Mastodon have turn into a family identify on this planet of steel, due to a discography that’s dwelling to some unbelievable albums. With killer riffs, intriguing themes, and progressive mentality, the Atlanta-based steel band has repeatedly captivated the minds and ears of listeners with every launch.
One of many extra impactful data of their profession was 2004’s Leviathan, which arrived on August thirty first, 2004. Whereas the band’s debut LP, Remission, noticed a lot of important reward, Leviathan would really show the band’s greatness; whereas enjoying to the band’s sludgier tone on the time, Leviathan shows the band’s progressive creativity, providing listeners an epically adventurous expertise.
Drummer-vocalist Brann Dailor took a while to talk with us, offering perception into Leviathan’s inventive course of, in addition to the band’s emotions behind the album. “Leviathan, that album got here collectively fairly shortly,” started Dailor. “I feel we wrote it in about three months. I simply keep in mind being within the follow area each single evening, after all people obtained off work, and we’d be down on the follow area, and it was simply a whole lot of enjoyable. It got here collectively fairly simply.”
He continued, “We toured for like virtually two months with Clutch, and we have been enjoying most of it each evening, making an attempt to determine [the music] out, so we road-tested each single track each evening, and a whole lot of the songs didn’t even have lyrics. So Brent [Hinds] and Troy [Sanders] have been simply screaming stuff. You couldn’t try this today as a result of all people tapes every little thing, however again then we will get away with it. By the point we obtained out to document the stuff, our producer was fairly pissed off, as a result of we have been fairly fried. We had been on tour in our van for 2 months, and he’s like, ‘Man, don’t ever try this once more.’ However I feel that the recordings got here out nice as a result of we have been such a well-oiled machine by the point we obtained out to [the studio].”
Loosely based mostly off the 1851 novel Moby Dick, Leviathan represents the band’s first conceptual album. Even earlier than the music kicks off, one can’t assist however be drawn in by the album’s cowl artwork; the majesty of the immense white whale with a ship on its again remains to be one of many grandest album covers in music historical past. Chatting with the Leviathan’s idea, Dailor shared, “We had the large thought concerning the Moby Dick factor, which all of us we enthusiastic about for the aesthetics, and the flexibility to do our personal idea album that was based mostly off this wonderful piece of literature.”
“Blood and Thunder” opens on vibrant riffs and a gradual pounding drive. The monitor’s first half maintains this tempo, the drums and bass offering an additional heft alongside the catchy rhythm. On the track’s midway level, the guitars unfurl into this beautiful rise of melody, the drums kicking up the depth. Together with the deep vocal drawls, the monitor provides this superior sensation of a storm over the seas. “I keep in mind we have been going to launch ‘Blood and Thunder’ as the primary single,” Dailor mentioned, “and our publicist at Relapse Information calling me in a panic, saying, ‘We will’t launch that as the primary single. Individuals aren’t gonna be into it. We have to launch “Iron Tusk” as a result of that’s extra like Remission. And individuals are gonna be shocked on the change that ‘Blood and Thunder’ is.”
One unbelievable component about Leviathan is its sense of the environment; the band’s materials units a tone and gives listeners fascinating compositions. In “I Am Ahab”, the band current a vibrant sludge presentation. By way of the rampant drum patterns and beating bass, the guitar’s fast development all through the track exudes this triumphant sensation; the assorted shifts in tempo construct upon this aura, portray an image of 1 getting down to sea.
As a band, Mastodon have glorious chemistry; because the launch of their first album, it has been Dailor, Brent Hinds (guitar), Invoice Kelliher (guitar), and Troy Sanders (bass), with all members offering vocals on numerous tracks all through their profession. The band’s camaraderie seems like a beast all through Leviathan; like a well-calculated insanity, every track rips and slams ahead, every aggressive and atmospheric part becoming into place.
“Seabeast” begins issues off on a slower development, the instrumentation rising with the singing. One issue that makes Leviathan such an enchanting document is the usage of aggression and tranquility discovered inside sure songs. Leviathan by no means overloads with heaviness or drags on for too lengthy; as an alternative, pacing is masterfully captured inside every track, in addition to the album as an entire. There’s an excellent stage of technicality at work right here because the band hold every composition recent and spontaneous. Afterward in “Island”, the guitars current this whirlwind of frantic tones that play off each other. As one guitar shrieks, the drums and bass pummel down, build up stress earlier than the track rolls to a detailed.
On the time of its launch, Leviathan made for an immense step ahead within the band’s profession. Remission is a piece of colossal chaos; bombastic instrumentation is current all through nearly all of its runtime, the band incorporating some intriguing track chemistry. Leviathan takes the band’s heavy fashion and spins it into numerous moods and sounds, whereas additionally presenting extra various track buildings.
With every guitar observe and beating drum sample, “Bare Burn” exudes pleasure. The track will shift between aggressive and extra laid again vibes, however no matter depth stage, the band completely seize a theatrical thrill all through the fabric. In “Aqua Dementia” and “Hearts Alive”, each tracks incorporate stellar compositional construction; by their winding instrumentation, various tempos and tonal shifts, these cuts lead in a single course, solely to catch the listener without warning once they evolve. Even at this early level of their profession, Mastodon show their capacity to create seamless transitions, establishing a heavy, even semi-meditative high quality to their work.
Years later, Leviathan stays an absolute masterpiece that has stood the check of time; some have even gone so far as to name it one of the vital essential steel data of the twenty first century. With Leviathan, Mastodon laid the groundwork for all their heavy and progressive materials to come back. On the earth of steel, Leviathan is each a illustration of technical prowess, in addition to the right way to current a piece of theatrical depth. Whether or not you’re listening to Crack the Skye or Emperor of Sand, one can hear and really feel the affect of Leviathan by these albums.
Reflecting again on finishing the album, Dailor recalled, “I keep in mind sitting in an Prolonged Keep car parking zone when it was completed, and we sat on the market and drank like a case of beer, and listened to Leviathan time and again. We have been very enthusiastic about the best way it had turned out. I wasn’t certain what individuals have been going to consider it. I keep in mind there have been folks that have been mad about “Blood and Thunder” and so they mentioned that it was too easy and simple. We have been simply writing no matter we needed to, and no matter we preferred.”
He concluded, “However Leviathan type of modified every little thing for us. All our exhibits began to be bought out, and we have been like, ‘Wow, issues are taking place!’ We began getting consideration from main labels, which positively put us on the protection. And we obtained some administration going, and we have been on Ozzfest, and began touring with Slayer. Yeah, Leviathan was a type of albums that basically kind of modified the band’s life. It was positively a pinnacle second for us.”
With Leviathan, Mastodon caught their nice white whale. The album is a real work of heavy steel mastery, and can ceaselessly stay a staple of progressive music.
Editor’s Observe: This characteristic initially ran in 2019. It has been up to date and republished for Leviathan’s twentieth anniversary.
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