Mastodon unveils 'Spectrelight'

Georgia sludge-metal pioneers Mastodon have unveiled the third single from their upcoming album The Hunter, “Spectrelight,” and it does not disappoint. Fans who were wary of the band’s more progressive leanings on 2009’s Crack the Skye will find reason to rejoice in the high-tempo, thrashing riffs this song is comprised of. It appears that Mastodon has created a more refined, if not slightly more predictable, take on the sound the band seemed to have already perfected on Leviathan and Blood Mountain.

What is most exciting about “Spectrelight” is that it presents the band running on all cylinders in a way that was absent for much of their last album. Brann Dailor is drumming like a madman, with fierce drum fills a-plenty and driving beats that transition seamlessly through each section of the song. The guitars prove equally relentless, with Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher turning out more great hooks in three minutes than most bands fit on an album. The vocals continue the trend of getting better every album, and feature a shout-along chorus that could easily become a highlight of their concerts. Scott Kelly of Neurosis provides his signature howl to the verses, providing his fourth appearance in just as many Mastodon albums.

“Spectrelight,” along with the singles “Black Tongue” and “Curl of the Burl” will be featured on The Hunter, the band’s fifth studio album and first for metal label Roadrunner Records. The album will be released September 27, and is available in a limited edition package through the band’s website.