I think it's better that the band lost their singer early, they were never under the whim of a lead singer who could've siphoned and altered the band's sound into avenues that weren't necessarily organic. The way Mastodon developed without a singer was thus collective and collaborative. Could've happened that way w/out a singer but it seems less likely.
If you watch the Making of Emperor of Sand you can actually see how much they've actually matured. I feel old. I was in high school when "Piece of Mind" came out which was in the mid-80. When a fan recognizes Brann Dailor he wanted to cry. He was holding in the tears. If a gorgeous, sold, tall, blonde dude was walking around the Toysrus in Texarkana I would definitely know he wasn't from there.
"I went to science." 11:08 Brann & Troy at that awkward encounter from 2:30 to 2:38 "What holiday is it?? You don't have anything" "You're right, you have more than us."...funny!
