants that things come into focus. Maybe this is because the band tap into an era when they were unfettered by expectations and could unleash the creativity within while ignoring any doubts concerning where this would lead them.
If all of this sounds like Mastodon have sunk into the mire of mediocrity, then that’s far from the case. By most standards, they’re impressive. They can still summon an appropriate momentum. And you cannot argue with the high quality of Crack The Skye and Megalodon, which get a stirring reaction from an enthralled crowd. The rapport between fans and musos is abiding and won’t be broken by any suggestion that the band are at something of a crossroads in their career. And when frequent collaborator Scott Kelly from Neurosis is part of the Mastodon performance, as happens tonight for the final seven songs, then he gives the music an extra edge, his dark vocal style cutting to the bone.
Sanders, Hinds and Bill Kelliher make for an imposing hirsute combination, firing off one another with the practised ease of those who have worked together for a long time.
There’s the occasional glance towards each other, almost as if each is just checking to satisfy themselves the other pair are still around, but for the most part they are all wrapped in their own worlds.
If all this sounds as if this reviewer is little confused, then that’s because there is a sense of confusion about the gig and what it represents for this quality band.
The challenge now facing
Mastodon is to take things to the next level. To do that, they have to break out of the artistic straitjacket in which they’ve inadvertently put themselves.
It’s a straitjacket many others would be delighted to wear, but this lot are still capable of so much more. The question for them now is: are they comfortable just being regarded as one of the
best bands of this generation, or do they want to be hailed as one of the defining bands of the era? Tonight underlines that they offer genuine value, yet also why it’s not enough.
“MASTODON HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE. BUT IS THAT STARTING TO BECOME A PROBLEM FOR THEM?”