"Leviathan" is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. Released on August 31, 2004, through Relapse Records, this concept album is based on the novel "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville, and its songs connect directly to specific chapters in the book. The band offered a unique blend of progressive rock, heavy metal and stoner rock.
The album was critically acclaimed and helped establish the band's reputation in the American heavy metal scene. It achieved commercial success, selling over 103,000 copies in the US, and being one of the best selling albums in Relapse Records' history. The album also garnered a 2005 Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for the song "Blood and Thunder."
Prominent members of the band during the creation of this album included Troy Sanders (bass), Brent Hinds (guitar), Bill Kelliher (guitar), and Brann Dailor (drums). The artwork for the album was done by Paul Romano, which added a distinctive visual element to the album's nautical theme.
Some popular tracks from this album include "Blood and Thunder," "I Am Ahab," "Seabeast," and the instrumental "Joseph Merrick." Overall, "Leviathan" demonstrated the band's growth and evolution in their musical style, setting a high bar for their subsequent work.
