Mastodon’s The Hunter is a record about killing, survival, and the natural world, and it wants to sound like a band playing with full confidence rather than building toward some elaborate concept. It follows Crack the Skye, the sprawling, cerebral double album that left some listeners lost in its ambition. This time, the Atlanta quartet is going for directness. The songs are shorter, the riffs are bigger, and the lyrics land harder than any abstract sci-fi narrative ever could.
The album runs 18 tracks across 107 minutes, but the core listening experience is really nine songs plus a closer. The extra material — credits, making-of footage, commentary tracks, and videos — is useful for fans, but it’s not the main event. What matters is the music itself, and The Hunter delivers a strong, riff-driven album that rewards repeat listens without demanding a decoder key.
Opening With Black Tongue
The record opens with “Black Tongue,” a slow-burning, doom-tinged introduction that sets a dark tone before the energy kicks in. It’s a patient start, and it pays off when the band shifts into higher gears.
“Curl of the Burl” follows, and it’s the standout moment of the opening stretch. The song is built on a driving riff that moves between a gallop and a chug, and the lyrics — about a man killed because he killed a goat — are blunt and effective. It’s the kind of song that earns a reputation for being both heavy and catchy.
Blasteroid Through Stargasm
“Blasteroid” is a shorter, sharper track that doesn’t linger. It’s competent but forgettable, a bridge between the opener and the stronger material ahead.
“Stargasm” picks things back up with a groove that feels almost danceable underneath its brutal delivery. The chorus is sticky, and the instrumental break is one of the album’s best moments. It’s a highlight, and it shows the band at their most confident.
“Octopus Has No Friends” continues the streak. It’s a mid-tempo stomp with a memorable hook, and the title’s absurdity adds a playful edge to the grim subject matter. It’s one of the most consistently enjoyable tracks on the record.
All the Heavy Lifting and The Hunter
“All the Heavy Lifting” slows things down again, but the tension builds rather than dissipates. The song is a slow-burner that rewards patience, and the payoff comes when the tempo finally opens up.
“The Hunter” is the title track, and it’s a sprawling, ambitious centerpiece that lives up to the record’s name. It’s the longest song on the main sequence, and it earns its length with a complex arrangement and a sense of scale that the rest of the album doesn’t quite reach.
Dry Bone Valley and Thickening
“Dry Bone Valley” is another standout. It’s a slower, more atmospheric track that leans on melody rather than brute force, and it works because the band knows when to pull back. It’s one of the most emotionally resonant moments on the record.
“Thickening” is a more straightforward rock track, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s solid, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the songs around it.
Creature Lives and Spectrelight
“Creature Lives” is a return to the heavier, more aggressive sound that defines the band’s identity. It’s a strong track, but it doesn’t offer much new ground beyond what the album has already covered.
“Spectrelight” closes the main sequence with a burst of energy. It’s a short, punchy closer that leaves the listener wanting more, and it sets up the final stretch of the record.
Bedazzled Fingernails and The Sparrow
“Bedazzled Fingernails” is a shorter, more experimental track that doesn’t quite fit the album’s flow. It’s interesting, but it feels like a detour rather than a destination.
“The Sparrow” is the closer proper, and it’s a sprawling, epic track that matches the ambition of “The Hunter.” It’s the longest track on the record, and it’s a fitting way to end the main sequence.
Credits, Commentary, and Videos
The bonus material is a mixed bag. The commentary tracks offer insight into the recording process, but they’re not essential listening. The videos, including the “Stargasm Visualizer,” the “Black Tongue” video, and the “Deathbound” video, are fun extras, but they don’t add much to the musical experience.
| Track | Length | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Black Tongue | 3:27 | Introduction |
| Curl of the Burl | 3:40 | Highlight |
| Blasteroid | 2:36 | Bridge |
| Stargasm | 4:40 | Highlight |
| Octopus Has No Friends | 3:49 | Highlight |
| All the Heavy Lifting | 4:31 | Slow build |
| The Hunter | 5:18 | Title track |
| Dry Bone Valley | 4:00 | Emotional peak |
| Thickening | 4:31 | Solid |
| Creature Lives | 4:41 | Strong |
| Bonus Material | Length | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | 0:21 | Short filler |
| Making of The Hunter | 6:10 | Behind-the-scenes |
| Track by Track Commentary | 18:14 | Detailed breakdown |
| Videos | 11:31 | Extra content |
Final Word
The Hunter is a strong, cohesive album that stands as Mastodon’s most accessible work. The highlights — “Curl of the Burl,” “Stargasm,” “Octopus Has No Friends,” “Dry Bone Valley,” and “The Hunter” — are genuinely excellent, and they justify the record’s reputation. The weaker tracks don’t drag the album down so much as they remind you that not every song reaches the same height.
The record succeeds because it trusts the listener to engage with the music on its own terms, without the need for a backstory or a grand narrative. That’s a compliment, not a knock. The band is at their best when they’re playing with confidence, and The Hunter is proof of that.
- Black Tongue3:27
- Curl of the Burl3:40
- Blasteroid2:36
- Stargasm4:40
- Octopus Has No Friends3:49
- All the Heavy Lifting4:31
- The Hunter5:18
- Dry Bone Valley4:00
- Thickening4:31
- Creature Lives4:41
- Spectrelight3:10
- Bedazzled Fingernails3:08
- The Sparrow5:31
- Credits0:21
- Making of The Hunter6:10
- Track by Track Commentary18:14
- Track by Track Commentary18:14
- Videos (Stargasm Visualizer, Black Tongue video, Deathbound video)11:31
