see, i think the new mastodon record is amazing.it still has all the heavier elements from the past two releases, but the trick is to actually listen to the record to notice! if you turn an album off on the basis of your own comparisons against their other releases then i think i can safely say you are fucked in terms of discovering amazing new music.who would have given lateralus a chance? who would have given music for the jilted generation a chance? who would have given angeldust a chance? the odd rythyms are all still there, the riffs are still fucking MASSIVE, the drumming is of a higher standard, the vocals have shifted from the pretty standard 'lifesblood' ep grunt to somewhere between remissions howl and an almost rock style singing, christ, i'm not typing anymore.give me your copies if you dont dig it and i'll happily redistribute them you heathens! as for neurosis, urgh.one of my favourite bands but i reckon they have wondered into territory they cant cope.it doesnt get better than 'through silver in blood' or 'times of grace', but the last two records sound to me like they dont know what to do with the space.sheets of noise have pretty much gone (both guitar and keyboard), far too much clean singing, an ambience that i'd class as boring ( plenty 'release' bands doing it way better, including ironically 'tribes of neurot'!!), weak production.a band lost in their own vision maybe.one i lost sight of a awhile ago.neurosis have bands like isis, omg, cult of luna etc to stand against now and like i typed, neurosis' past two releases are decidely average in places, while the other bands i've mentioned have decidedly above average work doing the rounds.give it a few years i say. i think relapse has equal amounts shit bands to good bands, its a label, not a bloody lifestyle!! christ almighty. so yes, i really love the new mastodon record.