Remission [Deluxe Reissue]

The Atlanta-based foursome play a very aggressive stoner rock hybrid that at times reminds of the non-death metal excursions by Entombed, but with a complex slant that nears prog rock proportions. The jazzy drumming and clean guitar that go on for most of "Ol'e Nessie" is a Southern-sounding sprawl that could be the Allmans if the brothers bludgeoned with the "Whipping Post" instead of just tying folks up to it. Even though their homeland's influence is more subtle the rest of the way, it's still there if you look beneath the Sab-Stooge-Motorhead Gristle, and that, along with the technical ecstasy, helps make Mastodon stand out amongst a ton of other post-Man's Ruin Stonehenge rockers. [A Deluxe Edition was reissued in 2014.] ~ Brian O'Neill, Rovi