The mighty Mastodon descended upon LA once again for an incredible headlining performance. I've seen this band countless times, and every show has been flawless, including this one. I'd have to say that as far as the world of Metal goes, Mastodon are the current leaders of the pack. The opening bands weren't too thrilling for me. It seemed as if the vibe was more Emo and Metalcore. Although, Mastodon fans don't really fit in to the stereotypical Metal look. In fact, most of them have the appearance of an Indie Art Metal figure. There aren't many long hairs in sight. That's probably what sets Mastodon apart from their peers. The music is brutal all right, but the delivery is highly technical as well. So perhaps their draw is a bit more different than the average.
In any case, the band opened up with "Sleeping Giant" from last year's masterpiece, "Blood Mountain." I always anticipate Mastodon's opening number because it's not what you expect. Instead of coming at you full bore, they'll select one of their more mid tempo numbers and build the crescendo from there. That being said, "The Wolf Is Loose," was next, exterminating any thoughts of the slowdown. Most songs on offer this evening concentrated on "Blood Mountain," naturally. "Crystal Skull," "Capillarian Crest," "Circle Of Sasquatch," and "Colony Of Birchmen" were all executed flawlessly. Older faves such as "March Of The Fire Ants, and "Iron Tusk" were highlights as well. Although the band keep it all on a balanced level, drummer Brann Dailor is what really keeps them together. He has to be the best thing going out there right now. The set ended with a raucous "Blood And Thunder." Sadly there was no encore which usually consists of my fave track "Hearts Alive." But no regrets here as another fine performance came to an end.
