Metal Masterpiece That Revitalized Concept Albums for the 21st Century: 20 Years Later, It Still Serves as an Example

A classic sophomore album halfway between sludge and prog.

Few bands have remained as consistent and beloved throughout their career as Mastodon, who have earned nothing but praise since their inception in 2000.

With 8 highly acclaimed albums in their catalog, the band has managed to become one of the flagships of modern metal, going through elements of stoner, sludge, prog, thrash, and alternative music in their ever-evolving sound.

Even though their debut was well received, the love affair with Mastodon came with 2004’s “Leviathan”, a sophomore release that is still hailed as one of the finest records of the 21st century.

An ambitious effort, the concept album tells a complex story through incredible songwriting, catchy riffs, and the band’s instantly recognizable sound.

To celebrate “Leviathan”‘s 20th anniversary, we look back at what makes this record so special, and how it revived interest in concept projects for metal.

The Fire in Ol’e Mastodon

With a shared love for sludge, classic heavy metal, and ’70s hard rock, Mastodon released their debut album “Remission” in 2002.

The band’s debut was well received, earning praise for its hard-to-define style that mixed elements of sludge, Southern rock, prog, and jazz.

Brann Dailor’s frenetic drumming was in the spotlight, but all of the band’s performances were complimented, from Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher’s intricate guitar work to Troy Sanders’ menacing vocals and tight bass playing.

An elemental representation of fire, “Remission” was heavy and aggressive, but there were undeniable melodic sensibilities that gave the record an interesting edge.

Far from a commercial success, the album became a cult classic and earned Mastodon underground fame, a precious gift at a time when the band was still honing its live performances.

The White Whale Triumph

“Remission”‘s acclaim was enough to generate significant buzz around Mastodon, with metal fans eager to know what the band had stored as a sophomore.

In August 2004, “Leviathan” was released, continuing the group’s elemental themes, this time serving as a representation of water.

Not only that, but the record marked the first time that Mastodon adventure themselves in writing a concept album, albeit with a story that was vague in comparison to the band’s following efforts.

“Leviathan”‘s concept is loosely based on Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby Dick”, depicting Captain Ahab’s obsession with the white whale.

Full of nautical themes, whale depictions, and a progressing obsession, the story has been stated by band members as a parallel to Mastodon’s own journey in the music industry.

Overall, while it might not be as fleshed out as the band’s other forays into concept albums, “Leviathan” marked an incredibly ambitious turn for Mastodon, revitalizing interest in concept albums in mainstream metal and launching the group’s career.

Hearts Alive With Love for This Album

A cool concept would mean little without the songwriting to back it up, but of course, this wasn’t a worry with Mastodon in “Leviathan”.

The band sounded even tighter than in “Remission”, with Dailor’s absolutely unhinged drumming being at the forefront once again as they move from complex prog to gnarly sludge and speedy thrash influences.

Furthermore, Kelliher and Hinds deliver an absolutely massive riff-fest throughout the album, with each guitar line fitting perfectly in the songs and being technically impressive while remaining memorable.

Not only that, but the band honed their melodic sensibilities, effortlessly merging them with crushingly heavy moments that result in a tastefully dynamic listen, like in the soaring vocals of “Naked Burn” or the epic journey that is the 13-minute masterpiece “Hearts Alive”.

The purely heavy tunes are also some of the band’s best, with Sanders and Hinds’ growls complementing each other in the best way, while thunderous riffs and hellish percussion set the tone to wall-punching tracks like the frantic “I Am Ahab” or the sludgy “Aqua Dementia”, featuring Neurosis’ Scott Kelly.

And of course, who could forget the power of singles like “Iron Tusk” and “Blood and Thunder”, the latter becoming arguably one of the most important and instantly recognizable metal tracks of the 21st century.

The Legacy of ‘Leviathan’

Reaching No. 139 on Billboard and No. 110 in the UK charts, “Leviathan” can be considered a commercial triumph when compared to “Remission”.

Not only that, but the album was highly acclaimed, with several publications naming it as one of the best metal records of the decade, thus effectively launching Mastodon’s career as one of the genre’s top-tier acts.

The group continued to experiment with their sound on the following releases, further flexing their progressive muscles and pushing their style into more melodic territories.

“Blood Mountain” and “Crack Skye” continued Mastodon’s evolution and were overwhelmingly acclaimed, cementing them as one of metal’s leading bands.

While their early 2010 efforts may have been more divisive due to more straightforward songwriting and alternative influences, they still have plenty to love before the band returned to their epic scopes in 2017’s “Emperor of Sand” and subsequent releases.

However, it was “Leviathan” that set the tone of Mastodon’s mesmerizing career, with its ambitious story, complex songwriting, and memorable hooks combined with crushing heaviness.

Some of the band’s following albums may be more technically intricate or filled with instant hooks, but “Leviathan” was where Mastodon’s journey to the top of the genre began.

The record stands proud as an absolute masterpiece, combining incredible performances with great songwriting, and revitalizing interest in concept records for modern mainstream metal, influencing other top-tier acts like Ghost or Gojira to deliver their own storylines, and being fully embraced by the fans.