Ghost - Opus Eponymous

I bought this album based upon some reviews (Decibel, and other reviews I found online) as well as the samples here on Amazon, and some of the videos posted on You Tube. It sounded different, and I was interested in something... different, and I have not been disappointed. This album is very unique. From my perspective, it's best described as a meld of early Mercyful Fate, Voivod, and '70s rawk, all adorned with pipe organs, some odd synth/organs here and there, and the occasional guitar drone; however, upon my first listen, what really struck me, and not in an entirely good way, was the crisp, clear vocal delivery. As someone who's generally more into harsh, abrasive vocals, Ghost's clean, clear vocals really caught me off guard, and I wasn't sure if this was going to be up my alley. At times the vocals teeter on the verge of King Diamond (ala Mercyful Fate), but not as shrill (and I like the lyrics, unlike King Diamond's, which I feel focus too much on furthering a story, and not so much on making a good song and are, as a result, embarrassing at times); at other times, the vocals are reminiscent of Snake of Voivod (ala Nothingface). After a few listens, I was really digging the vocals, as well as the album, as a whole. Lyrically, the subjects deal exclusively with evil, worshiping and praising Satan. Again, very different, subject-wise for vocals delivered in such a clear and open manner, but it's all very well done. Musically, the songs blend great rock riffs, delivered on guitars/amps/effects more reminiscent of '70s rock than metal, incredibly groovy bass tones, and as I had previously mentioned, some very cool, and very appropriate organ/synth work. It's an unusual blend, for sure. Perhaps a little too "nice" sounding for many who typically get into dark, evil music (generally, like myself), so if you're heavily into more extreme Black Metal (like me) or Death Metal, or Grind, etc., you may want to give this a serious preview before buying. But I'm into very abrasive music of all kinds, and I really like this album. I would rank it among my top purchases this year (of which I have made many... purchases, that is). If you like Mercyful Fate, you may very well enjoy this as well. If you like Voivod, and are willing to swap the sci-fi themes with those of hammer horror and praises sung to Satan, then you will probably enjoy this. I'm loving it. It's a great record with great songs, and it adds a different dimension to my daily soundtrack (of course, there have been many days, where this album IS my ENTIRE daily soundtrack, just because I love it so dearly). I don't write reviews too often, but this is one album that I felt needed to be reviewed ASAP. If you're reading this review, and it sounds even a little bit interesting to you, you should definitely give it a try.

Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society - Suicide Messiah

Ratt - Nobody Rides For Free (official video)

Mastodon - Blue Mountain

It's true that less can sometimes be more in the world of metal, but Mastodon have clearly never even considered it. Fortunately, though, this Atlanta-based quartet have proven that they're more than capable of using the "more is more" theory wisely, and getting great results from it. Their enormous and expansive new album, "Blood Mountain," is yet another addition to the group's increasingly epic catalogue.

This is Mastodon's first release on a major label (they left Relapse to sign to Warner Music earlier in the year), so many immediately assumed it will sound overly polished and more melodic than the band's previous works. Both of those assumptions prove to be true to some extent, because the new disc isn't as raw or sonically heavy as, say, 2002's "Remission." But when the results are as good as "Blood Mountain," they're hard to argue with. This is a perfectly natural and creative progression from their two year-old masterpiece "Leviathan." The newfound progressive metal touches don't dilute or restrain the album's heaviness, and they actually help to emphasize the heavy parts and make them even more intense.

Like "Leviathan," 2004's whale of an album which was based on Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" novel, "Blood Mountain" is also conceptual. It tells a tale about a character climbing a mountain and becoming stranded, and different things happen (the character hallucinates, runs into strange creatures, begins to starve and freeze, etc.) Couple this wondrously imaginative storytelling with such complex, experimental music, and the end result may very well be an album that's the new summit of Mastodon's career.

Most of the songs are greatly unpredictable, but there are a couple hypnotic moments. "Sleeping Giant" and the album closer, "Pendulous Skin" (which begins with pretty acoustic guitar strums) are two gorgeous, brooding tracks with subdued drum beats, dreary vocals, and other ominously ambient sounds (i.e. guitar feedback).

The rest of the disc, however, is a different story. Drummer Brann Dailor really gets to show off his talents on the album opener, "The Wolf Is Loose," because he begins the song with a fast, bouncy, all-over-the-place drum pattern that makes the listener wonder how many arms the guy really has. The rest of this song is a crushing, bludgeoning avalanche of distorted guitar leads. The next track, "Crystal Skull," continues in this same vein, with a heavy, bullying rhythm; but this song stands out from the one before it because it also features a mazey, spiraling guitar solo, and a cameo by Neurosis' Scott Kelly.

"Capillarian Crest" is quite awesome. With occasional riffs, somewhat melodic guitar leads, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink drumming, and a strong, grumbling bass line, the listener is unsure where to focus his or her attention. Later, "Circle Of Cysquatch" and "Hunters Of The Sky" boast catchy, crunching rhythms that cascade like falling logs. "Bladecatcher" is also of note because it's a total head trip due to its rapid tempo changes, a careening guitar lead, and wild, almost schizophrenic vocals. Following that, "Colony Of Birchmen" is highlighted by some very melodic singing (by Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme), and a wailing solo. Next, the propulsive ninth track, "Hand Of Stone," is fueled by a fiery, blistering flood of riffs. Lastly, "This Mortal Soil" and "Siberian Divide" (featuring The Mars Volta's singer, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and the same band's keyboardist, Isaiah Owens) are both vaguely reminiscent of "Leviathan." These songs have a restrained, slow beginning with the drums and guitars playing different time signatures, but then a whiplash tempo change kicks in and the song launches into a deep, intense, corrosive groove with thrashy, surging riffs.

The thought of Mastodon having such a creative idea for their third full-length is pretty amazing in itself. But the fact that the band was able pull it off so excellently is downright staggering. The band set their sights even higher than last time, and as a result, Mastodon are not only officially among metal's best active bands, but they have made a record which probably sets a new standard for the rest of their career and almost all music released in 2006. The words "great" and "masterpiece" were made for an album like "Blood Mountain."