Mastodon - Leviathan
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- Aug 31
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 1
Released on August 31, 2004, "Leviathan" marked the arrival of Mastodon as one of the most important metal bands of the new millennium.
At the time, the Atlanta quartet had just begun to break out of the underground with their debut "Remission". Known for their crushing sludge riffs and relentless energy, they had already carved a reputation as a band unafraid to challenge boundaries. With "Leviathan", they decided to reach even further. Inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, the band crafted a concept album that would not only define their sound but also reshape the landscape of modern heavy music.
The recording took place at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle with producer Matt Bayles, who had previously worked with acts like Isis and Botch. The result was an album that combined Mastodon’s sludge-metal roots with a newfound progressive edge, layering intricate rhythms, shifting time signatures, and atmospheric passages into a cohesive whole. It was the second chapter in the band’s elemental tetralogy, symbolizing water, following the fiery aggression of "Remission".
The album begins with "Blood and Thunder", a track that bursts open like a storm at sea. Its riffs crash like tidal waves, and its chorus, featuring a guest roar from Clutch’s Neil Fallon, has become one of the most iconic moments in Mastodon’s career. It sets the tone perfectly for the odyssey that follows.
"I Am Ahab" keeps the momentum with frantic drumming from Brann Dailor, his fills tumbling like rolling surf beneath Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher’s razor-sharp guitars. Then comes "Seabeast", a song that shows Mastodon’s ability to blend heaviness with haunting melody, capturing both the beauty and the terror of the ocean.
On "Iron Tusk", the band leans into primal groove, its riffs swinging with hypnotic power, while "Megalodon" surprises with an almost southern-rock breakdown before snapping back into metallic fury. "Naked Burn" slows things down just enough to let the melodies breathe, before the instrumental closer "Joseph Merrick" drifts the album into eerie calm, like a ship fading into fog.
Upon release, "Leviathan" was met with overwhelming critical acclaim. It was named Album of the Year by Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer in 2004, and has since been hailed as one of the greatest metal albums of the 21st century. Rolling Stone placed it at number 46 on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.
Commercially, it pushed Mastodon into the global spotlight, selling over 100,000 copies in the U.S. within two years and earning the band spots on major tours alongside Slayer and Slipknot.
For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music
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