Album of the Week: Mastodon - Leviathan

     Mastodon have released another song from their forthcoming album Once More Round the Sun, but rather than feature it today (it hasn't been all that long since I recommended "High Road", after all) I figured I'd do you one better and advocate you spend the week with some classic Mastodon.

     Mastodon has such a strong back catalogue that I have a plethora of options for your Album of the Week, but if we're talking classic Mastodon, there's really only once choice: 2004's Leviathan. It's got it all: great riffs and songs, stellar drumming, a multiple-vocalist assault, a lofty concept based on Melville's Moby Dick, and even some kick-ass artwork. There's no denying Mastodon is among the biggest bands in modern metal, and this is the record that put them on the throne.

     Now, if you already dig Mastodon, chances are you know how good this album is, and you should need no further prompting from me to want to revisit it. But if you're somehow unfamiliar with the band, or you're only cozy with their newer material, you owe it to yourself to check Leviathan out. Their newer stuff is, of course, good (Crack the Skye being beyond "good" and into the realm of "fucking awesome") but there's nevertheless something special about Mastodon's great white whale.

Mastodon - Aqua Dementia

     I keep trying to think of something ultra-modern to use today to sorta kick off the first full week of the new year, but my mind keeps wandering back to things not so super modern.

     Today's song, "Aqua Dementia", is from Mastodon's seminal Leviathan, a record that's ten years old this year. But despite their age, both the song and the album stand up to anything that's come out recently. In fact, I would argue that Leviathan may well be the apex of Mastodon's creative powers, the high water mark that they'll never best. What do you think?

Song of the Day: Mastodon - Blood and Thunder

     I've never read Moby Dick. I've tried, mind you, it's just a grueling slog of a read getting Ishmael aboard the Pequod and I've never finished Ahab's quest for vengeance. But thankfully I don't have to. I can instead rely on Mastodon's 2004 opus Leviathan to give me the gist.

     Or not. Either way, "Blood and Thunder" is badass, and the kind of song that might just be worth losing a leg over, provided of course that a health supply of sweet, sweet whale oil is included in the bargain. Artificial illumination for all!

Song of the Day: Mastodon - Iron Tusk

     Today I find myself in a bit of a similar situation to yesterday, in the sense that the band I've chosen for today's song, Mastodon, has so many great tracks that could serve as part of the soundtrack for your day. But my method for choosing is a little different today: instead of leaving selection in the hands of the gods, I decided (as it seems I often do) to take a trip down memory lane by picking the song that served as my introduction to Mastodon.

     Today's song is Mastodon's "Iron Tusk", from 2004's epic Leviathan, and its relentless pummeling is what hooked me on Mastodon way back when. Climb aboard the Pequod and subject yourself to the onslaught without delay.