So, let's get this party started. From the Stylus review, "The next, but not necessarily new standard of mainstream heavy metal". Do you agree? I have three of the previous albums, but I never really liked HoF as much as Sleep. I think they've moved farther and farther away from the stoner/doom sound. I've listened to a bit of the new album, and it sounds like they've given birth to the child of Mastodon and Motorhead. Definitely not terrible - pretty good, in fact - but is this the standard of heavy metal now? I'd still say I prefer Mastodon - even Blood Mountain a bit more. I need to do some more listening though...

I really hate when people take one band, especially a new band, and say "THIS IS GONNA BE THE STANDARD" and that's it. no critic is a prophet

quote:

Originally posted by ezatldude:
So, let's get this party started. From the Stylus review, "The next, but not necessarily new standard of mainstream heavy metal". Do you agree? I have three of the previous albums, but I never really liked HoF as much as Sleep. I think they've moved farther and farther away from the stoner/doom sound. I've listened to a bit of the new album, and it sounds like they've given birth to the child of Mastodon and Motorhead. Definitely not terrible - pretty good, in fact - but is this the standard of heavy metal now? I'd still say I prefer Mastodon - even Blood Mountain a bit more. I need to do some more listening though...

After more listens would you still prefer Blood Mountain over Death Is the Communion? I wouldn't, but I'd still take Mastodon over HoF.

These two bands are really different in my opinion. If i had to choose an album, i'd go with Death Is This Communion, but just slightly i think. Though i've listened to Blood Mountain at least twice as much, i'd say that DITC is just more solid and spectacular through and through. There's nothing that i skip on DITC, and it explores a wider array of atmospheres. It's High On Fire's greatest achievement thus far (though "Devilution" is the best tune of their's in my book), but that doesn't put them ahead of Mastodon to me. I've liked Mastodon since my hXc days when Remission first came out, so they bring back a nostalgia that makes me really excited every time i listen to them.

And Mastodon's "Megalodon" is the greatest tech-metal-whatever song i can think of that has surfaced this decade. Man, Leviathan is absurdly amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by CleverName84:
And Mastodon's "Megalodon" is the greatest tech-metal-whatever song i can think of that has surfaced this decade. Man, Leviathan is absurdly amazing.

QFT.

quote:

Originally posted by JGlass:

quote:

Originally posted by CleverName84:
And Mastodon's "Megalodon" is the greatest tech-metal-whatever song i can think of that has surfaced this decade. Man, Leviathan is absurdly amazing.

QFT.

what does "quantum field theory" have to do with mastodon?

iron tusk is my favorite off of leviathan. that album was my introduction to good metal, and is still up there amongst my favorites.

It's always fun when people resurrect old threads. I haven't listened to HoF or Mastodon for months now. To answer J's question, I still prefer Blood Mountain. Because of the relative dirth of good new (not nu) metal these days, I've been really making an attempt to go back and shore up my "historical" metal section of my library. For example, just yesterday I ordered Possessed Seven Churches. Now that's awesome metal!