MUSIC
Mastodon Mocks Death in "Show Yourself" Music Video
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“Always be killing.”
Published on March 17, 2017

Mastodon, Atlanta’s biggest heavy metal export, have trafficked in just about every metal subgenre under the sun since releasing their debut album 15 years ago.

Following the proggy excess of 2014’s Once More ‘Round The Sun, they’ll release Emperor of Sand, an album that sounds like it’ll double down on all of their catchiest instincts, on March 31st.

The second single, “Show Yourself,” surfaced back in February, and its meat-and-potatoes riffing and sleazy clean vocals skew closer to Queens of the Stone Age-style stoner rock than the death metal-influenced sludge of Mastodon’s early days. Now, it’s gotten a video that matches its boisterous, fun atmosphere.

Similarly to the way that singer/guitarist Brent Hinds, one of the scariest-looking dudes in America, has declawed his approach to music and focused more of his energy on sing-along choruses than face-melting breakdowns, the “Show Yourself” video portrays a frightening fixture of folklore as an Average Joe. Here, the Grim Reaper isn’t the all-powerful Angel of Death, but rather just another scrub at a 9-5 trying to impress his hardass boss. That being said, he can still kill you.

After enduring a “Glengarry Glen Ross”-style speech from his boss (in which Alec Baldwin’s “Always Be Selling” mantra is changed to “Always Be Killing”), the pathetic Reaper is assigned the members of Mastodon as his next target. He concocts interesting fates for each member, using an audio cord, a tanning bed, and other random weaponized objects in lieu of his traditional scythe.

The hilarious video further locates Mastodon as today’s premier party metal band, dudes with whom you’d want to grab a beer after realizing that face tats aren’t all that intimidating. Comedian Brian Posehn even makes a cameo, so you know it’s lit!

Metal purists might lament the band’s slide into more festival-ready realms, but after making fun of the Grim Reaper, one of metal’s favorite mascots, it’s clear that Mastodon could not give less of a fuck.

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Patrick Lyons
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Patrick Lyons is a music writer based in Portland who is equally enthralled by black metal and Southern rap-- catch him making maddeningly eclectic choices on the aux cord.
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