Archive for Mastodon

Doppelgängers: Mastodon and Metallica

Posted in Doppelgängers, Features with tags , on 02/17/2023 by korzeck

Metallica, the biggest metal band ever; and Mastodon, one of the best metal bands of this century, share a lot in common.

For starters, Mastodon started publicly crediting Metallica as major influence shortly after the Atlanta crew became a band in 2000. Six years later, Mastodon covered Metallica’s instrumental classic “Orion” for a tribute album tied to the 20th anniversary celebration of Metallica’s Master of Puppets.

James, Lars and the gang returned the favor a couple of years after that. The thrash gods gave the Atlanta sludge-rockers a huge break by crowning them as the openers for two of Metallica’s European tours. For good measure, 2009’s Guitar Hero: Metallica featured Mastodon’s “Blood and Thunder” as one of its playable tracks.

But the common bonds don’t stop there. There’s a truly uncanny coincidence in two songs by the metal bands, both of which deserve to sit on the Iron Throne. The numbers will be familiar to fans: “Welcome Home (Sanitarium),” from Metallica’s best (or second-best) record, 1986’s Master of Puppets; and “Megalodon,” a gem of a track from Mastodon’s breakthrough record, 2004’s Leviathan.

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ASG: Psycho Las Vegas Preview

Posted in Interviews with tags , , , on 07/30/2022 by korzeck

If you’re a) Going to Psycho Las Vegas 2022; b) Wanna witness a guaranteed, badass rock and roll set; and c) Need to bathe yourself in melodious singing after too many hours of screaming vocals … well, make it a point to see ASG on Sunday (August 21).

Hailing from Wilmington, North Carolina, the lovable-but-lethal Psycho vets deliver about as reliably righteous a show as they come. Thanks to tautly written songs that drill into the brain like the Bugs in Starship Troopers, the Relapse Records band never disappoints.

That’s not to say ASG haven’t faced their fair share of hardships, however. The Bad Penny caught up with frontman Jason Shi on Thursday, and he opened up about some of them. Oh, and his love of Blind Melon, too.

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Best Albums Of 2017: War On Drugs, Queens Of The Stone Age

Posted in Lists, Sound Off with tags , , , , , , , , , on 06/10/2018 by korzeck

War on Drugs album cover A Deeper Understanding

1. War on DrugsA Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
2. Queens of the Stone AgeVillains (Matador) Continue reading

The Violent Sleep Of Reason Episode 5, 4.19.17

Posted in MP3s, The Violent Sleep of Reason with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 04/29/2017 by korzeck

Varg’s Götterdämmerung album cover

The Bad Penny’s new program through Radio Free America, “The Violent Sleep of Reason,” focuses on new and upcoming heavy-metal releases. The show’s fifth installment featured new cuts by VargNecrowretchAll HellTombs, Suffocation and Coltsblood.

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The Violent Sleep Of Reason Episode 3, 4.5.17

Posted in The Violent Sleep of Reason with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 04/05/2017 by korzeck

Mastodon’s “Emperor of Sand”

The Bad Penny’s new program through Radio Free America, “The Violent Sleep of Reason,” focuses on new and upcoming heavy-metal releases. The show’s third installment featured new cuts by Mastodon, Warbringer and Falls of Rauros.

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An Extremely Long Conversation About Extreme Metal With Albert Mudrain

Posted in Features, Interviews, What You Readin' For? with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/02/2010 by korzeck

There is horror cinema. And then there is splatter cinema.

There is drug use. And then there is drug addiction.

There is heavy metal. And then there is extreme metal. Continue reading

Best Albums Of The 2000s

Posted in Lists with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12/31/2009 by korzeck

1. Queens of the Stone AgeSongs for the Deaf (Interscope)
2. IsisOceanic (Ipecac)
• Bad Penny interview: “Isis’ Aaron Turner In ’02: Oceanic Is ‘The Best Material We’ve Ever Written’
• Bad Penny essay: “Isis’ Oceanic: Mystery Revealed?
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Mastodon’s Brent Hinds And Actor J.C. Quinn: Doppelgängers

Posted in Doppelgängers, Features with tags , on 12/30/2009 by korzeck

If the name “J.C. Quinn” actually rings a bell, then you’ve probably seen “Turner and Hooch” way too many times. Which is to say, even once. The poor dude – he died in a car crash in 2004 – also appeared in “The Abyss” (pictured to the right), “The Prophecy” and “Barfly.” Plus he was slated to appear in the subsequently scrapped TV pilot “How I Met the Mother of Mastodon’s Brent Hinds.”

More Doppelgängers:

Axl Rose and GW Bush
Brad Penny and Barney Gumble

Best Albums Of 2009

Posted in Lists with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on 12/30/2009 by korzeck

1. MastodonCrack the Skye (Warner Bros.)
• “Doppelgängers: Mastodon’s Brent Hinds and Actor J.C. Quinn
2. DethklokDethalbum II (Williams Street)
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Best Albums Of 2006

Posted in Lists with tags , , , , , , , , , on 12/30/2009 by korzeck

1. Silversun PickupsCarnavas (Dangerbird)
2. MastodonBlood Mountain (Warner Bros.) Continue reading