Crack the Skye
Encyclopedia
Crack the Skye is the fourth studio album by American sludge metal
band Mastodon
, released on March 24, 2009 through Reprise Records
. It features seven tracks and runs at 50 minutes and 6 seconds. The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200
, selling 41,000 copies in its first week. In Australia, the album debuted at number 19. It had sold 200,000 copies in the US as of September 2010, making it one of their highest selling albums to date.
According to an interview on the DVD The Making of Crack the Skye, this album represents the element of aether
, which is represented by the souls and spirits of all things, a theme closely related to the context of the album. Because the elements of fire
, water
and earth
have already represented by the band's first three albums Remission
, Leviathan
and Blood Mountain
, respectively, the element of air
is the only classical element
which has yet to be represented by a Mastodon album.
described the album as more "focused" than its predecessor, Blood Mountain
: "Maybe there was a deeper heart to this record that needed more exploring… We got more involved with feeling the vibe of the record and everything feels more creepy and spaced out and something special is going on."
Vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders
said in an interview with Stereogum, "Crack The Skye is a departure from everything we've previously recorded in the sense that we kinda strapped on our aeroshells and departed from Earth for a while, and then captained to the ethereal element of the universe and kind of slept on the roof of the world for a while to get a perspective on this record. ... Basically we're exploring the ethereal world. We're dissecting the dark matter that dominates the universe, in a nutshell."
When asked in multiple interviews Dailor said the record would tell a story dealing variously with the art aesthetics of Tsarist Russia, astral travel, out of body experiences and Stephen Hawking
's theories on wormholes.
Dailor has also said that "Crack the Skye" is meant as an homage to his sister, Skye Dailor, who committed suicide
at age 14.
Scott Kelly, who guested on the title track, has this to say about the song:
, which assigns a "universal acclaim" rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 82, based on 29 reviews. Time Magazine placed "Crack the Skye" at #3 on its "Top 10 Albums of 2009" list, and Rock Sound
named it their Album of the Year for 2009. In addition, Spin Magazine listed it as the 17th best album of the year. Rhapsody
called it the 7th best album of 2009.
Crack the Skye received positive reviews from many major reviewing sites. Total Guitar
' s Nick Cracknell awarded the album a 5/5 rating, describing it as "even more ambitious in scope and sound than 2006’s Blood Mountain
. Embracing elements of prog and country, but above all classic rock, Hinds and Kelliher literally add new dimensions to the band’s ever-expanding sound." Decibel, who named Blood Mountain as their number 1 album of 2006, gave Crack the Skye a 7/10 rating as reviewer Joe Gross responded that "Crack is clearly designed as a grower, not a shower, the sound of a band that grew tired of people not responding to their ground game, so they put the ball in the air. Who knows when it will come down?" Clash
' s review was particularly glowing in its praise for the album, saying "no metal release of 2009 is likely to be as important as ‘Crack The Skye." The review praised the album's expansive sound and emotion, and finished by claiming that the album is "surely destined to become the stuff of legend." Reviewer Nate Chinen of the New York Times noted the album's "ambitious vision and vivid execution." The New Yorker pop music critic Sasha Frere-Jones lists it as one of his favorite albums of the year on his personal blog and in an article for The New Yorker called the Crack the Skye a "deeply entertaining album."
The album was also voted the #1 Album of 2009 by Metal Hammer
s critics and contributors.
Other
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
band Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
, released on March 24, 2009 through Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. It features seven tracks and runs at 50 minutes and 6 seconds. The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 41,000 copies in its first week. In Australia, the album debuted at number 19. It had sold 200,000 copies in the US as of September 2010, making it one of their highest selling albums to date.
According to an interview on the DVD The Making of Crack the Skye, this album represents the element of aether
Aether (classical element)
According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...
, which is represented by the souls and spirits of all things, a theme closely related to the context of the album. Because the elements of fire
Fire (classical element)
Fire has been an important part of all cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization. It has been regarded in many different contexts throughout history, but especially as a metaphysical constant of the world.-Greek and Roman tradition:Fire...
