Mastodon are so mediocre and horrible. It makes me sad that this is what passes as the best metal has to offer. I've always been baffled by their success. Their music is just a bunch of influences thrown together in a random way, hardly ever arriving at good songwriting. A bit of Neurosis, a bit of Sabbath, a bit of King Crimson, a bit of Nirvana - and repeat. They don't have a classic song - a "Paranoid," "Enter Sandman," "Walk," or "Schizoid Man." I just feel they're a tired old version of what a metal band can be: all recycled bits from the past and nothing new. Cliche upon cliche (Moby Dick, Rasputin, blood, deserts, monsters, empires) wrapped up in a good dose of hipster handlebar irony. Occasionally they come up with a decent tune (High Road, Crystal Skull), but it's far and wide among their generally underwhelming output.
Also, Brent Hinds is a shitty human being who bragged about assaulting another musician:
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mas...u-in-the-face/