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Class 6(66)
Mastodon: Leviathan
28/01/11 || InquisitorGeneralis
Introduction
If there is a modern, 21st century classic, it’s Mastodon’s sophomore effort “Leviathan”. Even though the band has gone on to notable success with their two most recent releases “Blood Mountain” and “Crack the Skye” there is no doubt in my mind that this is band’s best effort so far. Seeing as they are heading off into the progressive sunset, I am also pretty fucking sure that this will be their best album period. I enjoy “Blood…” and “Crack…” quite a bit, but Leviathan is the band’s magnum opus. It retains the heaviness and extreme tendencies of “Remission” while slowly incorporating melody and progressive elements that have since pushed them to the forefront of heavy music. Mastodon and “Leviathan” in particular, has clearly had an impact the rise and popularity of melodic, southern influenced metal bands like The Sword, Baroness, and Kylesa.
Want proof right here, already written in the hallowed halls of Global Domination? Take note of how many of our best of lists this article links to. Here’s the first, it was way up on our list of Best Album’s of the 2000’s. Personally, I would have put it in the Top 20, but that discussion is long, long dead. I have seen Mastodon in concert at least once during each of their album touring cycles. I can honestly say that the tour for “Leviathan” was definitely the best. The material from this record still holds up against anything else from newer one that makes its way into the set. Ok, time to get this Mastodon’s wooly dick out of my mouth and start this review…
Songwriting
9. From long to short, fast to slow, balls to shaft…Mastodon’s songs on “Leviathan” are pure fucking gold. Only “Naked burn” and “Aqua dementia” fail to completely blow me away. They are damn fine tracks, don’t get me wrong, but “Iron tusk”, “I am Ahab”, “Blood and thunder”, and the epic, beyond fucking awesome “Hearts alive” are some of the band’s best. Actually, “Heart’s alive” is the band’s finest piece of work. It’s rolling tempo and slow, building force really makes you feel like you are on a destroyed, sinking ship slowly slipping into a frozen, watery grave. Just ask Mastodon’s modern metal contemporaries Gojira; don’t fuck with whales. The final two sections of the song, the solo and finishing rock-out/breakdown, never ever get old and rank up there as some of the best, most intense sections to ever be included in a metal song.
“Blood and thunder” is definitely Mastodon’s attempt to be more accessible and it is a success on all fronts. You still bang your head, there are still prime air-guitar moments, and the song rocks out hard in the end. Is it as pummeling as “March of the fire ants”? No, but it isn’t pussy, son, not in the least. “Island”, “Naked burn” and the crowd-pleaser “Iron tusk” sound a bit more like “Remission” material but their guitar sound and slightly-less abrasive tone definitely show that the band is taking “Leviathan” far beyond the boundaries of its early records.
Production
9.5 Only a slightly muffled kick sound and some vocal issues keep this from being a perfect 10. Other than those two minor issues, “Leviapenis” sounds fantastic. The guitars, played to perfection, are loud enough to be noticed but do not overshadow the drum sound. The vocals are not too high either which is a major plus seeing as they are not that strong. More on them later. Personally, I think that this is the best sounding Mastodon record, with “Remission” coming in behind it.
Guitars
10. Brent and Bill are one of the best guitar teams in ze business. Brent, being the lead guitarist, main solo technician, and generally more animated on stage seems to get more attention than the more laid back Kelliher. However, the power of the riffs cannot be denied and time after time Bill and Brent lay it teh fuck down; the end of “Blood and thunder”, the breakdown of “I am Ahab”, and the neck breaking finale of “Seabeast” are all lessons in dual-guitar awesomeness. However, it is not just those dominating moments that impress; there are several quick, more subtle guitar parts that also are noteworthy.
First amongst these is the honky tonk riff that kicks off the faster section of “Megalodon”. It comes out of nowhere, has no place being in an insane heavy metal song, and works fucken perfectly. I already mentioned the second half of “Hearts alive” which is pretty much a guitar clinic for solos and epic riffs. Fuck, the whole album is. I fully stand behind the guitars getting the big 1-0 score; fuck you if you dare disagree! I will shove my scarred, white flesh whale right up your punk ass and make you call me Ahab.
Vocals
6. This category is definitely Mastodon’s white whale, Achilles heel, and/or kryptonite. Now, Brett and Troy don’t suck as vocalists but it is clear that on “Leviathan” neither one of them is trying to step up and take over vocal duties with full force. If I had to pick one, I would take Troy’s lower growl over Brett’s high-pitched delivery. This is not a huge issue because the quality of the songs totally overshadows any vocals issues. For a lesser band, the lack of a definitive, high-quality lead vocalist would be a serious cause for concern. However, the boys in Mastodon are prime-time players and the quality of the tunes easily overcomes the band’s lack of a strong, lead vocalist. Seriously, Rosanne Barr could sing on “Hearts alive” and it would still be one of the best metal songs ever written.
