Composer Reacts to Mastodon - Hearts Alive (REACTION & ANALYSIS)

[@JM-rl1jj]

I've always thought that this album is the most perfectly *executed* concept album I've come across. The story/art/music/production/etc. perfectly aligned. There are moments in this song and album where it just sounds like you are sailing in the ocean battling a whale LOL.

[@thewik-thewik]

"Does Mastodon always works with chords like this?" My brother, they work with ALL the chords like this.

[@holesintheground38]

Leviathan and it's sequel Blood Mountain are just banger after banger, you would NOT be disappointed if you chose either for an album review or just wanted to listen for yourself.

[@tropiq]

this is THE song that got me into Mastodon, they used to open shows with this, the balls on them to just start with a 13 min prog track, still one of my favs but they have done a lot since then and all of it is at least good

[@UltraMegaSeaMonkey]

Leviathan is a great example of how a metal album based off a book/movie etc should be done. Excellent stuff.

[@alek98]

This to me is Brann Dailor's magnum opus, the drumming in this track is insane and completely portrays all his high points that distinguish his unique playing style. Sadly, Mastodon's music went on to be more straightforward with time, which doesn't let his playing shine as much nowadays, but this and their first album remission are masterclasses of what in paper would seem like chaotic overplayed drum parts, which he somehow made work perfectly without sounding like just trying to get the spotlight in each song. Really glad you did this song since it's very underappreciated compared to their long songs in Crack the skye which got a lot more mainstream attention.

[@landrec2]

Bang on. 100% Brann's constant flirting with those snare rolls... like a teenager at the big dance, he really knows how to build TENSION. Its unconventional as hell, feels unskilled, but works like a charm. I always tell people "pay attention to the snare!!!" Lol cheers man!

[@stevenmedge3479]

Completely agree. Brann's level on this album and earlier work in general is just on another level.

[@jameslevario2254]

Hands down one of my favorite songs of all time.

[@indridcold1206]

Theres not many if any songs that can compete with Hearts Alive in creativity and sheer scope. Its an amazing song.

[@puppetmaster8551]

Brann Dailor is a god tier musician, guys drumming is just a blast to listen to and his a killer singer and lyricist these days as well. amazing song off a perfect album. Good stuff man, mastodon deserves all the attention.

[@Meowmeow0506]

Please please please do this full album. The lead in from Aqua Dementia to Hearts Alive is god tier. One of the songs you have to listen to back to back whenever one comes on shuffle.

[@WTrewarthaJones]

Mastodon does frequently work with chords like that yeah. Its part of what makes them so exciting to me. An interesting element that spices up Mastodon's guitar playing for me over other metal bands is Brent Hinds' (the lead guitarist) hybird picking that he picked up from playing banjo.

[@soakedbearrd]

As a person that doesn’t know anything about musical theory but listens to all types of music, this song caught my ear the first time I heard it. Only because it was so eerie, almost haunting, like a scary movie back ground.

[@tylersmith3979]

This song is so good I bought the guitar tab book for Leviathan back in the day and learned the whole album. Edit: You should definitely do a full album reaction.

[@metalcorefan93]

Is the tab book for the album somewhat accurate?

[@tylersmith3979]

@@metalcorefan93 Yeah it's pretty much perfect! There are a few weird fingerings but the notes are right.

[@landrec2]

Hey Brian! Thanks for reviewing my favorite Mastodon track, from my favorite Mastodon album! I'm terrible at writing music, incapable even. The way you are able to connect the emotional side of the music to the logical side and writing is TREMENDOUSLY SATISFYING and educational. I truly, truly, appreciate the long, super-articulate reviews you make. Whoever's recommending tracks on this channel... feels like they're my lost twin or can read my mind, or... something. Its uncanny. Keep up the good work, this made my day dude! 😀

[@zakizak1565]

