What Makes Mastodon’s “Leviathan” LEGENDARY
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ค. 2024
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Hey kids, its Uncle Ben Eller here, and this week i listened to Leviathan by Mastodon! One of my favorite records ever. Grab a sit with me, and we're gonna go through this album track by track and dissect its finest moments and sickest riffs!
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What album should i listen to next week? Let me know in the comments! - เพลง
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Thanks for watching this track by track breakdown of Mastodon: Leviathan! What album should I listen to next week?
You gave guitar lessons to Andy Thomas, right? Do some Black Crown Initiate! Selves We Cannot Forgive!
Killer lesson like always Ben! Was wondering what model E.V.H head is the one you are using? Thanks
The sound of perseverance by death uncle!!!
Made a comment elsewhere but Ascension by Paladin. Banger power thrash riffs and solos.
th-cam.com/video/xtDs-MDnezg/w-d-xo.html
Continue the streak and go for Blood Mountain!! Hopefully covering the rest of their discography along the way
ya gotta do Crack the Skye sometime man, awesome vid once again Uncle!
Agreed, my favorite mastodon album
@@sicroyalty
Way agreed. Great album. 👍
or the best album, blood mountain
Agreed I would love to see a breakdown of the czar 🤌
For sure do CTS!
Brent and Bill are honestly some of the best riff writers in all of metal, in my opinion anyway. The stuff they always manage to come up with is super creative and really doesn’t sound like any other band.
Bill's riffage is underrated, dude could write for a whole cool band on his own.
@@kreb12 Well he kinda does since Once more round the Sun. Almost all the riffs are written by him since then. Sadly, Brent's part in Mastodon is becoming smaller and smaller. There's almost no Brent on their last album
@@user-bf6gz8ej4o Oh I never realized that but can definitely see it now. Well, he did a good job with Hushed and Grim, OMRTHS and EOS are kinda meh for me. I think it's their best since CTS and my favorite song is The Beast where we at least get some soulful, dirty B Hinds.
Bill is the 21st century Tony Iommi
@@user-bf6gz8ej4o Might not be such a bad thing. Bill has really come into his own as a riff writer and Brent might be happy enough to step back and support the others, being more fulfilled creatively with his side projects. If it works for them then great.
One thing I love about this album is how the riffs themselves evoke the theme of water. The intro of Island sounds like a huge wave crashing into you. The two chord intro of Seabeast makes me think of a boat rocking back and forth and that beautiful lead line over top is *chefs kiss*. The thrash part of Megalodon sounds like heavy metal Jaws, I could go on. Leviathan isn’t my number one Mastodon album but as a concept record they’ve never surpassed it.
So true! If the album was inspired by Moby Dick they absolutely nailed every aspect!
100% agree, i always think of a rocking pirate ship on seabeast
Crack the Skye?
@@666cashley Long time Mastodon fan here...been listening since back in 2001-2002. I think with Crack the Skye it was a concept album that came from the bands hearts. The concepts of Aether, Mysticism and Spirituality reflecting their feelings of the time. With Leviathan their inspiration came from the book so I feel like its their greatest concept album where they worked from other source material. A different way of putting it maybe is they were able to take the feel of the book and accurately convert it into music. Just my opinion though!! 😁
I finally read Moby Dick in part because of Mastodon and was disappointed to not read any lines from the album in the book
They really created something magical when they made Leviathan. The whole album’s full of amazing songs, but Hearts Alive is their masterpiece. Epic is too tame of a word to describe it. The last three and a half minutes of that song gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Brent’s crazy solo over that crushing outro riff is just Mastodon at their absolute best. Fucking inspired.
Totally agree. Hearts Alive is one of the greatest metal songs of all time and needs to be held in the same reverence as Master of Puppets, Holy Wars, and other masterpieces!
TIME AND SPAAAAACE ALLLLL ALONE
IT CAN BE A LONELY PLACE
You could say Mastodon's masterpiece is their..."Mastopiece" 😎🤘🔥
Eyyyyyy
Iron Tusk was my entry to Mastodon, as a drummer I was fucking blown away by the amount of fills despite not sounding like there are any fills
Some drummers add fills to their grooves, brann occasionally will stop playing fills and just groove for a bar or two so the rest of us can catch up
I watched "stuff mastodon does" like 4 years ago and now I can play through most of leviathan correctly at full speed, the double picking was hardest. I don't know where I'd be without guitar.
Mastodon ROCKS.
I have watched that video so many times!
