Mastodon, Brixton Academy, gig review: Prog metal luminaries hardly put a foot wrong at iconic London venue

Atlanta quartet headline a sold out Brixton Academy in support of their seventh studio opus Emperor of Sand

Bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders: the Atlanta-based prog rock luminaries hardly put a foot wrong (Rex/John Gilleese)

If ever there were a modern metal band who suffers from the sheer consistent quality of their own output, surely that band is Mastodon. The progressive, stoner, sludge metal quartet have become so proficient at regularly unleashing vast, opulent and ornate masterworks that it’s become easy for the metal scene at large to take them for granted. From 2002’s gut-punch debut Remission right up until this year’s extraordinary prog-metal masterpiece Emperor of Sand, every single Mastodon record has been of an extraordinarily high standard, with the band building one of the most rock-solid musical legacies of the 21^st century. Tonight, they headline a sold out Brixton Academy for the third time in a row and bring with them two very distinct and utterly stellar supports, marking a late entry for one of the best heavy bills of 2017.

To open up this evening? Only one of the premier instrumental acts of the past 10 years and for half an hour, Russian Circles prove why they’re more than worthy of living up to that title. A trio that sound as mighty as a sextet, Russian Circles are a slow lumbering beast, like Godzilla stomping down city-wide blocks, crushing skyscrapers like a person would a Ryvita. Lit from behind in a bid to make the music do the talking, they start with the appropriately lumbering “309”, the swirling hypnotic beasts and rumbling bass being more than enough to get a large portion of the uninitiated Mastodon crowd onside immediatedly. Thirty minutes isn’t an awful lot of time for the majestic sprawl of Russian Circles to be felt, so the trio wisely choose to stick to their full-pelt, heavier material for the most part, with the exception of “Afrika” which feels utterly majestic, filling every inch of Brixton’s vast concrete sprawl with its blissed-out heavy tones.

The ominous dread that the three-piece conjure, particularly during the intro of “Harper Lewis”, is spine-tingling and makes for a much more dramatic, tooth-rattling crescendo during the song’s latter half. It’s also a wonderful showcase for drummer Dave Turncrantz’s incredible grace around a kit, sprinkling his playing with rim-clicks and ghost notes galore to create a dynamic, beating heartbeat to anchor bassist and ex-Botch luminary Brian Cook’s thick, textured tar-like riffs.

Guitarist Mike Sullivan negotiates a complex series of loops to fill out the trio’s sound, a feat that would appear breath-taking if it weren’t for the ease with which he manages to traverse his pedal board. The thought of any other musicians taking the place of Messer’s Sullivan, Cook or Turncrantz is inconceivable, so skilled are they at weaving intricate textures and melodies around one another in an effort to come up with something greater than the sum of its parts and that is surely the mark of a truly exceptional band.

Red Fang’s Aaron Beam (Rex/John Gilleese)

Red Fang aren’t strangers to opening for a Mastodon crowd, having done so around the US and Europe when the headliners were touring The Hunter. It’s an impeccable pairing with the Portland Oregon quartet providing a perfect appetiser for this evening’s main course. Red Fang may be less cerebral than the band most are here to witness but they more than make up for that with the sheer accessibility of their gargantuan riffs.

It’s clear from the get-go that Red Fang aren’t messing about this evening, with a perfectly honed set that culls predominantly from their incredible 2011 sophomore record Murder The Mountains. Bulldozing straight into the colossal riff that ushers in “Hank Is Dead” is a sure-fire way to get attention and Red Fang have Brixton’s from the off. They follow it up with the groove sludge masterpiece that is “Throw Up”, an irresistible moneymaker shaker that evokes Alice in Chains if they were called on to cover Queens of the Stone Age. It perfectly encapsulates what so many love about this band; their hooks will scorch their way onto your cerebral cortex whilst their riffs pummel your senses until you’re left a head-banging, gibbering wreck.

“Wires” and “Malverde” seem so primal and instinctual that it feels as if they have been in the lexicon of music since the beginning of time. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Red Fang’s riffs, you’ll become instantly familiar with half a dozen or so given 30 minutes in the Oregon quartet’s company. It makes you wonder how long it will be until Red Fang are headlining venues of this size themselves. One killer album could rocket them to that stage; let’s hope that happens soon.

Mastodon’s Brent Hinds is effortlessly proficient (Rex/John Gilleese)

Beginning a headline gig to a 5,000 strong, sold-out crowd with an extraordinary, twisting 13-minute prog rock odyssey is a bold move for any band but of course Mastodon pull it off with aplomb as they peel into the opening strains of “The Last Baron”. It’s an absolute masterpiece, with each succeeding section sounding more intricate than the last. So chockfull of ideas is ‘The Last Baron’ that the gig could end at the song’s conclusion and most here would be content that they’d just witnessed the most fulfilling and spellbinding show of the year. Thankfully, Mastodon don’t end there, but rather go into the crushing opening number from this year’s Emperor of Sand, ‘Sultan’s Curse’.

In all, seven cuts are taken this evening from the band’s latest record with ‘Roots Remain’, ‘Ancient Kingdom’ and ‘Andromeda’ all proving to be seismic examples of the band’s unique approach to prog-metal, whilst love-it-or-loathe-it ‘Show Yourself’ cements itself as a bona fide classic that will likely remain in the set for years to come. There are few concessions to spectacle, other than some 14ft LED screens that occasionally cast trippy vistas of stars and Cthulhuian monsters but there’s more than enough drama in the band’s songs, with a broad set list that gleans gems from all seven of the band’s studio albums.

Mastodon’s mastermind Brann Dailor behind the kit (Rex/John Gilleese)

“Black Tongue”, “Colony of Birchmen”, “Megalodon” and “Oblivion” all provide startling examples of the band’s growth and depth across a stunning 17-year career. “Bladecatcher” is surely one of the best instrumentals in metal and shows off the quartet’s excellent musicianship without ever appearing self-indulgent. Amazingly, after 17 songs and almost two hours, there are still a whole heap of tunes one would love to hear (there’s no “Curl of the Burl”, “High Road”, ”March of the Fire Ants” or “The Wolf Is Loose” tonight) but this is testament to Mastodon’s vast catalogue of phenomenal songs.

A very welcome callback to their early roots in the form of “Mother Puncher” feels like a right hook to the jaw before the sprawling epic that is “Steambreather” and the rocket launcher in a knife fight hysteria of “Blood and Thunder” bring proceedings to a mesmerising and electrifying close. Few should be left in doubt that history will dictate that Mastodon be seen as one of the most treasured bands in metal in the early 21^st century. Their place in the pantheon is assured, for doing things their own way and never bowing to convention and performances like tonight’s are a magnificent reminder of what makes them so special.