Leviathan is a masterpiece, yet only their sophomore release🤯

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

I still remember when this album first came out. I knew of Mastodon previously from seeing/hearing their March of the Fire Ants (from their first album) on MTV, but didn't get around to hearing a full album until this came out and I was just blown away. I knew instantly they were going to be one of the biggest metal bands on the planet and I thought at the time they had a chance to be the next Metallica. This whole album just flows so well and is crammed with so many cool riffs, beats, genre switches and ideas. At the time I don't think I'd ever heard a band fit so many ideas into such short songs; and this final track was such an amazing closer because it finally opened up the album into these wider spaces and soundscapes with more of a "slow burn" approach that it really felt like being lost in an massive, expansive ocean. Just the perfect album closer. FWIW, as much as I enjoy Mastodon I do agree they are somewhat hit-and-miss discography-wise, but part of that is because they never really settled into a single style, genre, or sound. Personally, I think they were at their absolute best on Leviathan and their next album, Blood Mountain. I think your varying reaction to them is precisely because you've jumped all around their discography, from their first album (Mother Puncher from Remission in '02) to their next-to-last album and EP (Emperor of Sand and Toe to Toes both from 2017). If you like this song I can definitely see you enjoying the rest of Leviathan and even Blood Mountain. To me, these two albums were their best blend of their crushingly heavy/aggressive, more straight-forward metal style and their proggier tendencies; while most of their other album went too far in either direction (not saying none of their other albums are good/great, but I think these two struck the best balance). FWIW, here's my Mastodon album rankings: 1. Leviathan 2. Blood Mountain 3. Hushed and Grim (their latest; a fascinating album and another "new direction" for the band. Heavily proggy, but a very moody kind of prog that's very different from Crack the Skye. Love the atmospheres and textures on this one.) 4. Remission (their first and most straight-forward, heaviest, brutal album. Very raw, but some great riffs; and Crusher Destroyer is one of best album openers ever; it just rolls over you). 5. Once More 'Round the Sun (their "poppiest" with some stabs at radio rock. I actually think it's rather underrated.) 6. Crack the Skye (their proggiest for sure. Lots of fans consider this their favorite). 7. Emperor of Sand (Pretty mediocre IMO. I'm sad this was the album you did for the album review.). 8. The Hunter (They tried to "return to their roots" after the proggy excesses of Crack the Skye, but also with rather mediocre results).

[@CriticalReactions]

That's something that I miss with these single song reactions. Hearing that the album is made up of quick moving, shorter songs that *lead into* this dragged out epic sounds like such an awesome ride.

[@redshift912]

My all time favorite mastodon song

[@floatingdisembodiedhead8975]

Can't argue with that, a prime example of a 10/10 album. From start to finish, not only was it a banger after a banger, it tells a story too. A legendary Metal epic.

[@cthulhuferrigno6547]

Mine too, right up there with March of the Fire Ants.

[@markariaans]

Great to see a reaction to this gem. Definitely one of my favourite Mastodon songs. Utter bliss. I believe the song is actually about the aftermath of the fatal encounter with Moby Dick, with the Pequod slowly sinking and leaving Ismael floating as the lone survivor in the waters as the ship sinks under the waves. One of the most epic pieces of literary writing ever, captured in an epic song. Can't remember if the song lyrics refer to it, but the imagery of a bird trapped and sinking with the ship is just haunting.

[@RichardSmith-ot3zk]

This is the best composer reaction I've seen. I have just enough theory knowledge to understand what you're saying, but I couldn't have articulated it myself. I love that you grapple with the source material. A metal album based on Moby Dick could easily be a bad novelty. But there is something metal about Melville, and the metal screaming isn't far off from what Ahab could have been yelling. The 6/8 time is certainly a deliberate choice to match the boat rocking theme, as it is used throughout the album with odd time sgnatures thrown in to say we're not merrily rowing a boat. I like that you use the term 'exhausting'. The opening track is quite succinct; a simple but hella effective riff. But by the time you get to the finale you've been through some things. In isolation, yeah you could cut some time off somewhere. In context of the album you're glad to have the longer wind down.