I have listened to this album so many times over the years, but NOTHING compares to hearing Megalodon or Blood and Thunder LIVE, imo.
especially with Neil Fallon! Got to see that once
They are always amazing live but there's a special place in my reptilian brain that responds to the Seabeast breakdown with fucking thrashing euphoria.
I got the vinyl maybe 2 weeks ago now and it's become a daily staple.
I don't know...Blood Mountain was the first Tour I saw them on opening for Slipknot, along with Children of Bodom and I was pretty blown away. But then I saw them 2x on Crack the Sky for which they played the entire album plus other songs. I was wondering how DethKlok was going to do after such an epic performance by Mastodon, DethKlok actually kicked ass too. lol
@@kevins.3825 Leviathan is just an amazing metal album in general.
Though I do like Crack the skye and Blood Mountain more because they went IN on the progressive aspect.
But my favorite on Vinyl is a tie between BM and Leviathan..
Crack the skye is more of a headphone listen.
"Hearts Alive" is a masterpiece. The intro and outro of this song leaves me in a state of I don't know, I can't explain. I also like how the album ends with the song "Joseph Merrick", I love listening to it when it's raining.
What I love about the intro of Hearts Alive is the transition from the intro to the first main riff. After all that buildup and dread, you finally hit the water and the chase begins.
joseph merrick is like credit sequence at the end of the epic movie
I've seen Mastodon live twice, on the Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye tours, and they did Hearts Alive (in full) at both shows. I've been told that that Blood Mountain show (Detroit, MI) was the first time they did the full version live.
I became obsessed with a Mastodon because of your channel: something like 5-6 years ago.
And now 90% of my guitar-brain memory is occupied by Mastodon songs
Same. It's so much fun learning as many songs as possible from these guys
This album is solely responsible for my interest in sludge and doom, and it's how I learned to actually play the guitar. There is zero fat on this album, every song, every riff for that matter, is doing something awesome. Plus Brann on drums is a thing to behold in itself. And the mood of the whole thing just makes you feel like you're in the ocean with a bunch of cutthroats chasing a mythical beast. They nailed it.
Yeah, the atmosphere they created on the record is unmatched in any other concept I heard. Goosebumps everytime, it's really like living those moments, i can clearly see what every riffs is painting in my brain. And the ispiration for the record all comes down from that beast itself that Brann is (he read the book in 2 days while coming back home during an absurd long plane trip)
It truly is a masterclass in concept albums. The concept is not only featured in the lyrics and track titles, but is actually baked into the music itself which is what elevates it beyond simply a moby dick coat of paint over a metal album.
The ending of Hearts Alive is everything.
Watching Bill and Brent play is a great lesson in economy of motion, especially when they’re hybrid picking. They’ll be playing what sounds like a million notes at a time and their hands and fingers barely move. Legends.
Leviathan is my favorite Mastadon album, it's killer from start to finish.
Absolutely no skips, been listening to it on repeat lately🤘
Heart's Alive is the true masterpiece imo
Agreed!
That final riff in Seabeast is probably in my top 5 greatest riffs ever... Thank you for doing so well on this breakdown. I loved every second of it. You really helped me understand a lot of parts timing-wise that I was having trouble picking up.
Also your tone is....perfect.
It makes me so happy to see that Brann hasn’t changed much or even aged over the years.
That entire coda for Hearts Alive is one of the heaviest things ever written. Also, as a Neurosis fan, it warmed my heart to hear them get some cred here. Keep up the good work, sir.
Leviathan truly is a metal masterpiece. Amazing songwriting and so diverse.
There's an absolutely iconic low-res camcorder-y video of them in Wilkes Barre, PA, from what must be the same tour you saw them on. The performance of Hearts Alive off it is absolutely amazing (as is the rest of the set, for sure), definitely sad I was a bit young to see them then. Fantastic record, and that track in particular is a favorite of mine too. Thanks for the video!
Link???
@@jakemertz2660 th-cam.com/video/uBlm50dH89M/w-d-xo.html Check it!
@@jakemertz2660 just search "Mastodon Wilkes Barre PA" it's the first result, absolutely worth the watch.
@@oddthemute6172 werrrd 😎
That’s my hometown! They played at the since closed Cafe Metropolis. Even though I wasn’t at that particular show, there were so many bands that eventually got well known that came through that place. That venue was a true gem.
Hearts Alive is the Rime of The Ancient Mariner of the 2000’s. Absolutely brilliant.
I don't know why, but that riff after the "hillbilly" part in Megalodon is just so perfect. one of my favourite "headbanger" riff ever.
