Photo: Miller/FilmMagic

Loudly leading the charge of new releases this week is Mastodon’s Crack the Skye, which garnered a four-star review from Rolling Stone. Setting out to reach their “Metallica moment,” the band hooked up with producer Brendan O’Brien for an album we described as “thrill–ride stuff that conjures not just art–metal predecessors such as Helmet but also old–school prog–rockers like Rush, Frank Zappa and Yes.” The Rasputin-inspired “The Czar” is alone worth the price of admission.

Also hitting shelves is the Decemberists’ The Hazards of Love. Combining British folk-rock and heavy-metal thunder, Colin Meloy and the rest of the Portland, Oregon collective make a prog-rock concept album worthy of four stars. “From the glacial, droning opening track to the head–scratcher folk finale, The Hazards of Love takes its time, inviting you to grab a seat in front of the fire, stoke your Meerschaum pipe and take a trip,” Will Hermes writes.

Also joining the four-star review parade are “Young Folks” masterminds Peter Bjorn and John, whose Living Thing currently resides in your favorite record store. PB&J’s fifth album features more “infectious electro–acoustic tunes framing tales of romance and its discontents” but with cheeky lyrics and beats that sound like they were programmed by Depeche Mode.

For the rest of this week’s noteworthy release, check the reviews below:

• 1990s – Kicks
• Blue October – Approaching Normal
• Sarah Borges – The Stars Are Out
• Coheed and Cambria – Neverender