Bloody Hell

What's left for an ambitious metal band to do after it sets the tale of Dicky Moe to a rousing blend of thrash, prog, stoner metal — then reaches the mountaintop of critical acclaim? Why, set its sights for the top of a blood mountain, of course! On this mountain, the setting of Mastodon's latest album, called, um... Blood Mountain, the band broadens its epic scope yet still manages to take listeners on a musical journey full of beasts, survival, and all things that you can expect from a Mastodon LP. After countless Kerrang! covers, a Grammy nod, and a tour with its own idols like Slayer, one has to wonder if Mastodon isn't beginning to worry that satisfaction is the death of desire. Even if that were the case, the audience still wins. Despite all the hype surrounding this band, there's still no telling just how far Mastodon can push itself. Persistence, the band seems to be saying, reaps mystical rewards. And opening act Converge, a revered deathcore innovator for whom the word satisfaction may as well not exist, gives Mastodon a reason to push harder on a nightly basis.

Mastodon performs Friday, January 26, at the Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. Converge and Priestess will also perform. The show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $16 in advance, $19 at the door. Call 954-564-1047, or visit www.culture.net.