Leviathan (album)

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Leviathan
Studio album by Mastodon
Released August 31, 2004
Recorded 2004 at Robert Lang Studios, Studio Litho, and EK Studios in Seattle, Washington
Genre Sludge metal, progressive metal
Length 46:58
Label Relapse
Producer Mastodon, Matt Bayles
Mastodon chronology
Remission
(2002)		 Leviathan
(2004)		 Call of the Mastodon
(2006)
Special edition cover

Leviathan is a concept album by sludge metal band Mastodon, released in 2004 by Relapse Records. The album is loosely based on the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick, and the songs "Iron Tusk", "Blood and Thunder", "I Am Ahab" and "Seabeast" were released as singles. Three magazines awarded it Album of the Year in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer.

Leviathan was also released with an Audio DVD in a limited edition set with a black and gold slipcase. The album brought Mastodon great critical acclaim and, thanks to the ensuing tour, a considerably larger fan base. Leviathan had sold 103,000 copies by September, 2006.[citation needed] Guitarist Bill Kelliher considers this album to represent the water element, in keeping with elemental quadrilogy of concept albums.[1]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by Mastodon. 

No. Title Length
1. "Blood and Thunder" (Feat. Neil Fallon) 3:49
2. "I Am Ahab"   2:45
3. "Seabeast"   4:15
4. "Ísland"   3:27
5. "Iron Tusk"   3:03
6. "Megalodon"   4:22
7. "Naked Burn"   3:43
8. "Aqua Dementia" (Feat. Scott Kelly) 4:12
9. "Hearts Alive"   13:39
10. "Joseph Merrick"   3:33
Total length:
 46:58

The vinyl edition of "Leviathan" has a slightly different tracklisting. The songs "I Am Ahab" and "Island" are taken out of their respective place and replaced as the first two tracks on side two:

No. Title Length
1. "Blood and Thunder" (Feat. Neil Fallon) 3:49
2. "Seabeast"   4:15
3. "Iron Tusk"   3:03
4. "Megalodon"   4:22
5. "Naked Burn"   3:43
6. "Aqua Dementia" (Feat. Scott Kelly) 4:12
7. "I Am Ahab"   2:45
8. "Ísland"   3:27
9. "Hearts Alive"   13:39
10. "Joseph Merrick"   3:33
Total length:
 46:58
DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Naked Burn" (5.1 Surround Sound)  
2. "Aqua Dementia" (5.1 Surround Sound)  
3. "Hearts Alive" (5.1 Surround Sound)  
4. "Where Strides the Behemoth" (Live)  
5. "Battle at Sea" (Live)  
6. "Thank You for This / We Built This Come Death" (Live)  
7. "Crusher Destroyer" (Live)  

[edit] Videography

The "Tour Edition" CD-ROM was released in 2005 which in addition to the main album contained the videos for "Iron Tusk" and "Blood and Thunder". The Tour Edition is presented in a slipcase which shows the complete cover artwork, rather than the detail of the whale shown on the standard edition. This is also the cover for the vinyl edition. A video for "Seabeast" was completed in 2006.[2]

[edit] Artwork

The white tower seen in the artwork on the inside cover of the booklet is a revamped version of Martin Heemskerck's 16th century interpretation of the Pharos of Alexandria. The wave seen in the full picture of the artwork is a reflection of Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

[edit] Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 5/5 stars[3]
Blender 4/5 stars[4]
Kerrang! 5/5 stars[citation needed]
Metal Hammer 10/10 stars[citation needed]
Pitchfork Media (8.5/10)[5]

Online music magazine Pitchfork Media placed Leviathan at number 126 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.[6]

[edit] Credits

[edit] Band

[edit] Guest musicians

[edit] Other credits

  • Matthew F. Jacobson – executive producer
  • Alan Douches – mastering
  • Paul A. Romano – artwork, design

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "MASTODON (TROY SANDERS/BILL KELIHER) INTERVIEW". Terrorverlag GbR Musik Magazine. 11 October 2006. http://www.musik.terrorverlag.de/interviews.php?id=421&. Retrieved 28 May 2007. 
  2. ^ MASTODON COMPLETE WORK ON NEW MUSIC VIDEO - News from Relapse Records / Release Entertainment
  3. ^ Kergan, Wade. "Leviathan – Mastodon". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r706772/review. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
  4. ^ http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3188[dead link]
  5. ^ Isaiah, Violante (16 December 2004). "Mastodon: Leviathan". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5143-leviathan/. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
  6. ^ Pitchfork staff (September 28, 2009). "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200-151". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7707-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-150-101/3/. Retrieved October 1, 2009. 
Mastodon
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Extended plays
Singles
  • "March of the Fire Ants"
  • "Iron Tusk"
  • "Blood and Thunder"
  • "Crystal Skull"
  • "Capillarian Crest"
  • "The Wolf Is Loose"
  • "Colony of Birchmen"
  • "Divinations"
  • "Oblivion"
  • "Black Tongue"
  • "Curl of the Burl"
Videos
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