The 10 Most Groundbreaking Releases From Relapse Records!
Groundbreaking albums from artists and label!
2. Mastodon – Leviathan (2004)
Source // litreactor.com
Relapse’s punt on these hairy noiseniks proved to be a fine bit of business when Mastodon followed up their eye-catching debut Remission with the instant classic, Leviathan.
Taking Herman Melville’s Moby Dick as inspiration, these Atlantan mavericks concocted an album as grandiose and sonically enormous as Captain Ahab’s, White Whale nemesis; cementing Leviathan‘s standing as a progressive metal masterpiece in the process.
“Blood And Thunder” is still the catchiest song Mastodon ever penned and a bone-fide hit for Relapse; its central riff is an absolute neck-wrecker and throws you straight into the deep end of Leviathan‘s ingenious narrative.
Over thirteen years on, Mastodon are a grammy award winning band who continue to ride on the crest of a creative wave, with their position amongst the elite of the elite now firmly set in stone. However, while Mastodon would move to a major label for their next record, it was during their time on Relapse’s books that they were arguably at their creative peak.
Through Silver In Blood is a truly terrifying listen that leaves you feeling drained after playing it. Heavy in every sense of the word.
Saw them in Belfast when the album came out as support for Entombed. The crowd was just transfixed on the stage for the duration of their set, poor Entombed didn’t stand a chance coming on after them.
incantation > nile and dying fetus
sorry but old school death metal beats modern death metal any day
Incantantion – Onward to Golgotha?
Great list, but I’d add Incantation, Burnt by the Sun, Coalesce, and Necrophagist.