You’re on a pirate ship, the seas are storming, the beasts are circling and there's nothing left to do but drink rum and let your beard grow.
If this scenario had a soundtrack, it would have to be Mastodon, groundbreaking, psychedelic, progressive, metal act, who played their first, headlining show in Australia at Luna Park's Big Top in Sydney on Saturday (28 March).
Click here for photos from the show.
Opening band Breaking Orbit instigated the adventure with their thrashy, rock feel and melodic vocals, creating a musical spectrum which spanned metal, rock, soundscape, tribal-esque percussion and Quena samples. Red Sparrows meets early Metallica with snatches of Sepultura’s percussive elements.
Breaking Orbit - Image © Kim RudnerThe powerful kick-drum sound and mesmerising instrumental parts blended seamlessly with the percussionist who added a level of raw energy to the set. Breaking Orbit enticed the crowd playing 'Time Traveller' off their live album, as well as tracks from their forthcoming album 'Transcendence'. They perfectly set the mood for the thunderous set that was to follow.
Mastodon is the music of vikings, vampires, sea monsters and doomed voyages into the unknown. With their album 'Leviathan', a ground-breaking record that references the seminal, literary epic 'Moby Dick', Mastodon re-introduced the conceptual album in metal.
Mastodon - Image © Kim RudnerIn their 15 years of touring they have propelled and reshaped the genre with their frenetic, frenzied, avant-garde sound. They roused the crowd with ethereal renditions of 'Megalodon' and blistering finale 'Blood And Thunder' from 'Leviathan'. They treated the crowd to material off their latest album 'Once More ‘Round The Sun', high points being: 'Tread Lightly' and 'Halloween', which opens with an eerie, kitschy monster movie intro sample.
Taking cue from drummer Bran Dailor’s eclectic style, the set was frantic, frenetic and psychedelic, punctuated by an epic guitar solo and meaty, bass rhythms. It was an extremely tight and well executed live show, which nonetheless seemed spontaneous and raw, particularly during 'Oblivion', 'Ole Nessie' and 'Divinations'. It’s music to loot and pillage to.
Mastodon - Image © Kim RudnerMastadon seem to visibly enjoy playing to Australian crowds. After years of touring together and appearing in the country on numerous occasions, most memorably opening for Slayer, Bran highlighted the fact that this was the first time they headlined, and it was a different vibe to the other numerous times Mastadon have played before an Aussie crowd. "You guys seem really sober. You’re all usually more shitfaced, pissing on each other's legs and stuff. This is much more civilised."
Click here for more photos from the show.
