See Mastodon's Troy Sanders Hail "Yort, God of Bass" in 'Crack the Skye' Doc | Revolver

See Mastodon's Troy Sanders Hail "Yort, God of Bass" in 'Crack the Skye' Doc

Singer-bassist talks Neurosis, gear, more in fifth installment of album-making video series

Mastodon have been slowly releasing archival footage from 10 years ago during the Crack The Skye sessions, and today's entry places its focus on singer-bassist Troy Sanders. Sanders spills the details on his heavy-handed nod to Neurosis' nasty-heavy tone while he was writing the album's title track. "I was trying to dial in a real gnarly, dirty, Neurosis-ish bass tone for this song, because it's probably the heaviest song on the record," he admits in the clip, "and I think we achieved that."

Bandmate and vocalist-guitarist Brent Hinds sings the four-stringer's praises by nodding to Sanders' at-the-time two covers of Bass Guitar magazine, noting, "You don't get on the cover of a guitar magazine being a shitty guitar[ist]." 

In keeping with the technical nitty-gritty of the docu-series, Sanders is shown pointing out the vast collection of equipment at his disposal for the making of the album, including a 1979 Moog Taurus synthesizer manipulated by the player's feet. "It is totally badass," he explains for the layman watching. "Geddy Lee uses one." The shot cuts back to Hinds who expounds on the band's abilities to finally incorporate more expensive equipment into the music, citing the band's hard work and dedication for the jump in quality instrumentation.

Focusing then on the making of "The Czar," a 10-plus minute epic that falls fourth on the progressive record's track list, Sanders gives a tour of the basses he used on the track and throws in a little humorous tribute to a phallic statue he calls "Yort, the Ceramic God of Bass." "I turn to him for guidance basically," he jests before kissing the figure and setting it back down on the studio floor. Watch above.