I usually detest metal; as in music, but there is a homegrown band with international reach that I dig: Mastodon. Somehow, this is metal that makes sense. It is intelligent metal. If Bob Dylan had been making metal early in his career, this is how it would have sounded. I'm still not sure what the Mastodon singer(s) are saying, but the fucking drumming is incredible as are the guitar(s.)?

I just bought the band's most recent cd, Blood Mountain. This is my first exposure to the band. I doubt that I will head out to their live gigs, but I will seek out past cds. If you hate metal. If you think it is cliched, mostly boring and repetitive with very little creativity in the delivery of lyrics, then check out Mastodon. You might just bang your head to this band, even if you've never been a head banger before.

go hear to listen to mastodon: http://www.myspace.com/mastodon