REVIEW - Mastodon: Once More ’Round the Sun

Mastodon confirmed their status as the most accomplished and inventive modern metal act in the world with 2011's brilliant The Hunter. This hugely confident follow-up further burnishes their reputation. Once More 'Round the Sun takes up where The Hunter departed. Once again they've managed to marry musical complexity with accessibility and a taut, explosive mixture of sound that showcases their vocal harmonisation (as on opening track Tread Lightly, its brilliant follow-up, The Motherland, and Asleep in the Deep. The opening single, High Road, is the closest Mastodon have gotten to a fist-pumping, headbanging anthem. Their admiration for Thin Lizzy is apparent on this song, with its twin guitar approach. The title track is another piledriver as is Chimes at Midnight, a pure adrenalin rush that harkens back to earlier albums such as Leviathan. Mastodon have again delivered on their promise. The band have had everything to date against major commercial success. This could make the difference. mastodonrocks.com