Bass
8.5. Troy might not be the greatest vocalist, but he can certainly slab ze bass. Combine him with guitarists Brent and Bill and you have a metal guitar trio that is up there with best around like Araya/King/Hanneman, Duplantier/Andreu/Labadie of Gojira, and Larry/Moe/Curly of The Thrvee Stvoogez ov Hell. Troy’s shining moment is “I am Ahab” but he kicks ass all over “Leviathan”.
Drums
9.5. Brann Drailor is the fucking man. And I am not the only one around here who thinks so either. I think the strongest aspect of Brann’s playing, besides his inhuman fills, is that he has the ability to throw in things when you least expect them like the machinegun kick-bursts in “Iron tusk” or the slightly off rhythms in the first half of “Hearts alive”. The fill that starts the album on “Blood and thunder” reminds me of the legendary beginning of “Where eagles dare” which kicks off Iron Maiden’s masterpiece “Piece of mind”. Speed, precision, groove, creativity; Brann has it all covered.
Lyrics
9. At first listen, or glance, Mastodon’s lyrics don’t really seem to make much sense. But, over time, you begin to realize that this shit actually means something. Concept albums are difficult enough to pull off, especially ones that based on 700,000 page, 19th century bleak tomes about hunting whales. If you didn’t already know, “Leviathan” draws its theme and lyrical content from Herman Melville’s classic novel of obsession “Moby Dick”. Could you say that Mastodon used the story of being on the “Pequot”, traveling the endless seas as a metaphor for being a metal band trying to make it out on the road? Maybe, who the fuck knows. But I think the connections are still there, intentional or not.
With their four major releases (so far) Mastodon has also created a concept career based on the elements. “Crack the Skye” represents air, “Remission” is fire, “Blood Mountain” is earth, and “Leviathan” is clearly water. While others bands write about drinking vaginal blood or fucking zombies, Mastodon are referencing great novels and implementing themes that go beyond individual albums and spread to the band’s entire fucking career. A for effort and content; remember I am a teacher in my other life!
Cover art
10,000. This cover to “Leviathan” sinks my battleship every time I see it. It is the only piece of music-related art I have ever considered getting tattooed onto my hairy flesh. Oh, and it’s on our Top Albums Covers list as well. You cannot beat an elaborately decorated Moby Dick fucking up the ship. The whale just looks cool and evil. Plus, the cover helps you understand what the fuck the album is all about. This fantastic cover art is just one piece of a larger, more intricate image. Check out the Booklet section for more on that.
Logo
9. While definitely not as evil or kvlt as other metal bands’ logos that drip blood or feature hanging, disemboweled priests, Mastodon’s artful script matches perfectly with the cover art and overall tone of “Leviathan”.
Booklet
10,000. I fucken love the nautical artwork in the booklet. It is the only thing music-related besides some Tool designs that I have ever considered getting a tattooed onto my meaty, hairy flesh. The paintings that go along with the lyrics are just plain fucking cool; evil sea demons, detailed creatures, ancient Greek style fishermen, and a flaming Tower of Babel(?). The coolest fucking thing is that each of the images combines, like Voltron, into a single (and awesome) piece of art that can be seen below…
Simply put, this is the coolest fucking booklet to a metal cd I have ever seen. What more do you need to know?
Overall and Ending Rant
The only thing that keeps “Leviathan” from receiving a perfect score is the vocal issues. Other than that, everything else on “Leviathan” is ace. Like Red Baron ace. This is truly a modern masterpiece and an album that people will look back on as a defining moment in the 21st century evolution of heavy, extreme music. This record’s influence in terms of melody, song structure, and the incorporation of other musical genres will continue on for a long fucken time. It is a monster success concept album for fuck’s sake!
For now, it remains one of my absolute favorite and most listened to albums six years after its release. It is the moment that Mastodon broke into the mainstream of metal music and set the stage for the band’s current, impressive level of success. In my darkest dreams, I have visions of Moby Dick dragging the crew of the Pequot to a watery doom while Mastodon composes another record that stands up to magnitude of “Leviathan”. “Blood Mountain” and “Crack the Skye” are excellent records, don’t get me wrong. But “Leviathan” is the ultimate combination of Mastodon’s heavy and progressive elements. I hope they come back to it, at least one more time. Oh, and in case you were wondering “Leviathan” and/or Mastodon themselves made four of our lists. Not too shabby considering only Death, At the Gates, and Carcass are the other bands you can say that about.
- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Relapse
- Website: www.mastodonrocks.com
- Band
- Troy Sanders: vocals, bass
- Brent Hinds: vocals, guitar
- Bill Kelliher: guitars
- Brann Dailor: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Blood and Thunder
- 02. I Am Ahab
- 03. Seabeast
- 04. Ísland
- 05. Iron Tusk
- 06. Megalodon
- 07. Naked Burn
- 08. Aqua Dementia
- 09. Hearts Alive
- 10. Joseph Merrick
