Ashes of Leviathan Tour at Red Rocks

One of the prevailing trends in rock and metal these days is the rise of anniversary tours, celebrating milestone albums in a band’s history. These tours often spotlight records that propelled the band to new heights and are now considered classics within their respective genres. The Ashes of Leviathan tour, featuring Mastodon and Lamb of God, epitomizes this trend and stands out as one of the must-see metal events this summer. It showcases two monumental albums from 20 years ago, performed in their entirety by equally legendary bands.

Mastodon’s breakthrough album, Leviathan, a concept record inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and Lamb of God’s Ashes of the Wake, released the same year, played pivotal roles in both bands’ careers. Following their underground sensation debut, Remission, Leviathan catapulted Mastodon into the spotlight, earning them opening slots for Killswitch Engage and Slayer on the Jagermeister Music Tour. Similarly, Ashes of the Wake solidified Lamb of God’s position at the forefront of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal after the success of As the Palaces Burn.

At the start of their August 29th, 2024 set, a clip from the 1956 film adaptation of Moby Dick played before Mastodon began tearing into the opening track of Leviathan, the iconic “Blood and Thunder.” Bassist Troy Sanders’ vocals were crystal clear, while aquatic visuals played behind guitarist Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor. An overly enthusiastic crowd joined Bill Kelliher on each chorus, shouting “white whale, holy grail!” alongside the co-lead guitarist in one of his rare vocal performances.

Mastodon continued the album in sequence with “I Am Ahab,” “Seabeast,” “Island,” and “Iron Tusk,” barely pausing throughout their 75-minute set as they packed in as many songs as possible. Sanders took a brief moment to engage with the crowd before the band launched into “Megalodon,” a live staple since its release, thanks to the impressive dual guitar work of Hinds and Kelliher. “Naked Burn” and “Aqua Dementia” followed, leading into the 13-minute epic “Hearts Alive,” which essentially concludes the album and paved the way for Mastodon’s progressive masterpiece Crack the Skye in 2009. The instrumental “Joseph Merrick” closed out the Leviathan portion of the set – a track the band had not performed live before this tour.

The Atlanta-based quartet rounded out their set with “More Than I Could Chew” from their latest album, Hushed and Grim (2021), “Circle of Cysquatch” from the 2006 classic Blood Mountain (complete with a life-sized cysquatch on stage), and “Steambreather” (a personal favorite) from 2017’s Emperor of Sand. The latter two tracks featured drummer Brann Dailor on lead vocals, showcasing his incredible ability to play intricate drum parts while delivering pitch-perfect vocals. If you’ve never seen Mastodon live, it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

After their set break, Lamb of God stormed the stage, opening with “Laid to Rest,” the crushing lead track from Ashes of the Wake. Frontman Randy Blythe’s energy was electric as he bounded across the stage, delivering his signature harsh vocals with a contagious intensity that resonated with the Connecticut crowd. That intensity continued throughout their performance of Ashes of the Wake, as Lamb of God powered through the entire album.

The stage show was visually impressive, with pyrotechnics highlighting the massive video display featuring the album’s iconic bird in effigy. Lamb of God’s relentless energy was on full display throughout their hour-and-fifteen-minute set, especially during the instrumental-heavy title track. Guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler shredded with precision, backed by the punishing rhythm section of bassist John Campbell and drummer Art Cruz, perfectly complementing Blythe’s fierce vocals. The band closed their set with “Walk With Me In Hell,” and “Redneck”; two absolute crowd-pleasers.

The Ashes of Leviathan tour offers a rare chance to see two of the most influential metal albums of 2004 performed in full by two bands who continue to dominate the heavy metal scene. Mastodon and Lamb of God are titans of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, and this tour is a testament to their enduring legacy.