Best concept album based on Moby Dick in the world! (Leviathan - Mastodon)

Member Name: clara29

Product:	Leviathan - Mastodon
Date:	26/06/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sounds like nothing out there, driving and powerful from start to finish

Disadvantages: none

Mastodon are a sludge metal band from Atlanta Georgia who formed in 1999.

Released in 2004, Leviathan is their second album and is a concept album based on the novel Moby Dick.

You might be wary of concept albums and indeed might think it an odd choice of subject, but it just works. Critically it won great acclaim winning Kerrang album of the year in 2004 and being placed second by Metal Hammer.

The opening track is a thundering and powerful start to the album and is aptly called "Blood and Thunder". My favourite part of this song is the lyrics "split your lungs with blood and thunder" bellowed out by guest vocalist Neil Fallon (Clutch). It always makes me want to shout those lyrics out too (can be a problem if I'm on the bus!)

The album doesn't fail to live up to the high standards set by the opener, moving seemlessly into "I am Ahab" with its driving guitars and pounding drums.
Third track "Seabeast" is gentler and more melodic and always makes me think of being lost at sea, I think its quite haunting.

Other stand out tracks are "Iron Tusk" and "Naked Burn" for their raw vocals and closing track, "Joseph Merrick" which is a gentle instrumental which puts me in mind of a movie soundtrack.

The whole album just flows and is matched perfectly to the Moby Dick story.
Im not into prog rock or concept albums particularly but I'll make an exception for Mastodon - a must for any metal fan, and anyone that enjoys something a bit different. Despite frequent comparisons to Rush and links to Metallica, I think this band and this album sound like nothing else out there.

Also includes some stunning cover art synonymous with Mastodon albums.

Track Listing:

1. "Blood and Thunder"
2. "I Am Ahab"
3. "Seabeast"
4. "Ísland"
5. "Iron Tusk"
6. "Megalodon"
7. "Naked Burn"
8. "Aqua Dementia" (Feat. Scott Kelly)
9. "Hearts Alive"
10. "Joseph Merrick"

Summary: My personal favourite of all the Mastodon albums