What do you get when you strip out the metal and infuse bluegrass, acoustic, and funk elements into Mastodon? 
Mastodon’s peculiar and alluring musical journey takes another distinct, albeit not unexpected, turn with the release of their latest EP, Cold Dark Place. Originally rumored to be a solo album by guitarist Brent Hinds, the four-song release contains three tracks recorded during the 2013-14 Once More ‘Round the Sun sessions and a single composition from the recent Emperor of Sand recordings.
As polarizing as the sound was during various moments of EOS were, Cold Dark Place seems to retain significantly more homogeneity in its style. The traces of Mastodon’s much more aggressive and originally bellicose sonic approach are virtually nonexistent. There are brief, if not terse, moments of up-tempo musicianship and vigor. The scope of the record conjures up the image of a champion thoroughbred trotting along. It is a hard sight to accept for those who long to see it sprinting at full-speed.
The abundant presence of acoustic guitars is an obvious departure from most prior Mastodon releases. Much like EOS, Hinds continues to command an increasing role in the band’s vocal arrangements. Bassist Troy Sanders makes what can be best described as an occasional cameo appearance as lead singer. His soaring vocals are only present for a 20-second period during “Blue Walsh” and the brief chorus for “Toes to Toes”. Apart from the tamed performance by drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher’s diminishing input in songwriting, this is perhaps one of the album’s biggest flaws. Hinds’ clean vocals, although unique and pleasant when he actually tries to sing in key, are far too limited for him to carry the band. Hearing Hinds attempt to demonstrate his range as a vocalist is not an inherently bad thing, but Sanders clearly possesses a more dynamic vocal capability.
Cold Dark Place is soaked in melody and harmony and almost devoid of Mastodon’s trademarks rhythms. There is an obvious lyrical concept involving the three tracks from the Once More ‘Round the Sun sessions. Each song deals with a withering relationship that appears to be at its end.
The soft intro to “North Side Star” is not an entirely new concept for the band. And unlike some of the other songs on the EP, this track manages to take an interesting turn. Dailor and Hind’s soft, dueling vocals are something that fans of Leviathan-era Mastodon might find hard to grasp. However, fans of the more progressive and melodic direction of the band’s style will be quite satisfied.
The first several minutes of “North Side Star” are very restrained, as the vocals sit well above the guitars in the mix. Hinds’ vocals during the chorus are some of his best, and the subtle guitar lines work to establish an enjoyably ethereal atmosphere. With the arrival of the second chorus, at around the three-minute mark, the song really begins to open up. The percussions and bass establish an almost funky rhythm that is almost unrecognizable from the Mastodon of the past. The previously muted guitars finally assert their presence, and Hinds tears into a brief, but dazzling guitar solo. Shortly after, the final 80 seconds of the track are focused on another mind-blowing solo by Hinds. Though Cold Dark Place lacks any signature Mastodon riffs, the guitar leads are perhaps some of their most intricate and melodic yet.
The second track, “Blue Walsh”, can best be summed up with a singular hyphenated word: snore-fest. The song, at least by Mastodon standards, seems to plod along for the majority of its five-minute-plus span. The lyrics aren’t interesting, and the vocals seem uninspired. It could arguably be labeled as one of the band’s most unforgettable song to-date. That is…until Mr. Sanders appears to save the day. The song abruptly erupts into a furious blast of energy marked by a substantial increase in tempo and guitar volume. Sanders belts out a single verse with such fury and passion that it becomes perplexing as to why his presence as a vocalist has been so reduced on the last two albums. But just as soon as Sanders’ catalyzing appearance injects some intensity into “Blue Walsh”, it once again gives way to the boring, uninspired arrangement of the first three minutes.
“Toes to Toes”, the first single from the EP, begins with an intriguing and, dare I say, bluegrass-style acoustic guitar riff. Soon after, it transitions into the song’s chorus and some very progressive instrumentation. A fuzzed out guitar, Dailor’s unique drum fills, and some wonderful vocals by Sanders greet the listener in such an enjoyable manner. However, nearly all of that joy is dismantled by the adjunct of…*sigh*…claps.
