Hi to all Metalstormers !

Im Guib, but that you've probly already figured it out by entering this topic
First of all this is not a topic meant to bash any of the two albums
Second, my goal in posting this was not to see which album you guys think is the best resulting in you bashing the other one but mainly to see which album had the biggest musical influence on you and why you prefer it to the other.

Personally I'm a newly discovered Mastodon fan (About 4-5 months ago or around that), after listening to Iron Tusk (on Leviathan) I decided to buy all 4 albums made by this incredible band... simply because I couldn't believe my ears. I loved every single song produced on those 4 master pieces. I found them refreshing, original and mesmerizing.

It is obvious that the band changed from Remission to Crack the Skye... Even though, it amazed me to see that since day one, Mastodon never became boring. They explored multiple genres and made me discover a unique sound that hooked me up. Going back on topic, my favorite would be the first one which is (Remission). I like the raw riffs and vocals in which I discovered probably some of my favorite tracks in the metal world (March of the Fire Ants - Workhorse - Mother Puncher - Elephant Man) the album also made me discover a genius of drums (Brann Dailor) who fills like a freaking god and no one can deny that. In short, this album is a glorious debut and my favorite from the band to this date. It made me find a totally new kind of metal that I enjoy with every note.

On the other hand, Crack the Skye was also a great album, a bit softer, using different types of vocals and experimenting more than ever. Even if its not like the raw debut of the band, its clearly good but it didn't grew up on me like the other. Not my fault, im more of a VIOLENT type of riffs

So its your turn to tell me, Which one do you prefer !? and please don't post something like (Remission) and nothing else Thats just boring

An interesting way to compare these two albums. And I'd have to also say that "Remission" would be my choice from these two. I first heard the album about 6 months after it's release, and it did it's trick on me in a very classical way: it slowly creeped under my skin and stayed there. The way "Remission" had it's roots deep in the old metal and still delivered a breath of modern, fresh air into the music was completely mesmerizing. Fast pummeling married nearly perfectly with the heavy slowness is a cocktail I couldn't resist then, and can't resist now. The song structures are interesting, at times quite chaotic, and still marvelously thought out. And the sound is about perfectly fitting with the song material.

Though "Crack The Skye" is also a solid album, as is every record this outfit has put out so far, I have to say it's a bit too refined for my taste. It lacks the sheer brutal power that "Remission" has, and therefore is left eating dust in my books.

You didn't ask it, but I have to say that when it comes to Mastodon, I still draw the deepest influence from their second album, "Leviathan". It has all the good qualities of the "remission" album, and then some. The balance between the said pummeling that the first one gives, and a bit more civilized tones hits the mark. "leviathan" still is probably one of the most listened to records in my shelf.

All in all, a great band, and like you said, has never got boring. Hopefully their quality stays as high in the future.

Personally for me, in which I also have found Mastodon somehwat recently (about a year ago), Remission has been more influential to me in my opinion. The album stood out because it was the first sludge cd I ever heard and made me willing to look up bands like High on Fire and Baroness. On the other hand, Crack the Skye had less impact because I already knew a lot of progressive bands, even though the cd still has traces of their original style left in it. Not bashing it at all, I love all 4 of their cd's, but Remission for most will probably make people open their eyes to stoner/sludge metal.

Written by Meller on 05.10.2010 at 20:22

An interesting way to compare these two albums. And I'd have to also say that "Remission" would be my choice from these two. I first heard the album about 6 months after it's release, and it did it's trick on me in a very classical way: it slowly creeped under my skin and stayed there. The way "Remission" had it's roots deep in the old metal and still delivered a breath of modern, fresh air into the music was completely mesmerizing. Fast pummeling married nearly perfectly with the heavy slowness is a cocktail I couldn't resist then, and can't resist now. The song structures are interesting, at times quite chaotic, and still marvelously thought out. And the sound is about perfectly fitting with the song material.

Though "Crack The Skye" is also a solid album, as is every record this outfit has put out so far, I have to say it's a bit too refined for my taste. It lacks the sheer brutal power that "Remission" has, and therefore is left eating dust in my books.

You didn't ask it, but I have to say that when it comes to Mastodon, I still draw the deepest influence from their second album, "Leviathan". It has all the good qualities of the "remission" album, and then some. The balance between the said pummeling that the first one gives, and a bit more cixilized tones hits the mark. "leviathan" still is probably one of the most listened to records in my shelf.

