Mastodon - Emperor of Sand [2LP]

Mastodon's Emperor of Sand spreads across two 180-gram LPs, a crushing yet melodic concept album about time running out and the people we lose along the way.

Released in 2017 as the Atlanta band's seventh studio album, it follows a man handed a death sentence and cast out into the desert, a story that mirrors the band's own experiences with cancer among family and friends. Producer Brendan O'Brien, who had steered Crack the Skye, returned to capture the quartet at The Quarry studio in Kennesaw, close to their hometown.

Opener "Sultan's Curse" barrels in on galloping riffs and the three-voice interplay of Brann Dailor, Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds, and it went on to earn the band a Grammy for Best Metal Performance. "Show Yourself" is a lean, hook-heavy rocker that proves how catchy Mastodon can be, while "Steambreather" drags with ominous, swaying weight. The closing epic "Jaguar God" begins softly before building to a towering, emotional finale.

Heavy and heartfelt in equal measure, Emperor of Sand is one of the most complete statements in the band's catalogue, balancing progressive ambition with genuine vulnerability and some of their catchiest choruses. Give it a full side-by-side listen, turn it up and let the hourglass run.