C&L's Late Night Music Club: The 50 State Strategy With Mastodon (GA)

Though the year is not yet halfway over, Mastodon's Crack the Skye will probably cap my end-of-year top 10 list. The Atlanta metal quartet are probabl
By MaxMarginal — May 11, 2009

Though the year is not yet halfway over, Mastodon's Crack the Skye will probably cap my end-of-year top 10 list. The Atlanta metal quartet are probably the most compelling metal act to come out since Metallica, hands-down the best American one, and currently the only one to have undeniable relevance outside of the extreme rock community. See their write-up (and drawing) in this week's New Yorker, doubters.

Though I'm still a bit partial to Leviathan, their concept album about Moby Dick from 2004, the new album (from which 'Divinations' is taken) is grander in scope and more deeply layered than anything they've done before. That an album as dark and ambitious as Crack the Skye can crack the Billboard Top 200 (it debuted at #11) is reason for metalheads and easy-listeners alike to celebrate.

Side-note: Many of you may know Mastodon from their guest appearance in the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie.

Every Monday, C&L's Late Nite Music Club will feature an up-and-coming act from every state, alphabetically by state, as part of LNMC's 50 State Strategy. Know a band or artist that you think is the best in their state? Email suggestions to latenitemusicclub [at] gmail.com.

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