I’ve probably spent 400 hours playing it for myself on guitar
11:38
All these years later and that riff is still the bane of my existence on this record. Just listening to it sets my forearm on fire.
It's good to see that someone who knows what a guitar is shares the same favorites as me (the whole album)
From this album on Mastodon's releases became complete listening experiences. Song for song, riff for riff, there's nothing from Leviathan to Hushed and Grim that gets skipped. Not many if any bands can pull that off consistently like they have. They've added textures and layers to their music over the years but have never lost what makes them so amazing at their core. Leviathan is definitely up there as their best, along with the next two albums, Blood Mountain and Crack the Skye. I'm still digesting their newest one but with Mastodon it takes time, plus they doubled up on us (not complaining). Troy has to be one of the best heavy vocalists out now. Brents leads are just fkn mind bending. Of course Brann is flat out amazing. The hero though has got to be Bill. His riffs keep evolving and becoming more complex but he seems like an endless well of material? As consistent as Hetfield with the picking skills to match. I endlessly chase their ability to chug away on a driving riff, yet sound like they're laying back at the same time? That "Disposable Heroes" type energy where its just this pummeling gallop, yet sounds like its so deep in the pocket. Easily the greatest metal band of the last 20 years. Thanks for taking us on this journey Uncle Ben!
Always a good day when Ben does Mastodon. Totally agreed on actually playing Mastodon songs, not like anyone or anything else. So rewarding and fun to play. You could literally learn any section of a song by them and use it to impress people, as well as yourself 😂
Great video:)
Give Ghost Reveries by Opeth a listen. I'd personally love to see you do a video on alternate tuning songs, like Ghost of Perdition or The Baying of the Hounds. The chords and their particular voicings in those songs got me into listening to Opeth.
Yesssss
Wow I never realized how Iron Maidenish a lot of their riffs are when looked at out of context. That 5/4-6/4 section of “Blood and Thunder” takes me back to “To Tame a Land” from Piece of Mind.
Total maiden influence in mastodon! Love it!
Big old school Metallica thing too.
My favorite under the radar Maiden song, so badass
That's what I just said. That one lick from To tame a land
This album changed my life when I was 14 and made me want to play guitar. I studied the hell out of it in my room for hours on end. I thought if I could achieve playing hearts alive then I would have mastered the instrument.
One of my guitar go to's. Just love love love the riffage. Intro to Naked Burn is just meaty as F, and of course, Hearts Alive is still Mastodon's best song...
Hearts Alive is by far one of my favourite songs Mastodon have ever written. I find it impossible to skip that song whenever it comes on.
This album was on repeat in my truck in highschool. And still is today 7 years later. Every truck I’ve had over the years had this CD in it and still does to this day.
I'll say it and I'll say it again, Mastodon is the metal equivalent of Led Zeppelin. For me, Zeppelin is a terrifying band. Their music came straight from the ether, nothing else sounds like it, and it's the exact same with Mastodon. They went somewhere far away to hear those sounds, drug induced or not. This is really special stuff and all of their albums hold a place in my heart. This one and Crack the Skye especially
This has to be one of the most difficult videos to finish I've ever watched. HOLY SHIT, this felt like pure 20 minutes of suffering through heavy withdrawal, I couldn't wait to finish watching just to go blast the entire album (again).
Great stuff as always uncle
Hell yes, thanks dude!
Not to mention, Heart's Alive has one of the most epic solos ever, and watching old videos of Hinds play it still gives me chills.
Blood Mountain is the album that got me into Mastodon, but Leviathan made them a favourite forever. At age sixteen, obsessed with guitars, I couldn't help but be amazed by the work from Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher.
One of the best albums for sure. Blew me away on vinyl
That banjo-y/chicken pickin' evil country riff in Megalodon is one of my favorite riffs of all time. It was just so crazy and unexpected on a metal record the first time I heard it I was like whaaaat.
Bro!
Why the hell didn't I see this the day it came out? I get all your notifications and this... THIS is what my whole life has been waiting for.
Honestly this video has been kinda underperforming and I’ve been wondering why!!!
I'm literally the crossroads for both your stuff and Mastodon (my favorite band) I love your takes on their music and I get every other notification on tour newest videos.
I didn't see this till today and I need to slap whoever is j charge of the algo at TH-cam.
For what its worth, this was a great vid Ben! and I plan on watching it back to practice all the riffs you spotlighted.
thanks man.
Brent and Bill are such killer and creative guitarists. The more technical and heavy metal inclined playing from Bill really compliments Brents self taught and country/bluesy style. They're great together.
