Emperor of Sand
Studio album by
Mastodon
ReleasedMarch 31, 2017 (2017-03-31)
RecordedOctober–December 2016[1][2]
Studio
Genre
Length51:11
LabelReprise
ProducerBrendan O'Brien
Mastodon chronology
Once More 'Round the Sun
(2014)		 Emperor of Sand
(2017)		 Cold Dark Place
(2017)
Singles from Emperor of Sand
  1. "Show Yourself"
    Released: February 3, 2017
  2. "Steambreather"
    Released: August 25, 2017

Emperor of Sand is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on March 31, 2017 through record label Reprise Records. The album's first single, "Show Yourself", peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017. The second single, "Steambreather", peaked at number 18 on the same chart. It was ranked on several year-end lists, including at number three on The Independent's "Top 20 Rock & Metal Albums of 2017".[3]

Background

Emperor of Sand is Mastodon's seventh studio album.[5][6] The album was recorded at the Quarry in Kennesaw, Georgia and mixed at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles.[5] The band worked with record producer Brendan O'Brien, with whom they collaborated on their 2009 album Crack the Skye.[5] The songs were recorded as originally arranged, then they revisited each track to edit and refine the sound.[5] Drummer Brann Dailor completed his drum tracks and began drafting lyrics while guitars and bass were being recorded by other band members.[5]

Scott Kelly of Neurosis and Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth both appear as guest vocalists on "Scorpion Breath" and "Andromeda" respectively.[7] Kelly appeared as a guest vocalist on every Mastodon studio album from Leviathan (2004) to the compilation Medium Rarities (2020).[8]

Concept and lyrical themes

The concept and story in Emperor of Sand follows a desert wanderer who has been handed a death sentence.[5] Themes of death and survival are woven into the songs' lyrics, which were inspired by experiences members of the band had when family and friends were recently diagnosed with cancer.[5]

"At the end of the story, the person simultaneously dies and is saved," Dailor said. "It's about going through cancer, going through chemotherapy and all the things associated with that. I didn't want to be literal about it. But it's all in there. You can read between the lines."

"We're reflecting on mortality," bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders said in a statement. "To that end, the album ties into our entire discography. It's 17 years in the making, but it's also a direct reaction to the last two years. We tend to draw inspiration from very real things in our lives."[9]

Release

Emperor of Sand was released on March 31, 2017 through record label Reprise.[6] A snippet of "Sultan's Curse" was previewed on the band's website on January 25, 2017,[6][10] and the full track was released on January 27.[10] The album's first single, "Show Yourself", was released in February 2017. Its second single, "Steambreather", was released in August 2017.

Following the album's release, the band embarked on a tour in the United States from April 14 to May 20, 2017, with support from Eagles of Death Metal and Russian Circles.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Consequence of SoundB[13]
Exclaim!8/10[14]
The Guardian[15]
NME(4/5)[16]
Pitchfork7.6/10[17]
PopMatters[18]
Rock Sound8/10[19]
Rolling Stone[20]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5[21]

Emperor of Sand was well-received by contemporary music critics upon its initial release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on 24 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]

Amongst the more positive articles was Calum Slingerland's review for Exclaim!. In it, Slingerland stated that "Drawing as much from their past as well as their present, Mastodon refuse to go extinct just shy of two decades of music-making. Emperor of Sand is at once emotionally powerful and musically arresting."[14] Anita Bhagwandas was also highly positive in a four-star review for NME, saying "Metal needed this album. It needed a record that's doomy, heavy and magnificently multilayered, and Mastodon's seventh album is exactly that."[16] Reviewing that album for Consequence of Sound, Katherine Turman wrote "From the incendiary solos of 'Word to the Wise' to the evocatively personal/universal lyrics ('The throne of maladies/It's right in front of me/Your malignancy'), Emperor of Sand proves cathartic for the listener and, hopefully, for the band members as well."[13] Rob Sayce wrote the review for Rock Sound suggesting that "Few bands out there twist metal into such bewildering, bewitching shapes, and – somehow – there’s little sign of their well running dry."[19]

In the review for AllMusic, critic Thom Jurek was more critical of the album, claiming "Emperor of Sand is not perfect; it doesn't attain the glories of the first trilogy. That said, it's easily on par with The Hunter and stronger than Once More 'Round the Sun, while being more diverse than any record they've cut. Arguments about quality should go beyond the aesthetics to embody process and honesty, which are what ultimately matters. In order to be true to themselves, Mastodon had to make Emperor of Sand at this time. There was no other option. As such, its urgency, sophistication, and emotional heft make it a necessary entry in their catalog."[12] Jordan Blum of PopMatters similarly concluded that "Emperor of Sand is by no means a bad album, but there's little here that the band hasn't already explored."[18] Contributor Saby Reyes-Kulkarni wrote the review for Pitchfork declaring "Mastodon haven't gone past the point of no return in pursuit of accessibility. If anything, Emperor of Sand proves the opposite. Musicians often rationalize losing their edge by talking about 'maturity'. Mastodon can now feel free to use the word without lying to their fanbase."[17]

