Pursue happiness with diligence

Mastodon has spent so long making bizarre yet brilliant concept albums dealing with everything from Moby Dick (“Leviathan”) to Rasputin’s cosmic cruise (“Crack the Skye”) that you might expect it would be difficult for them to adjust to recording a straightforward metal album.

Mastodon lays all those fears to rest with a fifth offering that is a celebration of just how far it has come.

Tracks like “Black Tongue” and “All the Heavy Lifting” exhibit a knack for sludge. “Curl of the Burl” and “Dry Bone Valley” add a taste of groove, and “Creature Lives” provides a healthy dose of trippy fun. Some songs are even downright catchy, with the aforementioned “Curl of the Burl” poised to be a rock radio hit.

Brann Dailor’s wild yet precise drumming and Brent Hinds’ fret-burning guitar work elevate “The Hunter” from very good to truly excellent.

The argument of which album is Mastodon’s best is too long to have here, but “The Hunter” earns its place in a discography of phenomenal work.