Readily available on vinyl (through two different labels, with WEA/Reprise offering up a single disc version with the special edition black cover and Roadrunner offering up a single disc with the normal red cover) it is worth reminding ourselves of why Mastodon’s The Hunter is such a fine release.
Showcasing yet another tangential leap in the evolution of the band, The Hunter develops and expands on Crack The Skye whilst simultaneously reintroducing the rawer edge of Blood Mountain. The result? A raging beast that pours fourth for the first two tracks before taking a step back and admiring the carnage it has unleashed via the spacey prog rock of the beautiful “Stargasm”. It’s like a condensed best of, only featuring new tracks rather than old favourites and, as with most Mastodon, it only gets better with each return visit.
Highlights? Well aside from “Stargasm” you could look at the fried stoner rock of “Curl of the Burl”, the monstrously heavy “Black Tongue” which opens the album, or “Spectrelight” which features Scott Kelly of Neurosis fame. but hell, every track is a highlight and none are; this is a beautiful, ugly, gentle, heavy record to put on and enjoy from start to finish. A fine addition to any collection.
