Riff Police! Pull Over! #54: Death Angel Vs Mastodon!

Californian Thrash Metallers Death Angel released a sophomore album entitled “Frolic Through The Park” back in 1988, which received not only critical acclaim but also appeared at #8 in Loudwire Magazine’s top 10 of “Thrash Albums NOT Released by the Big 4”. Add to that “Bored” being used in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” in 1990 and the possibility that Road Mutant may well have taken their name from “Road Mutants” and you have an award winning combination! But it’s the opening riff of “Devil’s Metal” that we’re going to point to for this little teaser…

14 years later in 2002 and also to critical acclaim appeared “Remission”, the debut album from the now huge Atlanta Georgia Metallers Mastodon. Drummer Brann Dailor was marked out as a standout performer while also telling fans about how writing the album had helped him cope with the loss of his sister. The opening track “Crusher Destroyer” appears on the Tony Hawk’s Underground soundtrack. But it’s “Ol’e Nessie” that is the tune that should be making you do a double take. If that isn’t the dark hand of influence, then lawyers pens should be clicking into action…