I am giving Mastodon a number of chances to impress me. Now that I think of it, I do enjoy Crack the Skye far more than the Nu-Metal approach that Leviathan creates. Blood and Thunder opens up the album with a nu-metal like riff and nu-metal vocals. Thankfully, the nu-metal chugs and chords cease and metal takes it's rightful place. The album isn't as progress but is in fact technical. Plenty of neck-fucking here tends to steer me away and the vocals are definitely making me stir. I think I am allergic to Mastodon. Seabeast takes the music down a notch and throws some cheesy vocals on top of them. Hearts Alive may be the only song I actually did enjoy. This thirteen minute epic grabbed my attention with intricate drumming and nice long fills over a slow guitar.
The production of this album is very gritty, very low fi. A nice fuzz lies in the guitars and the drums are precise and crystal. The bass is drowned out and the vocals are at the same level as the guitars. The distance is far, the vocals are faint.
Crack The Skye was far better than this. The progressiveness of that album is prominent but Mastodon do create something catatonic. Leviathan on the other hand, is just technical, a bit of nu-metal, metal, and some hardcore blended into one. Crack the Skye got better after every listen, Leviathan gets more annoying after every listen. I read an interview and Mastodon stated that Leviathan created water, if by water they mean how fluid their fingers and arms move around their instruments then they have pinpointed that image. Blood Mountain will be the last chance they will receive until their new album.
5/10
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