Apart from Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, few, if any, rock songs have ever benefited from clapping…and this is no exception. Fortunately, the obnoxious claps subside and give way to a heavy guitar interlude. Hinds takes over as vocalist and does a pretty impressive job over the now much softer guitar harmonies, both acoustic and electric. Sanders and Hinds trade off once more before another masterful Hinds solo commences. From there, the song undergoes another tempo shift. Dailor, whose drumming is not prominently featured on this album, finally breaks free from his restraints. The manic clown manages to add some monstrous drumming underneath Hinds’ powerful vocals. The heavy guitar interlude returns once more before transitioning into the previous Hinds/soft guitar combination. And, again, Hinds’ wild guitar playing closes the song out. The realization that “Toes to Toes” was recorded during the EOS sessions with producer Brendan O’Brien (known previously for his contributions on Crack the Skye) is no real surprise.
The title track, and the last of the four songs, is certainly much more subdued than the rest of the album. A dark-toned intro, led by acoustic guitars and Hinds’ vocals, carries into a series of psychedelic guitar effects. This formula is repeated again before Dailor announces his presence with a crescendo of drums. However, just as it appears that the song might erupt into something furious and distinctly “Mastodon”, the drums slowly recede and provide an accompaniment to Hind’s vocals and the acoustic guitars. The lyrics for “Cold Dark Place” are both cheesy, love ballad-esque and also immensely introspective and personal: “And I wish I knew how to breath again/I fear I’m gonna die inside my skin.” Hinds’ vocals carry this song perhaps more than any previous Mastodon track. The instrumentation is secondary to the words. The pain in his voice is magnified by his forlorn lyrics of a quarreling relationship between lovers. And, you guessed it, another lengthy and equally impressive guitar solo signals an end to both the song and the EP.
If you begin to picture Cold Dark Place as Hinds’ solo record, rather than a proper Mastodon release, then much of the artistic direction begins to make sense. Still, as a Mastodon album, this EP is both compelling and questionable. Whereas Opeth’s progressive evolution has led them towards more of jazz fusion and 1970s progressive rock approach, Mastodon seems content experimenting with their own elements. Hinds’ bluegrass and acoustic influence is quite evident on this record. There is also a continuation of increasing melodicism and harmony that consequently, and unfortunately, summons forth the labels “commercial” and “radio rock.” Though the music is much more palatable to an uninitiated listener when juxtaposed with the Mastodon of yesteryear, it is certainly not bland by contemporary standards. Mastodon unfortunately suffers from the same faults that acts such as Opeth fall prey to. That is, groundbreaking artists will always be examined with a much more critical eye than their less talented contemporaries. What might be labeled as good or satisfactory for bands with less impressive catalogs is simply not good enough for many Mastodon fans.
As someone who has enjoyed each release along this extraordinary musical journey, I find Cold Dark Place hard to categorize. EOS proved to be an album that required several listens before I could finally appreciate it. The highlights from it are some of the band’s best, but it still has its share of flaws. And perhaps that is where I find myself upon listening to Cold Dark Place several times through. I honestly can’t make heads or tails of this record because it’s just so damn different from what I have come to love about this band.
Is it terrible or even pedestrian? Absolutely not. It’s very difficult for four musicians of Mastodon’s caliber to completely fall flat on an album. However, I find myself struggling to label it as ‘great’ as well. The energy on Cold Dark Place is so lackluster compared to the preceding discography. And while Hinds’ musicianship doesn’t miss a beat, it seems as though the rest of the band isn’t allowed to properly showcase their talents for more than a handful of instances.  
This is not an easy listen, nor is it something that should be dismissed upon initial exposure. If this EP merely marks a temporary side venture, which is more than likely, on this magical and captivating musical voyage…then I am satisfied. Still, I would prefer Cold Dark Place to not be an indicator of the band’s preferred future direction.
Overall, this is an interesting EP that perhaps requires an asterisk given Hinds’ prominent influence. If you are a fan of experimental music then I recommend giving this a listen (just like any other Mastodon release). However, metal heads looking for some headbanging riffs and pummeling drums would be well-advised to look the other way.
Rating: 6/10…with the potential to be a 7/10.
For fans of: Recent Opeth (Heritage & Sorceress) and Steven Wilson