MASTODON with DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN at Kool Haus (132 Queens Quay East), Friday (November 25), 7 pm. $29.50. RT, SS, TM. See listing.
Mastodon are one of the fiercest bands in contemporary hard rock and metal. Their albums are a heady mix of fantastical conceptual themes, precision playing and harmonic vocals that have earned them a place alongside the biggest names in heavy music and rare crossover success.
So, naturally, my first question for bassist/lead vocalist Troy Sanders is about meeting Barney the Dinosaur.
“That was probably one of the most bizarre and unique experiences Mastodon have had in our 12 years of existence,” says Sanders, referring to a photo posted on the band’s Facebook page showing all four members huddling with Barney and characters Baby Bop, B.J. and Riff.
“A very surreal but beautiful moment in time for us.”
The snap quickly went viral on every music news website and caused plenty of head-scratching about how such an unlikely gathering came about. It turns out the band visited Barney’s touring show in Indianapolis, and the cast and crew returned the favour at the band’s show later that night.
Sanders, a father and fan of the program, says Barney the Dinosaur and Mastodon have more in common than prehistoric monikers.
“I really bro’d down with Baby Bop. We’re on the same level. They’re on tour for five weeks, we’re on tour for five weeks – eating sandwiches off of deli trays, in and out of every city.”
The photo reflects Mastodon’s talent for defying expectation. Their newest album, The Hunter (Warner), for example, is a change of course for the Atlanta-based foursome, which also includes drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor and guitarists Bill Kelliher and Brent Hinds.
On the heels of lengthy concept albums that have ranged in theme from astral travel (2009’s Crack The Skye) to Moby Dick (2004’s Leviathan), The Hunter is a thematically varied collection of tracks that mostly clock in under four minutes.
Sanders says shelving the concept routine lifted a creative burden from the band’s shoulders.
“This time the writing process had such a freer feel to it. We weren’t confined to writing certain sounds or lyrics under the umbrella of a thematic storyline. ‘Anything goes’ was the [approach we took]… so we were able to explore any musical territory we felt like pursuing.
“It sparked more fun into the process, as opposed to working on complex, epic, lengthy songs that are stressful to put together. We did that with Crack The Skye and we’re proud of that album, but this time we wanted to be more free-form. It reignited a raw energy between the four us that we hadn’t felt in a few years.”
The Hunter displays some of Mastodon’s strongest vocal arrangements to date, with Dailor stepping up his involvement in the harmonies and even taking a lead turn on a tune called Creature Lives.
The increased attention to vocals is partially due to working with Mike Elizondo for the first time. The producer’s credits are mostly in the pop, hip-hop and R&B sphere, but he’d wanted to work with Mastodon since 2006’s Blood Mountain.
That collaboration is another example of Mastodon keeping their fans guessing what they’ll do next.
“Mike has a very broad range of musical talents, and that’s what brought us together. He was very in sync with the four of us individually as well as with what the band wanted for the sonic feel of the record. He was the perfect man for the job.”
Interview Clip
Mastodon’s Troy Sanders explains why his band has a large audience of fans who don’t normally listen to metal or heavy rock.
music@nowtoronto.com