I have a huge poster of the Leviathan album art in my music room. I always loved the art and design of Mastodon stuff; it just brings so much to the music.
The first time I heard the intro to hearts alive I was in pure awe, it is still my favorite musical thing I have ever heard
That pic of you and Brann is awesome. Leviathan is nearly as timeless as Brann's hairstyle+earring combo. I swear he has rocked that look since the late 90s. Same haircut/style and the same exact earrings. Fucking timeless I tell ya. Super nice dude too. I went to a Mastodon show many years and Brann stood in the lobby for an hour shaking hands and chatting with fans before the show.
Riff after riff after riff after riff. Mastodon were untouchable at this time. And SO much fun to play
Blood & Thunder was my introduction to Mastodon because I remember it was on Rocksmith 2014 and it’s still one of my favourites from them, such a badass song and this entire album is just killer as well
Its the pinnacle of heavy albums for me. The buildup and ending riff to seabeast gets me every time. Great video ben.
Whenever I just don't feel all too well, I grab my trusty D-tuned guitar of choice and play Blood And Thunder from start to finish and I'm whole again.
Yeah, Hearts Alive is phenomenal and encapsulates everything that makes Mastodon Mastodon. Seeing them open with that was just jaw dropping. How do you even follow that?
follow it by playing The Last Baron of course, and then perhaps Jaguar God for good measure
Jesus christ... they opened with that when you saw them?
I always say to myself if a time machine was invented. I would use it to go back to 2004-05 leviathan tour and follow the band around the whole tour to see Hearts Alive be played, there's no where to go after seeing that song live. The only way you could top that song is if you were the ones who made it!
Seabeast was the first Mastodon song I heard. I saw the video on MTV2 I think at like 4am in 2006-2007. I'd never really heard anything like it. It sounded so sludgy and dark and just....different. The odd time, the weird chords, the vocals...I was intrigued. Then that outro riff crushed my brain into putty and I bought Leviathan the next day.
I’ve watched this video a couple times. I love music
I love their Naked Burn performance at the Atlanta Aquarium. Brent added a little flair to that opening riff. Their album Emperor of Sand is getting a LOT of playtime on my Spotify!
12:54 Yesterday, me going to see Iron Maiden, listening to Leviathan. They start playing Number of the Beast and I was like "Shit, that Naked Burn riff sound similar". I'm glad to see that I ain't losing it (yet).
As always, amazing video! Cheers!! 🍻
Caught Mastadon on that same tour at Slim’s in SF. Epic and definitely a memorable night.
One of the absolute greatest albums of all time. I’ll never forget my buddy getting this album and throwing it on and hearing that opening Blood and Thunder riff which just blew me a away.
Mastodon is a *band* in the truest sense of the word. 4 people with very different and perhaps conflicting styles and skillets, each a beast in their own right, come together to somehow seamlessly blend all those styles together into an entirely singular sound. To this day, nobody sounds like Mastodon. Nobody.
Mastodon was a band where I went from knowing pretty much nothing about them...
... to being my favorite band, owning multiple t-shirts and seeing them several times on the same tour in the span of only a year lol. They're just that good.
p.s. Your videos have made me such a better guitarist... I don't play like a step-dad anymore. Thanks Uncle Ben.
Around the time Leviathan was released they came to the UK and played a gig at a club in Oxford (the Zodiac) and opened with Hearts Alive. They were flawless and played one of the most amazing and memorable sets I've seen. And then they were kind enough to go on to record album after album of phenomenal music. Your playing in this vid is some of your very best. Cheers!
Yes sir! My favorite album by them and I listened to it for 6 months straight but seeing them play Aqua Dementia and Hearts alive is still one of my favorite live show moments ever. Sick playing man! Thanks for uploading
I got to see them with Nebula and Clutch at Juanitas Mexican restaurant in Little Rock believe it or not. Smallest venue ever
Been listening to Mastodon since I was about 10 years old. Have probably listened to Leviathan more times than I could count. While Crack the Skye is my favorite album, Leviathan's riffs are I think Mastodon's most iconic. Like you said about Megalodon, this album just sums up everything about Mastodon you'll ever need to know. The fact that they kept making music after this album is just the cherry on top.
Ísland - It's Iceland in Icelandic. Prounounced "Ees-land" The lyric "heimaey 73" is a referance to the eruption on Heimaey, a part of the archipelago of Vestmannaeyjar in 1973. I grew up there, lovely place.
Ah thank you!!!
A very important album in my metal timeline. When my buddy recommended leviathan back in the day I was mostly listening to punk and alternative rock so took me a little while to understand and appreciate but has become one of my all time favs.