, water
Water (classical element)
Water is one of the elements in ancient Greek philosophy, in the Asian Indian system Panchamahabhuta, and in the Chinese cosmological and physiological system Wu Xing...
and earth
Earth (classical element)
Earth, home and origin of humanity, has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition.-European tradition:Earth is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with qualities of heaviness, matter and the...
have already represented by the band's first three albums Remission
Remission (Mastodon album)
Remission is the first full-length debut album by American sludge metal band Mastodon. It was released on May 28, 2002 through Relapse Records and was re-released on October 21, 2003.-Production:...
, Leviathan
Leviathan (album)
Leviathan is a concept album by sludge metal band Mastodon, released in 2004 by Relapse Records. The album is loosely based on the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick, and the songs "Iron Tusk", "Blood and Thunder", "I Am Ahab" and "Seabeast" were released as singles...
and Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain (album)
-Story notes:* The main character is in search of the Crystal Skull which he hopes to place at the top of Blood Mountain. In the making of DVD, the Crystal Skull is supposed to remove "the reptile brain" causing its owner the ability to achieve the next step of human evolution.* In an interview...
, respectively, the element of air
Air (classical element)
Air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its supposed fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as aspire, inspire, perspire and spirit, all derived from the Latin spirare.-Greek and Roman tradition:...
is the only classical element
Classical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
which has yet to be represented by a Mastodon album.
Musical and lyrical themes
Drummer Brann DailorBrann Dailor
Brann Dailor is a drummer, best known as a member of Mastodon, a progressive metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dailor was also a founding member of mathcore band Lethargy, and played with grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Today is the Day.-Personal life:Dailor was born into a musical family...
described the album as more "focused" than its predecessor, Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain (album)
-Story notes:* The main character is in search of the Crystal Skull which he hopes to place at the top of Blood Mountain. In the making of DVD, the Crystal Skull is supposed to remove "the reptile brain" causing its owner the ability to achieve the next step of human evolution.* In an interview...
: "Maybe there was a deeper heart to this record that needed more exploring… We got more involved with feeling the vibe of the record and everything feels more creepy and spaced out and something special is going on."
Vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders
Troy Sanders
Troy Sanders is an American bassist/singer best known as a member of the Atlanta, Georgia metal band Mastodon, in which he shares vocal duties with guitarist Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor.-Background:...
said in an interview with Stereogum, "Crack The Skye is a departure from everything we've previously recorded in the sense that we kinda strapped on our aeroshells and departed from Earth for a while, and then captained to the ethereal element of the universe and kind of slept on the roof of the world for a while to get a perspective on this record. ... Basically we're exploring the ethereal world. We're dissecting the dark matter that dominates the universe, in a nutshell."
When asked in multiple interviews Dailor said the record would tell a story dealing variously with the art aesthetics of Tsarist Russia, astral travel, out of body experiences and Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
's theories on wormholes.
Dailor has also said that "Crack the Skye" is meant as an homage to his sister, Skye Dailor, who committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at age 14.
Scott Kelly, who guested on the title track, has this to say about the song:
Artwork
Paul Romano, who had done all of Mastodon's artwork to that point, created the album art for Crack the Skye. The piece features various ethereal images tied in closely with the overall concept of the record. Crack the Skye was released in two editions: the Standard and the Limited Edition. The latter has an elaborate packaging with a tunnel book that, when looked through, reveals three-dimensional like imagery. A "hidden" picture of Brann Dailor's sister, Skye, can be seen on both sides of the tunnel book as well.Release
Crack the Skye has been released as standard CD version and CD/DVD version, which included a bonus DVD with a documentary and a track commentary. Furthermore, standard single-disc LP and limited-edition 2xLP were released. A "super-deluxe" CD/DVD version that includes a tunnel book and a lithograph of the album art sold out during pre-orders, and a "Royal Edition" with a CD of the instrumental versions of the songs and an entirely new black-and-gold artwork has been released in 15 December 2009.Critical reception
Initial critical response to Crack the Skye was very positive. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a "universal acclaim" rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 82, based on 29 reviews. Time Magazine placed "Crack the Skye" at #3 on its "Top 10 Albums of 2009" list, and Rock Sound
Rock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
named it their Album of the Year for 2009. In addition, Spin Magazine listed it as the 17th best album of the year. Rhapsody
Rhapsody (online music service)
Rhapsody is an online music store subscription service, launched in December 2001, and available in the United States only. On April 6, 2010, Rhapsody officially declared its independence from RealNetworks. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Helix, Rhapsody's version...
called it the 7th best album of 2009.
