Troy Sanders of Mastodon, performing at The Fox Theater in Oakland, CA. © Shameless Promotions & Media.
Progressive metal can be a rather tricky genre to take on. As a band, you want to keep the elements of traditional heavy metal present, while consistently making sure that you’re implementing your own identity into the songs. The time signatures fluctuate; experimentation is highly present in the songs.
Mastodon is a band that is flawlessly able to produce this style of music, particularly in the live environment. I had the chance to finally see the band, after years of missing their shows, and I wasn’t disappointed. To start, there was no crazy intro. I love theatrics, but it got my attention immediately when the band just walked straight out onto the stage and launched into their set.
Following the energy that was raised by groove-metal rockers Clutch, who took the stage just an hour and a half prior to Mastondon, the band powered through a fifteen-song set list that I could only describe as heavy. There were elements of progressive-metal that permeated the crowd from each song, but the best part about each track was the heaviness. They were hard-hitting, regardless of whether unclean or clean vocals were being utilized. The show concluded with “Blood and Thunder”, a track from their second album entitled Leviathan. They were even joined onstage by Neil Fallon, the lead singer of Clutch, whose performances only added even more to the song.
I was pleasantly surprised by this show. I have heard so many mixed things about this band over the years, and I’m happy to report that I now lean towards those that have told me how much these guys legitimately rock their live sets. Looking forward to catching their set the next time they come through town.
This has been another Shameless Promotion.