Welcome to a special Riot Act Reviews podcast, in this episode Steve and Remfry run the rule over one of the most anticipated metal albums to be released this year; Georgian prog metal superstars Mastodon’s 8th studio album Hushed and Grim.

The follow up to their 2017 effort Emperor of Sand, which divided the opinion of both fan and critics, but an album that both of our hosts were big fans of, mainly thanks to it reintroducing some of the more expansive and difficult elements of their sound. If that record tipped its toe back into proggier waters then it is fair to say Hushed and Grim happily powerbombs straight into the deep end, it being the first double album of the band's career and thematically dealing with the loss of their longtime manager and friend Nick John in 2018. This is arguably the darkest, most challenging and yet simultaneously broadest record that Mastodon have concocted in their career thus far, and, as such, it has proven to be something of a slow burn for both of our hosts, but have either of them settled on an opinion on this most unique of metal bands new effort, or is even more time required before it fully reveals itself?

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