The Hunter is the fifth studio album by Atlanta-based progressive metal titans Mastodon, released on September 27, 2011 through Reprise Records. The album marked a significant creative shift for the band, moving away from the conceptual, prog-epic structures of their previous records toward a more direct, song-focused approach.

Written as a tribute to guitarist Brent Hinds' brother, who passed away during a hunting trip, The Hunter carries a deeply personal emotional weight beneath its hard-hitting exterior. The album showcases the band at their most melodically adventurous, blending heavy riffs with surprisingly accessible hooks, psychedelic textures, and soaring vocal harmonies.

This vinyl LP edition (EAN: 0093624929352) is the standard black vinyl pressing of the album, offering a warm analog listening experience for one of the most celebrated metal records of the 2010s. The album's rich, layered production by Mike Elizondo translates exceptionally well to the vinyl format.

Label: Reprise Records
Released: 2011
Genre: Progressive Metal / Sludge Metal

Tracklist

Side A
1. Black Tongue
2. Curl of the Burl
3. Blasteroid
4. Stargasm
5. Octopus Has No Friends
6. All the Heavy Lifting

Side B
7. The Hunter
8. Dry Bone Valley
9. Thickening
10. Creature Lives
11. Spectrelight
12. Bedazzled Fingernails
13. The Sparrow