Mastodon

The musical equivalent of a giant white whale thrashing in a storm-tossed sea, this Moby Dick-themed concept album is heavy, driving and atmospheric. Like Relapse labelmates the Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon pushes the envelope of musicianship without sacrificing a drop of adrenaline. Massive riffs and rumbling bass lines are shadowed and embellished by Brann Dailor’s furious drumming, which fuses prog-rock flourishes with relentless double-bass pedal pounding. Song titles such as “I Am Ahab” and “Iron Tusk” draw from Melville’s epic for inspiration. The album art is gorgeous, tempting you to flip through the lyrics booklet, but you won’t spend much time listening to the words. This unparalleled feast of sonic theatrics will bring out the pot-smoking teenager in a Black Sabbath T-shirt in everyone.