Hey, Mastodon boys - what are we doing here? It took me 3 sojourns round the sun (wink) to appreciate Marrow Deep in a way that made the most sense, and here we are with a clarity that would have your carry weep in joy. This album is fundamentally solid all of the way through - this isn't little leagues metal, chump - and one that will remain as an easily playable album, start-to-finish, without a concern for your enjoyment at any point throughout it. "So... it's perfect?" No, stupid. The highs of Marrow Deep don't hit some of those achieved in Leviathan or Crack the Skye, and that's okay. What we have here is such a solid album from a band that has stood the test of time, and rightfully so. Okay, enough proselytising. Something you should prepare yourself for is engaging, visceral riffing that can come out of nowhere and, as a diaperous riptide, suck you back into a whole moment of filth. Thematically, we're exploring the marrow as the deepest level (metaphorically, okay?) of a relationship when given anatomy, and then how that experience is delivered, evolved, when that person is no longer able to receive it. That's oppressive, deep, and existential, no? Yeah... this is an album surrounded with exisential dread aplenty. Moving on... Troy does a fantastic job at vocally leading the frantic yet trudging instrumental aesthetic through the Marrow Deep mire, and Brann's more siren-like presence adds a distinct passion in the tracks where he is summoned. Moment-to-moment, Marrow Deep is such a joy to listen to and, as an addition to the monstrous Mastodon discography, is one that, given all of the difficulties and tragedies surrounding it, is one that brings me great joy and one to be perennially celebrated.