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Review Summary: bloated but not overindulgent After listening to “Hushed and Grim” for over 16 hours I can safely say I’m satisfied with it, even though it’s no opus magnum of Mastodon (hopefully it’s yet to come).
Apparently, as I’ve read in some reviews, there is some “real life” background to this album. Well, I’m too old to have time to follow this kind of nonsense. Apart from that I simply don’t care. At the end it’s me and the headphones. Whatever happened has no relevance and music eventually becomes whatever the listeners make out of it.
Most fans will get their share of enjoyment out of this album. All the trademarks of Mastodon are present: progression, interesting compositions, moody arrangements, and a nice mixture of slower and faster paced moments that make for some nice variety. It doesn’t keep me on my toes like “Crack the Skye” did, whether it’s because I’ve heard it all already or because it’s not as good, I can’t really tell.
The pacing of the album is a bit off, which with a runtime of almost 90 minutes was to be expected. “Skeleton of Splendor” and “Dagger” are the biggest misses. They both last for over 5 minutes and build up to nothing. The straightforward and faster paced tracks (“Pain with an Anchor”, “Teardrinker”, “Pushing the Tides”, “Savage Lands”) make up for this. “Had It All” got me by surprise – it’s an almost classic rock ballad with a restless solo to top it off.
I find the more progressive tracks the most important for any Mastodon album, as they are the ones that make me come back for more. “Pain with an Anchor”, “Peace and Tranquillity”, (especially) “Gobblers of Dregs”, “Eyes of Serpents” and the finishing “Gigantium” are all good and competent tracks though they’re not the pinnacle of Mastodon’s creative output.
The long-lasting transition from metal towards rock is still going on. “Hushed and Grim” did not turn that trend around. I find it a bit disappointing, I wouldn’t mind some more metal-riff based moments, which are few and far between. Production is as always outstanding. Sound is balanced around the guitars. I find it to be a little bit too soft and rounded – but that’s the way it's been since “Once More 'Round the Sun”, I wouldn’t mind some sharper and rougher edges. I don’t like the way the album got released - digisleeve is a piece of ***. Just give me my jewel case and I’m fine.
All in all, it’s a satisfying album. A bit bloated but not overindulgent. I can see myself returning to it and enjoying it as it is.
Originally written for the OG source of metal info: Encyclopedia Metallum The Metal Archives
| other reviews of this album |
Robert Garland STAFF (4.5)
Mastodon takes another jaunt, ‘round the sun, to the mountain before cracking the skye....
thatdeftkid (4.5)
With "Hushed and Grim," Mastodon finds ways to blend their old selves to create a new identity. If t...
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Album Rating: 4.0
This album is more fun then this review, so if you still haven't, definitely give it a spin. I return to some tracks and have a nice time with them but the runtime of 90 minutes limits the replay value. I don't feel like listening to the whole thing again.
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"Apparently, as I’ve read in some reviews, there is some “real life” background to this album. Well, I’m too old to have time to follow this kind of nonsense. Apart from that I simply don’t care. At the end it’s me and the headphones. Whatever happened has no relevance and music eventually becomes whatever the listeners make out of it."
Hard disagree on this. I think the background of an album and the circumstances that affected the artist/band at the moment of composing/performing/recording the album are somehow essential to understand what lies underneath the music. Sure, you can give it a listen, scratch the surface and move to the next thing, but you'll get a deeper understanding researching this kind of things and it can alter, even improve, the way you experience it.
Or not, you know, as you said, it's just you and your headphones (shrug)
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
I feel that shrug, in my soul somewhere
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
good effort
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I wish I had the patience for any 90 minute record.
I should really just strap on my big boy overalls and jam this but it's definitely a bit intimidating.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
It moves quickly though
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
"At the end it's me and the headphones"
Im sure im in the vast minority here but I really feel this sentiment. I jam too much shit by too many people to learn about all the backstory and whatnot. If it's not neurosis, meshuggah or luc lemay, chances are I don't really want to know
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
in what way is Pain With an Anchor a remotely progressive track
won't weigh in on either side of the context/no-context split bc being able to draw your own independent impressions of music is cosy and valuable etcetc, but if this review was supposed to convince me that the author's cursively phrased opinions on this album's structure, good/bad songs and distribution medium is more important or interesting than the tragic story of its inspirations and the way these songs represent these, i'll be too busy rolling my eyes from here to pluto
"Originally written for the OG source of metal info: Encyclopedia Metallum The Metal Archives"
and there we go
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Yeah i mean, what I said is my opinion and my own way of enjoying music, not necessarily the "correct" way. To each their own.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Yeah I gotchu dewi
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I'm not listening to understand artists. I'm listening for my on selfish pleasures. Art is for me to draw my own conclusions.
I don't remotely care, what the artist had in mind. I got enough of this shit in primary school literature class.
As much as some underlying story might be an interesting curiosity, it could never affect how I receive music.
There are thousands of artists, that have incredible stories behind their albums, but because they're not Mastodon or some Swallow the Moon, nobody heard about them and nobody even cares. Hypocrisy.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
unsure if bait or just stunted from primary school
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Stunted beyond saving.
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"There are thousands of artists, that have incredible stories behind their albums, but because they're not Mastodon or some Swallow the Moon, nobody heard about them and nobody even cares. Hypocrisy."
You're taking things out of context here. And according to what you wrote up there, you're the first that doesn't care about them either, but, you know...
THAT'S ALRIGHT.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
You might wanna explain me, how it's out of context. I might not understand something. If backstory is important, it's important for every album, if it is not, it is not for every album.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Of all the reviews out there, this is certainly one of them
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Thank you. I always try to do my best. It doesn't usually impress many people, but hey, you can't be good at everything.
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"If backstory is important, it's important for every album, if it is not, it is not for every album."
That's exactly what i said lol
You were saying you don't consider backstory important, and I said I disagree and that's alright.
I didn't draw the line between Mastodon or less known bands, you did. As you said, many unknown bands/artists have cool backstories for their work and no one cares about them (I do!)
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Anyway, alkostach, don't take this as a personal attack dude, I was just making an observation about that part of your review, and the different ways of enjoying a record, that's all.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
every record has a backstory
it is equally preferable to know the backstory of any record
not every backstory is equally interesting or important or distinguishable in how the record turned out
send the bill to ur primary school and if you're gonna pride yourself on homegrown opinions, maybe try and articulate them as something other than the perfect avg of every take i have ever seen on this record
don't take this as a personal attack
just do better
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