[@eighteen-naked-cowboys]

this is a song i’ve loved for over a decade at this point and i still couldn’t provide such thoughtful insight. Crazy how much you can pick up on in a single listen 😂

[@cheekycupcake5616]

Cool, really liked the theme, and the unusual playing around with timing/rhythm. Some intriguing parts seemed very Queens of the Stone Age(-ish), luuuv that! Also afterwards when u said it was 13+ minutes long was shocked, felt half that, so that’s good(lol). Happy 100th! Cheers🌿

[@george5737]

They used to open their concerts with this song…such a ballsy move

[@BrianYates-ue8hf]

Good morning from New England.. I'm just checking out some older vids and came across this...I think of Mastodon as "Space Prog" lol They do tend to play around with meter and time and all of them can legitimately sing so it's cool seeing them do the harmonies The song that did it for me was ASLEEP IN THE DEEP Especially the vid it's so unexpected weird funny and original it elevates the tune 10 fold 🧐✌️🤘😎😮

[@manof1001faces]

Excellent analysis, insightful and informed. Highlighted elements i enjoy about this song without realising it. As for full album reactions, if you do Blood Mountain or anything that came before it, you can’t really go wrong. After that, it becomes a little hit and miss. I’d love to see a reaction to Leviathan as a whole.

[@Xeroxedsoul87]

If you enjoyed this then listen to The Czar and The Last Baron...

[@cthulhuferrigno6547]

Those songs (deservedly) get a lot of run, but in my opinion don't come close in quality to Hearts Alive when it comes to epic Mastodon tracks. They tell their own stories, but they're kind of all over the place and lack the buildup and release of Hearts Alive. Plus I'm not a fan of Brent's nasal vocals on those songs; I was glad he stepped back and made room for Brann's vocals after Crack the Skye.

[@dookieshoe2905]

One of the greatest songs of all time in my book.

[@crashingatom6755]

This is my favorite song on their first album, and that album was a fookin' slapper.

[@sebastianurbanczyk5247]

But Leviathan wasn't their first album.

[@atomicwest995]

Second album

[@janeg6759]

I'm glad to see more Mastodon here. I haven't been through their discography, just Crack the Skye and Emperor of Sand. I just haven't gotten around to listening to their other albums. I really enjoyed this a lot and it makes me want to dive in 🙂

[@andeesrecordcollectionoilp2757]

Listen to the song "Battle at sea" off the EP Life's Blood if you enjoy this song.

[@Agostoic]

If you liked this prelude soundtrack-like of impending tension, then you'll probably like a lot The call of ktulu by Metallica. I may recommend their live rendition with San Francisco symphonyc orchestra of their S&M album. For me it's engrained in my brain as part of The Lord of the rings soundtrack while reading through the trilogy back in the day.

[@j.prt.979]

You would not be disappointed if you liked this and dig into the album because of it.

[@sagebooker]

So dark, as a first impression. I'll dig in the lyrics to complete my impression and understand evertything

[@YuriRadavchuk]

I know you are not taking recommendations from here, but I will try. Neurosis - Eye of every storm album - like anything from it or even better, the whole thing

[@biorythmicshifter]

The drumming on the first 3 full length albums is much more adventurous compared to what they have been doing since making their sound more accessible. Personally I think they peaked with Blood Mountain in terms of balance of heavy to light, the sound started to dilute incrementally with each album…

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

I partly agree only, because listening to this long time after its discovery, I still struggle a bit with its raw & dry character (but even on that side I might favor Remission over this-or the title Seabeast), compared to for instance the album Crack the Skye which I consider an important milestone for them & a perfect production, plus I can't avoid noticing that the intro is a clear take off/plagiarism of the intro of The Call of Ktulu from Metallica....That said, yes this is a different era & they are not sludgy anymore, except maybe live...

[@puppetmaster8551]

I think a lot of it is just Brann enjoys singing and writing lyrics a lot these days so he can’t do the crazy drumming and the singing at the same time. Still a lot of really sweet drums on their recent albums, drums on tracks like roots remain/precious stones/diamond in the witch house/asleep in the deep and many more are just awesome. I understand what you’re saying tho, it was always great to hear Brann just going wild on the first couple albums and you definitely do miss it at times.

[@vengeance8924]

Pls do more mastodon.