Crack the Skye received positive reviews from many major reviewing sites. Total Guitar
Total Guitar
Total Guitar is a monthly magazine based in the United Kingdom. The magazine is the best selling guitar magazine in Europe.The magazine is owned by Future Publishing, who publish many other magazines ranging from drums and video games to mountain bikes and knitting magazines.Total Guitar regularly...
Blood Mountain (album)
-Story notes:* The main character is in search of the Crystal Skull which he hopes to place at the top of Blood Mountain. In the making of DVD, the Crystal Skull is supposed to remove "the reptile brain" causing its owner the ability to achieve the next step of human evolution.* In an interview...
. Embracing elements of prog and country, but above all classic rock, Hinds and Kelliher literally add new dimensions to the band’s ever-expanding sound." Decibel, who named Blood Mountain as their number 1 album of 2006, gave Crack the Skye a 7/10 rating as reviewer Joe Gross responded that "Crack is clearly designed as a grower, not a shower, the sound of a band that grew tired of people not responding to their ground game, so they put the ball in the air. Who knows when it will come down?" Clash
Clash (magazine)
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
The album was also voted the #1 Album of 2009 by Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
s critics and contributors.
Track listing
CD/DVD- The Making of Crack the Skye - An exclusive behind the scenes documentary
- Track-by-Track Commentary - Video commentary of the album by the band
- Photo Gallery - Slide of various images from the band
Personnel
Mastodon- Troy SandersTroy SandersTroy Sanders is an American bassist/singer best known as a member of the Atlanta, Georgia metal band Mastodon, in which he shares vocal duties with guitarist Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor.-Background:...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Brent HindsBrent HindsBrent Hinds is an American guitarist/singer best known as a member of the Atlanta, Georgia metal band Mastodon, in which he shares guitar duties with Bill Kelliher and vocal duties with Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor....
– lead vocals, guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Brann DailorBrann DailorBrann Dailor is a drummer, best known as a member of Mastodon, a progressive metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dailor was also a founding member of mathcore band Lethargy, and played with grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Today is the Day.-Personal life:Dailor was born into a musical family...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Percussion, lead vocals on "OblivionOblivion (Mastodon song)Oblivion is the second single from Crack the Skye by American progressive metal band Mastodon. It is their most successful single and song since the release of their full length Crack the Skye, reaching #30 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
" - Bill KelliherBill KelliherBill Kelliher is a guitarist in the Atlanta heavy metal band Mastodon. He is a native of Victor, New York. He shares guitar duties with Brent Hinds, playing mainly complex rhythm parts. Kelliher is married, with two young sons—the eldest one named Harrison, after Harrison Ford of Star Wars fame...
– guitar
Other
- Rich Morris – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Scott KellyScott Kelly (musician)Scott Michael Kelly is one of three founding members of Oakland, California experimental metal band Neurosis, in which he is a vocalist and guitarist. He has been writing and publishing music since 1985 with Neurosis, Tribes of Neurot, Blood and Time and his solo acoustic project. He is also...
- lead vocals on "Crack the Skye" - Brendan O'BrienBrendan O'Brien (music producer)Brendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician.At age 14, O'Brien played guitar for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 1970s, he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...
– production, mixing
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Albums Chart | 19 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 42 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 26 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 73 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 13 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 37 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 56 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 6 |
| French Albums Chart | 106 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart | 23 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 6 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 23 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 58 |
| UK Albums Chart | 32 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 11 |