'#20 - Top of 2017

Mastodon - Emperor of the Sand (Reprise Records)

The last years have been turbulent for Mastodon on a personal level, as both Bill Kelleher's mother and Troy Sander's wife were diagnosed with cancer. But instead of letting these personal problems drag them down, the band turned them on their head and  used them as inspiration for "Emperor of the Sand", an album conceptually based around cancer! A very few bands would dare try approach such a subject and even fewer would succeed without sounding either corny or dismissive. However, Mastodon not only succeeds in approaching their subject matter in a very pensive and metaphorical manner, they at the same time delivered one of the best albums of 2017 (and among the best of their career).  The main concept is about a wanderer condemned to die, and the themes of going through painful experiences such as chemotherapy, hope for survival and acceptance are woven lyrically within the narrative. There is a cohesion in the music as well, with all pieces utilising the full musical range of the band and the thee vocalists' interplay allowing no boredom. Highlights of the album include "Show Yourself", "Steambreather" and the epic closer "Jaguar God", but there every song has the quality of being excellent within the context of the album and as a standalone track. Another great release by Mastodon that is more than a sum of its parts.

93.5/100

Below are the music videos for "Show Yourself" and "Steambreather"