All in all, a great band, and like you said, has never got boring. Hopefully their quality stays as high in the future.

I totally agree with that, Crack the Skye is a solid album, but I do think myself that its refined style doesn't sound as good as Remission even though it does imply alot of technical part and structures. The Album is great overall but im on your side...

Also about Leviathan, I didn't really asked you're right but its nice to hear other people's opinion on the band and not only concerning Remission and Crack the Skye. Personally, I believe that Leviathan is their best effort... and you're right when you say that they totally balanced it with this album. The raw sound is there mixed up with refined structures. Very Good

First, I must say that I haven't listened much to Remission and any other album by Mastodon beside CTS. When I heard Mastodon released an "Progressive" album I had to check it out because I love prog, but before that I never heard of 'em. After hearing Crack The Skye I was eager to listen to Mastodon's earlier efforts, but I found them too chaotic and somewhat "primitiv" (I mean in the sound, not they're bad musicians or stupid...).
The bottom line is that I love Crack The Skye, it's truely one of my best buys ever, but as you can see I can't really say it's better because I haven't listened much to Remission.

"Remission" is my chosen one. Not only for the genious talent filled within the music, but also for being groundbreaking, pioneering that particular heavy metal sub-genre. It stands up as a legacy, whose sound most bands tryed and keep on trying to recreate. There's a group for those records that made the heavy metal tree have so many branches: "The Number Of The Beast"; "Black Metal"; "Kill Them All" or "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" are some. "Remission" belongs in there.
Only my opinion of course...

Written by Tiago Rocha on 07.10.2010 at 22:33

"Remission" is my chosen one. Not only for the genious talent filled within the music, but also for being groundbreaking, pioneering that particular heavy metal sub-genre. It stands up as a legacy, whose sound most bands tryed and keep on trying to recreate. There's a group for those records that made the heavy metal tree have so many branches: "The Number Of The Beast"; "Black Metal"; "Kill Them All" or "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" are some. "Remission" belongs in there.
Only my opinion of course...

Quite a nice comparison... Its true that at the time Remission was pretty ground-breaking, Mastodon did a great job on it.
They never stopped surprising me ! But I'd like to know your opinion on their Progressive Attempt "Crack the Skye"

Being on a good band, it's surely not an easy job. By the time you're creating music for the 4th effort, band mates usually get tired doing always the same sound.. so they go on ''experimental'' some times. That's not something to criticize, all things in life have to evolve right? Some bands stick to their roots, that's for sure also respectable. But I hated ''Crack The Skye''. The music is still good, Mastodon still delivered quality. But I was used to the harsheness of the sound of the two first ones, "Crack The Skye" got cheesy compared to those. Don't get me wrong, it was the cheesy bands that brought me to heavy metal, that influenced my metal discovery.. But pick Metallica's ''Trapped Under Ice''. I hate that song! Do you know why? Because it ends! And you have to keep on re-playing it over and over again! And there's not at least one song with that ''feeling'' on ''Crack The Skye''...
Congrats for the forum topic created.

Written by Tiago Rocha on 07.10.2010 at 23:13

Being on a good band, it's surely not an easy job. By the time you're creating music for the 4th effort, band mates usually get tired doing always the same sound.. so they go on ''experimental'' some times. That's not something to criticize, all things in life have to evolve right? Some bands stick to their roots, that's for sure also respectable. But I hated ''Crack The Skye''. The music is still good, Mastodon still delivered quality. But I was used to the harsheness of the sound of the two first ones, "Crack The Skye" got cheesy compared to those. Don't get me wrong, it was the cheesy bands that brought me to heavy metal, that influenced my metal discovery.. But pick Metallica's ''Trapped Under Ice''. I hate that song! Do you know why? Because it ends! And you have to keep on re-playing it over and over again! And there's not at least one song with that ''feeling'' on ''Crack The Skye''...
Congrats for the forum topic created.

I see and frankly I do agree with you even though I don't ''HATE'' Crack The Skye, I do understand your point. The quality was there,
great music, catchy and innovative but just not as raw as Remission. Im more of a HARSH type of Metalhead too. thanks for your clear answer and the last comment