I too saw them in 2003-2004. The show I saw was Sokol Underground in Omaha, NE. Very much a church basement type of venue. They OPENED with Hearts Alive. I’ve never seen anything like it. I was hooked instantly!
Was just listening to the whole album today! I am Ahab and Iron Tusk are absolute bangers
During covid I sat down and learned the album front to back. Which really forced me to get better. Your weekend wankshop vids helped a lot with Megalodon and aqua dementia. It’s become one of my favorites by mastodon just behind crack the Skye
hearts alive is a true masterpiece one of the greatest yet underrated instrumental even tho it isn't an instrumental.
My introduction to Mastodon and my favorite concept album of all time! Thanks for the breakdown.
I just started relearning this album with a buddy of mine yesterday. This is just what we needed! Thanks Uncle Ben! 🤘
I was 14 when I first heard this album. I still remember that ride home.
Thank you for this excellent breakdown of one of my favorite bands. You shred harder than the bad guy from the Ninja Turtles
you just put all my thoughts of how wonderful and underrated Leviathan is in one video, and playing and explaining all the riffs is such a joy and so interesting to see, 10/10
I firmly believe they made an inspired American work of art
That was my introduction to them, soo so great, then I got into the other albums.
Definitely one of my favorite bands, and albums ever. The one that got me into them in middle school, and one of the first cds I bought with my own money once I got a job. So damn good, Blood And Thunder is always a good warmup riff
Leviathan is a top 5 album to me because how aquatic they managed to make it sound. For a themed album that's fantastic. The beginning of megalodon puts me on a wooden boat crashing thought the seas everytime
Great vid! I started playing like 6 years ago at the ripe ole age of 39 so of course I was on your channel. You introduced me to Mastodon and they quickly became one of my all time faves. Leviathan is my favorite album but love them all. I actually started a sleeve about a month ago (midlife crisis) and it’s based on that album cover. Saw Mastodon live back in November and they killed! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Thanks for reminding why Mastodon is the biggest band in hard rock. Also sick throwback photo
I paused the trials for this. Too bittersweet to miss.., this album is my riff guide, and thus found uncle ben on youtube.
I still think blood mountain is their best album but this is probably my fav album ever just for when I heard it, truly a formative experience for me
I agree, I remember the first time I heard Blood Mountain I thought it was meh but I gave it a relisten one time and was like "holy shit how did I ever think this was anything short of a masterpiece" So many crazy and great riffs, and some of my favorite drumming from Brann
That break is so Maidenesque, Piece of Mind era. Love it!
hell yeah my favorite mastodon album.
literally do this with any album you love, i just wish i could have friends to talk like this to about my fav albums
15:29 OMG that must be “little nephew” Ben Eller!
So without your “Stuff Mastodon Does” video, I wouldn’t be half the guitar player I am today. This is my desert island album, or at least one of them. Your next album video should be on From Mars To Sirius since I believe these bands go hand in hand.
Thank you for all the rad stuff Uncle Ben!
Thank you!!!
Megalodon is an all timer in the catalog, and uniquely Mastodon as stated, though that bridge riff certainly has flavors of Sanitarium 😉
Amazing stuff!
Mastodon never clicked with me until I saw their live set for Kerrang with Scott Kelly and after that I was instantly hooked. Mastodon + SK songs are THE gateway songs.
Absolutely love these type of videos!
What an amazing video!!!🤘🏻
Great breakdown
much love man...one of my faves
absolute agree, Leviathan is my favourite album of Mastodon, Legendary! And thank for a great video, was really enjoy to watch
Dang I love that Megalodon lick so much. I learned it in that weekend wankshop you did a while back and it really kick started my foray into hybrid picking. And mastodon is sick. Bout to cop my tickets to the 20th anniversary leviathan show
Really nice, thanks for sharing! ✌🏻
I really loved this video! We need more indepth Mastodon break downs! In fact, please go into even more detail! These tunes can be very tricky so its amazing to see someone break them down.
This shit is why I pay for Patreon. These videos are awesome and a good way to ease back into playing after being in a slump for a while
Awesome video! Haven't heard it in a bit, so I'm going to listen to the entire thing right now!
Honestly your video has made me fall in love with this record all over again
Love ur videos ben ❤️ I'm from Chattanooga so it was a nice shoutout lol.
Love early Mastodon. Just blasted Blood Mountain last week when I was preparing outside goulash in a kettle for my birthday, TWICE in a row
More of this please 🙏