LEVIATHAN

The thing I like the most about Prog Archives is its inclusiveness, bands like Mastodon, Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan and even Metallica, they're all here, despite their perhaps tenuous progressiveness...?

But I like to think they're here because they write inherently challenging music, play it well and work on concepts that stretch beyond the boundaries of their specific genre. And Prog Archives works: even if metal itself isn't your thing and Metallica aren't your bag at all, cream still rises to the top; Master of Puppets scores a very respectable 4.20, whereas St Anger a derisory 1.51. Although I should guiltily hold up my hand and admit that I am one of the (admittedly very few) fans of that album.

Leviathan is a colossal album on every level, from concept to musicianship, from the crunching opening riff on 'Blood an Thunder' through to the gentle acoustic finale, 'Joseph Merrick'.

Most cuts are fairly short other than 'Hearts Alive', which I guess can be labelled the 'prog track', yet they all display wonderful variety and changes of pace.

Brann Dailor's drumming peppers every track, it was reading about his adroitness that got me listening to Mastodon in the first place. Nevertheless, he doesn't dominate and it's the band's overall synthesis and energy makes them stand out, moving from thrash to sludge, to doom laden stoner rock often in the same track, creating an epic and primeval (though never primitive) sound-scape.

And the riffs. Oh yes the riffs are to die for, the aural equivalent of fine wine, sound made sex. Okay maybe that's going too far, but I defy you to listen to 'Blood and Thunder' or 'Iron Tusk' and not get goose pimples. Monumental. Bill Kelliher and Brent Hinds, flesh out a signature sound that resurface in Blood Mountain and Crack the Skye. And last, but not least Troy Sanders bass plays an important though not necessarily showy part in Mastodon's music and his dry tone and dexterity is always evident on this well produced disk.

I really rate this album highly, so even though a pop up warned me about 5 (or 1) star reviews, I'm going to stick with it, as I favour this over the (almost) equally stunning Blood Mountain and both are highly placed on my essential album list.