Live at the Aragon
Originally formed in Atlanta in 1999, Mastodon has since become one of the most popular and consistently impressive metal bands working today. From their humble beginnings, they have morphed into legitimate superstars, touring the globe with pioneers like Slayer and Metallica, performing on late-night talk shows, licensing their music to film and video games, and earning praise from even decidedly non-metal institutions like NPR. Unlike some groups that just nail a certain sound or theme and repeat it infinitely, Mastodon are unafraid to tangle with different influences, oddball time signatures, and sophisticated lyrical concepts; their second album *Leviathan* was based on *Moby Dick*, while 2009\'s *Crack the Skye* is about a quadriplegic\'s out-of-body experiences. *Live At the Aragon* showcases their tremendous live show, and features them performing *Crack the Skye* in its entirety, plus older favorites like \"Mother Puncher\" and \"Aqua Dementia,\" ending with an excellent cover of the Melvins\' \"The Bit.\" The perfect balance of brutality, technical chops, and advanced imaginations, this is just great from start to finish.
After a decade that saw Mastodon put out four excellent albums and establish itself as arguably the best American metal band working today, there's no...