Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2000. The group is composed of Troy Sanders (bass/vocals), Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher, and Brann Dailor (drums/vocals). Mastodon has released seven studio albums, as well as a number of other releases. The band's 2002 debut album, Remission, garnered significant critical acclaim for its unique sound. Mastodon's second full-length release, Leviathan, is a concept album based on the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Three magazines awarded the record Album of the Year in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer.
Under the Sign of the Black Mark is the third studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was recorded in September 1986 and released on 11 May 1987 through New Renaissance Records and Under One Flag. It was a key album in the development of the black metal genre, and greatly influenced the Norwegian black metal scene that emerged in the early 1990s.
Black One is the fifth album by Sunn O))). It is a combination of both experimental and traditional Sunn O))), utilizing many guest musicians, including black metal musicians Malefic and Wrest from Xasthur and Leviathan, respectively. The band supposedly also went so far as to lock the claustrophobic Malefic in a casket to record the vocals on "Báthory Erzsébet".
Pure is the second studio album by English industrial metal band Godflesh. It was released on 13 April 1992 through Earache Records. Though originally labeled only as industrial metal, the album has since been recognised as one of the earliest post-metal releases. Musically, Pure is rhythmically mechanical and features harsh guitars, with protracted songs and an abundance of deliberate repetition. Like much of Godflesh's music, it is regarded as particularly heavy and aggressive, and these elements helped it gain critical acclaim.
Leviathan is an American black metal solo project that started in 1998 by Jef Whitehead under the pseudonym Wrest. On all Leviathan albums, Wrest records and performs vocals on his own. Despite having early problems with the release of Massive Conspiracy Against All Life, it was released March 24, 2008 in Europe and March 25, 2008 in North America. Additionally, Wrest has collaborated with the band Sunn O))), and was an active member of the U.S. black metal supergroup Twilight from its formation until it disbanded in 2014. He has stated in interviews that he has been playing drums longer than any other instrument and that the drums are his instrument of choice. Wrest also played and recorded everything in his other project, Lurker of Chalice, which released two demos and one full length album in 2005 before dissolving that project. Whitehead also writes all the lyrics for Leviathan but has recognized that "I don't consider myself a poet, by any means."
Xasthur is the project of American musician Scott "Malefic" Conner. Conner formed Xasthur in 1995 and released eight studio albums of black metal by 2010, when he announced the end of the project. However, he revived it in 2015 to focus on acoustic neofolk music, releasing a ninth album, Subject to Change, in 2016.
The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide is the debut studio album by American black metal musical act Leviathan. It was recorded entirely on a Tascam four-track tape recorder in mainman Wrest's home, and was released September 29, 2003 by Seattle, Washington-based underground record label Moribund Cult.
Nachtmystium was an American psychedelic black metal band formed by Blake Judd, formerly known as Azentrius, and Pat McCormick. The band's name is derived from the German word Nacht meaning "night", and the made-up term mystium which resembles the Latin adjective mysticum. Judd and McCormick combined the words to create the band's name, which they state means "Encompassing Darkness". Nachtmystium released multiple critically praised albums between 2005 and 2012, including Instinct: Decay (2005), Assassins: Black Meddle, Part I (2008), and Silencing Machine (2012). Controversy marred the band's success in 2013 when Judd was arrested for theft charges and publicly admitted he had a severe drug problem. Nachtmystium went on a four-year hiatus until 2017, when Judd reformed the band to record new studio material and perform at four concerts. Judd ultimately disbanded Nachtmystium in 2020.
Not to be confused with the progressive metal band of the same name who changed their name to Beyond Twilight.
Blake Judd is an American musician and co-founder of now-defunct Battle Kommand Records. Formerly the lead vocalist and frontman of the metal band Nachtmystium, Judd also contributed to musical acts and projects such as Twilight, Krieg, and Hate Meditation. He previously performed under the stage name "Azentrius". Judd's heroin addiction was publicly exposed in 2013 after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor theft. His reputation was further damaged when fans, band mates, and business partners openly accused Judd of conducting fraudulent business practices. Judd later admitted to deceiving fans and left the music industry in 2014. He later reunited Nachtmystium in 2017 to perform two live shows and record a new studio album before dissolving the band in 2020.
Terius Youngdell Nash, better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, "Ride" (2010) for Ciara, "Umbrella" (2007) for Rihanna, "Single Ladies " (2008) and "Partition" (2013) for Beyoncé, "Touch My Body" (2008) for Mariah Carey, "16 @ War" for Karina Pasian (2008), and "Baby" (2010) for Justin Bieber. As a solo recording artist, he released five studio albums between 2007 and 2013: Love/Hate (2007), Love vs. Money (2009), Love King (2010), 1977 (2011) and IV Play (2013). His most recent album release was the 2018 triple album Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3.
Massive Conspiracy Against All Life is the fourth full-length album by San Francisco-based one-man black metal band Leviathan.
Leviathan / Xasthur is a split album featuring music from black metal bands Xasthur and Leviathan. Tracks 1 through 7 were performed by Xasthur, while tracks 8 through 10 were performed by Leviathan.
The Eyes of a Traitor were an English metalcore band from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, formed in the summer of 2006. The band consists of vocalist Jack Delany; guitarists Tim George, Tom Hollings and Matthew Pugh; and drummer Sam Brennan. There have been numerous line-up changes within the band, mainly due to members wishing to pursue education. According to the band, its name derives from a conversation the band members had whilst watching the Star Wars saga.
Addicts: Black Meddle, Pt. II is the fifth full-length album by Chicago band Nachtmystium. It was released via Century Media Records in the United States on June 8, 2010, and by Candlelight Records in Europe a few days later. The recording took place in January 2010 at Volume Studios in Chicago, IL.
Made Flesh is the second album by Extra Life. According to Rock-A-Rolla magazine, the album is "darker, harder and bleaker" than its predecessor Secular Works. Writing in The Quietus, Noel Gardner said "I heard over a thousand other albums in 2010, and none of them made as lasting an impression as this one, or sounded so little like anything else currently being made and described as 'rock music'...the best album of [2010]."
The Hunter is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. Released through Roadrunner Records on September 26, 2011, in the UK and one day later in the US via Reprise Records, The Hunter is their first release with producer Mike Elizondo. In its first week of release in the UK, the album reached number 19 on the UK Albums Chart and position number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart selling over 39,000 copies in the first week. As of December 2011, The Hunter has sold over 75,133 copies in the United States.
Wrekmeister Harmonies, led by musician and composer JR Robinson, is an experimental music collective. Named after the Béla Tarr movie Werckmeister Harmonies, it combines elements of drone music, serialism, post-rock, and heavy metal. Wrekmeister Harmonies typically performs a single composition, often almost an hour in length, beginning with a slow build, shifting into a cathartic middle section, concluding with either a peaceful or disquieting resolution.
Scar Sighted is the sixth full-length album by San Francisco-based one-man black metal band Leviathan. The album was released on March 3, 2015 through Profound Lore Records. The vinyl edition will be released through Jef Whitehead's own label, Devout Records. Three tracks were streamed online prior to the album's official release date. 'All Tongues Toward' was released for streaming on January 15, 'Within Thrall' on February 11, and 'Gardens of Coprolite' on February 23.
No Good to Anyone is the eleventh studio album by American band Today Is the Day, released on February 28, 2020 through BMG and The End Records, the first recording by the group to be issued through a major label. The album went through a lengthy production process as a result of health complications frontman Steve Austin faced, and was released five years after the band's 2014 album Animal Mother, marking the longest gap between albums for the band. Jef Whitehead of black metal band Leviathan painted the cover artwork for the album.
