Mastodon - The Hunter

Mastodon's The Hunter trades sprawling concept albums for tight, riff-heavy songs, and it may be the most fun the Atlanta band ever had in the studio.

Released in 2011, their fifth album came after a run of ambitious records built around whales, mountains and astral travel. This time they dropped the overarching storyline and wrote shorter, punchier tracks, working with producer Mike Elizondo. The title honours guitarist Brent Hinds's brother, who died while hunting, and that loss gives the record an undercurrent of grief beneath the swagger.

Black Tongue opens with a crushing, lumbering riff and a chorus that sticks, and Curl of the Burl is a catchy, sludgy stomp that became one of their best-known songs. Blasteroid bursts out of the speakers with punk-rock energy and a gleefully unhinged vocal, while The Sparrow closes the record on a slow, hypnotic farewell that builds into something genuinely moving.

The band's trademark twin guitars and Brann Dailor's busy, inventive drumming are all here, but the songs feel looser and more accessible, mixing prog-metal complexity with stoner-rock groove and even a few pop hooks.

Fronted by a striking carved wooden sculpture on the cover, it is a great entry point for newcomers and a favourite for longtime fans. Crank it and enjoy the beast.