MASTODON “Logo” /Patch/

For the first time on Picture Disc, the fifth full-length studio album by American Progressive/Sludge Metal/Hard Rock band.
"The Hunter" is Mastodon's second non-concept album. Moreover, it's marks the first time that drummer Brann Dailor composes and sings a Mastodon song in its entirety ("Creature Lives"), and takes lead vocal duties on more than two songs. Like Mastodon's previous album "Crack The Skye", "The Hunter" features a mix of clean singing and a few songs with harsher shouting vocals.
On "The Hunter", Mastodon abandoned the Proggy, conceptual route taken on previous outings, choosing instead to mine the trailblazing, riff-heavy abandon of their 2004 masterpiece, "Leviathan". Mastodon's increasingly accessible sound may not land them a hit anytime soon, but cuts like “Black Tongue”, “Curl of the Burl” and “Balsteroid”, all of which arrive in sequence at the front of the set, show a willingness to write within the parameters of 21st century Pop music’s dark side. That’s not to say that the band has pulled its head out of the vastness of space, as there are more than enough tracks here to satisfy fans who prefer the Sludgy, drop-D epics of yore to the more organized roar of "The Hunter" 's front end. Fueled by Brãnn Dailor's Jazzy, machine-gun drumming, songs like “Octopus Has No Friends”, “All the Heavy Lifting” and “Bedazzled Fingernails”, despite coming in at under five minutes, are epically arranged, and the surprisingly hummable, bass melody-led swamp monster anthem “Creature Lives” sounds like a Sabbathy, Lovecraftian take on Jane’s Addiction's “Summertime Rolls”. The closest " The Hunter" comes to reaching an apex is on the breathless “Spectrelight”, a relentless three-minute slab of pure unadulterated fury that will probably clock in at around a minute and half live, but it’s an album that doesn’t really need to peak, as it never promises a thing it can’t back up, boldly and loudly.
The song "Spectrelight" features Neurosis vocalist/guitarist Scott Kelly as a guest. Guitarist Bill Kelliher provides lead vocals on the bonus track "Deathbound". "The Hunter" is their first release with producer Mike Elizondo.
In its first week of release in the UK, the album reached number 19 on the UK Albums Chart and position number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart selling over 39000 copies in the first week. As of December 2011, "The Hunter" has sold over 75133 copies in the United States.
Reprise Records/WEA International Inc., 2011/2017 (561701-1). Made in Czech. First press on Picture Disc.


Tracklist:

SIDE A:
1. Black Tongue 3:25
2. Curl Of The Burl 3:38
3. Blasteroid 2:33
4. Stargasm 4:37
5. Octopus Has No Friends 3:46
6. All The Heavy Lifting 4:29
7. The Hunter 5:15

SIDE B:
8. Dry Bone Valley 3:57
9. Thickening 4:28
10. Creature Lives 4:39
11. Spectrelight 3:07
12. Bedazzled Fingernails 3:06
13. The Sparrow 5:30

Total playing time: 52:30 min.

First re-release of the fourth full-length studio album by American Progressive/Sludge Metal band.
The first studio album of the band to feature drummer Brann Dailor as their third lead vocalist.
Because the elements of fire, water and earth have already been represented by the band's first three albums, this one represents the element of aether, which is represented by the souls and spirits of all things, a theme closely related to the context of the album.
The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200, selling 41,000 copies in its first week. In Australia, the album debuted at number 19.
By numerous music publications, "Crack The Skye" was named amongst the most well received albums of 2009. Classic Rock Magazine placed it a #3 of its 'Top Albums of 2009', while Kerrang! place it at #4 in its 'Top Albums of 2009'. Time Magazine placed "Crack the Skye" at #3 on its "Top 10 Albums of 2009" list, and Rock Sound named it their Album of the Year for 2009. In addition, Spin Magazine listed it as the 17th best album of the year. Rhapsody called it the 7th best album of 2009. The album was also voted the #1 Album of 2009 by Metal Hammer's critics and contributors.
It had sold 200,000 copies in the US as of September 2010, making it one of band's highest-selling albums to date. In 2014, TeamRock put "Crack The Skye" at #57 on their 'Top 100 Greatest Prog Albums Of All Time'. The album was honored with a 2009 Metal Storm Award for Best Alternative Metal Album.
Reprise Records, A Warner Music Group Company, 2009/2017 (9362-49872-2). Made in Germany.


Tracklist:
1. Oblivion 5:47
2. Divinations 3:39
3. Quintessence 5:27
4. The Czar 10:54
    I) Usurper
    II) Escape
    III) Martyr
    IV) Spiral
5. Ghost Of Karelia 5:25
6. Crack The Skye 5:54
7. The Last Baron 13:01
Total playing time: 50:07 min.