Mastodon Reach The Skye In Toronto

Atlanta, Ga. metallers Mastodon are high on the release of the critically acclaimed Crack The Skye and rode a large wave of adrenaline into The Opera House.

Fellow Georgians Kylesa and Los Angeles quartet Intronaut were the openers. They both dropped off of a tour with The Haunted and Nachtmystium to tour with Mastodon, which was a decision that not only benefited them but also the people who like to get to shows before the headliner goes on.

Intronaut opened with a short set that was mostly filled with tracks from last year's Prehistoricisms. Their excellent musicianship and heavy, down-tuned riffage impressed the small group that made it to the gig early. Bassist Joe Lester and drummer Danny Walker were especially sharp — Lester with his unique phrasing and style, and Walker with his speed and off-time rhythms. The band seemed surprised by all the cheering they received, but they shouldn't have been. It was well-deserved.

Next up were sludge outfit Kylesa, a band who should appeal to fans of the first two Mastodon albums more than the last two. They're one of the few groups to have two drummers, which proved to be a lot less gimmicky than expected. It was impressive to see how in sync Eric Hernandez and Carl McGinely were with each other. The band played a large portion of their recent and acclaimed album, Static Tensions, which drew no complaints from fans and non-fans alike.

Then it was time for Mastodon.

Right away, the crowd got larger, the chants got louder, and the space between bodies was significantly reduced. It took a while for the group's gear to be set up, but the restlessness it caused only resulted in chants of their name and "white whale, holy grail" — a lyric from Leviathan's "Blood And Thunder."

The dissonant introduction of "Oblivion" started in dim light and created an exciting mood topped with a background display of images and video that helped illustrate the story behind Crack The Skye. The band played through the entire album flawlessly. The biggest issue that hindered the band's past performances — guitarist Brent Hinds' singing — has clearly been solved. His effort was much improved and, quite simply, he seemed to give a shit.

After finishing with the astonishing "The Last Baron" (and damn is that Rush tribute fun live), the band nearly immediately went into a second set that covered their catalogue in reverse chronological order.

They played a few numbers from Blood Mountain, including the rarely played "Bladecatcher," fan favourite "The Wolf Is Loose" and single "Colony Of Birchmen." Next was the always fun "Megalodon" and "Seabeast" from 2004's Leviathan.

Mastodon finished their set with the brilliant combination of "Iron Tusk" and Remission's "March Of The Fire Ants." The latter track ultimately summed up what this night was about for all three bands: delighting existing fans and impressing those who hadn't been hooked yet.

Billy Talent guitarist Ian D'Sa was hanging outside the building afterwards, talking to a friend about how awesome the show was. Agreed.

Here's what Mastodon played:

"Oblivion"
"Divinations"
"Quintessence"
"The Czar"
"Ghost Of Karelia"
"Crack The Skye"
"The Last Baron"
"Bladecatcher"
"Colony Of Birchmen"
"The Wolf Is Loose"
"Crystal Skull"
"Capillarian Crest"
"Megalodon"
"Seabeast"
"Iron Tusk"
"March Of The Fire Ants"