Concert review: Mastodon, Powerstation

Mastodon. Photo / Supplied

Did Mastodon just play the best metal show of the year? Chris Schulz checks out the hipster metallers' first show here since playing the Big Day Out in 2010.

The beards arrived on stage first, with three of the grizzly foursome sporting expertly crafted face fuzz with looks that ranged between 'grizzled hunter', 'wizard's apprentice' and 'motorbike mechanic'.

The riffs came next, with the sludge-metal racket and deathly howls of Tread Lightly echoing around the Powerstation's packed walls to the delight of a sold out crowd that included many fans bearing more than a passing resemblance to the band in front of them.

Yes, hipster-friendly metallers Mastodon were well overdue for a return visit after their last appearance here at the 2010 Big Day Out - and if you wanted a dose of balls-to-the-wall metal-tinged swamp-rock, they didn't disappoint.

Since their last appearance here the Atlanta band with three singers have released two new albums, with last year's excellent sixth album Once More 'Round the Sun getting the most attention as they raced through 17 songs in a grizzled 90-minute assault on the senses.

Highlights from that album included the Bourbons-in-the-air riffage of The Motherload, the frenetic pace of Ember City that erupted into a chorus that could almost be called pop, and the gnarly grind and shout-it-loud lyrics of High Road that caused sporadic moshpits to break out around the venue.

The bits where Mastodon slowed down their riffage to ridiculous levels of desert sludge-boogie really stood out, like Black Tongue's medieval stomp and druid chants of, "I burned out my eyes," and Aunt Lisa's brilliant build into a punk chart of, "Hey, ho, let's get up and rock and roll".

Ninety minutes sure is a lot of Mastodon to take in, with some of those mid-set songs like Chimes at Midnight and Halloween starting to drag - especially during the increasingly lengthy solo squeals of the latter.

But the antics of eccentric guitarist Brent Hinds always entertained, whether he was playing guitar with his teeth, eye balling the crowd during the show's more intense moments, or shaking sweat from his wildman hair-beard combo over the front rows like he'd just returned from a three-day pig hunting expedition.

Thankfully, these guys never take themselves too seriously - a point proved by Brann Dailor at the end of the show. After the impressive chug of Blood and Thunder, the drummer took over a microphone to deliver an impromptu stand-up comedy show. Awesomely ridiculous, right to the end.

Who: Mastodon
Where: Powerstation, Auckland
When: Wednesday, March 25

- nzherald.co.nz