Accolades

Year-end rankings

Publication Accolade Rank
Exclaim! Top 10 Metal and Hardcore Albums of 2017
Loudwire 25 Best Metal Albums of 2017
Metal Hammer 100 Best Metal Albums of 2017
Revolver 20 Best Albums of 2017
Rolling Stone 20 Best Metal Albums of 2017

In 2018, the first track of the album, "Sultan's Curse", won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album, but lost to The War on Drugs' A Deeper Understanding.[27]

Decade-end rankings

Publication Accolade Rank
Louder Sound The 50 Best Metal Albums of the 2010s
Loudwire The 66 Best Metal Albums of the Decade

Commercial performance

The album sold around 43,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, making it the band's best selling album, as Crack the Skye debuted at number 11 with 41,000 copies in its first week.[30]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mastodon

No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Sultan's Curse"Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Brann Dailor4:09
2."Show Yourself"Dailor, Sanders3:03
3."Precious Stones"Hinds, Sanders3:46
4."Steambreather"Dailor, Hinds5:03
5."Roots Remain" (titled "Eons" on the vinyl version)Sanders, Dailor, Hinds6:28
6."Word to the Wise"Sanders, Dailor4:00
7."Ancient Kingdom"Dailor, Sanders, Hinds4:54
8."Clandestiny"Sanders, Hinds, Dailor4:28
9."Andromeda" (featuring Kevin Sharp)Sanders, Dailor, Kevin Sharp4:05
10."Scorpion Breath" (featuring Scott Kelly)Sanders, Scott Kelly3:19
11."Jaguar God" (featuring Mike Keneally)Hinds, Dailor, Sanders7:56
Total length:51:11

Personnel

Charts

References

  1. ↑ Kennelty, Greg (October 4, 2016). "MASTODON Is Officially In The Studio Working On A New Album". Metal Injection. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  2. ↑ Kennelty, Greg (December 7, 2016). "MASTODON Hopes To Release New Album In The Spring, Lyrics Deal With Losing Loved Ones To Cancer". Metal Injection. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Dedman, Remfry (December 8, 2017). "The top 20 rock & metal albums of 2017". The Independent. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Mastodon – Emperor of Sand review". Metal Storm. April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appleford, Steve (December 19, 2016). "Inside Mastodon's Dark, Emotional New LP". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Mastodon To Release 'Emperor Of Sand' Album In March; Cover Artwork, Track listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  7. ↑ Lanham, Tom (February 28, 2017). "Cover Story: Mastodon". Illinois Entertainer. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Neurosis Frontman Confirms Appearance on New Mastodon Album". Loudwire.
  9. ↑ Blistein, Jon (January 27, 2017). "Mastodon Detail New Album 'Emperor of Sand'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Hughes, Josiah (January 26, 2017). "Mastodon Unveil 'Emperor of Sand' LP". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Reviews and Tracks for Emperor of Sand by Mastodon". Metacritic. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  12. 1 2 Jurek, Thom. "Emperor of Sand – Mastodon". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  13. 1 2 Turman, Katherine (April 3, 2017). "Mastodon – Emperor of Sand | Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  14. 1 2 Slingerland, Calum (March 29, 2017). "Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  15. ↑ Lawson, Dom (March 30, 2017). "Mastodon: Emperor of Sand review – metal progressives serve up melodic mischief". Retrieved April 17, 2017 – via The Guardian.
  16. 1 2 Bhagwandas, Anita (March 24, 2017). "Album Review: Mastodon – Emperor of Sand (Reprise/Warner Bros.)". NME. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  17. 1 2 Reyes=Kulkarni, Saby (April 3, 2017). "Mastodon -Emperor of Sand". Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  18. 1 2 Blum, Jordan (March 24, 2017). "Mastodon: Emperor of Sand | PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  19. 1 2 Sayce, Rob (March 24, 2017). "Mastodon – Emperor of Sand - Rock Sound Magazine". Rock Sound. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  20. ↑ Grow, Kory (March 30, 2017). "Mastodon Emperor of Sand Album Review | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  21. ↑ K, Simon (April 1, 2017). "Review: Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Sputnikmusic.
  22. ↑ "Exclaim!'s Top 10 Metal and Hardcore Albums". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  23. ↑ "25 Best Metal Albums of 2017". Loudwire. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Metal Hammer's 100 best albums of 2017". Metal Hammer. December 15, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  25. ↑ "20 Best Albums of 2017". Revolver. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  26. ↑ "20 Best Metal Albums of 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Mastodon, Foo Fighters Win at 60th Annual Grammy Awards". Loudwire. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  28. ↑ "The 50 best metal albums of the 2010s". Louder Sound. December 18, 2019. p. 4. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  29. ↑ "The 66 Best Metal Albums of the Decade". Loudwire. November 19, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  30. ↑ "MASTODON Scores Its Third Top 10 Album With 'Emperor Of Sand'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. April 10, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Emperor of Sand". Cargo Collective. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Mastodon: Emperor of Sand" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 14, 2017)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2017. 14. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Irish Albums Chart: 7 April 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Charts.nz – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  45. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  46. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  47. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  48. ↑ 7, 2017/40/ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  49. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  50. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  51. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mastodon – Emperor of Sand". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  52. ↑ 7, 2017/7502/ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  53. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  54. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  55. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  56. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  57. ↑ "Mastodon Chart History (Top Tastmakers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  58. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  59. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
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