2004 would prove a pivotal year in the landscape of American metal music. On August 31, 2004, both Lamb of God and Mastodon would deliver respective full length entries in Ashes of the Wake and Leviathan, that have since become modern classics - albums that forever impacted the heavy culture, asserted the breadth of American metal and gone onto become some of their most celebrated presentations.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the pair of landmark releases, Lamb of God and Mastodon announced plans of a massive summer trek appropriately dubbed, Ashes of Leviathan Tour - of which became one of the most anticipated tours of the calendar year. The ambitious run featured both Lamb of God and Mastodon performing their respective masterpieces in full - offering a rare opportunity for fans to bear witness to heavy metal history in real time.
With the dust now settled following the cross country campaign, Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe is again taking on the role of documentarian and shifting his vantage point from the stage to behind the lens to offer a better assessment of the scale and significance of the run.
Compiling a collection of images captured while out on the road for the summer trek, Blythe asserts his ability as a storyteller, shifting from vocalist to photographer, all the while highlighting the weight of such a monumental tour with each snap of his camera. From the crowds, to the crew, to the bands and backstage atmosphere and even the roadside Americana the route offers along the way, Blythe frames the how the Ashes of Leviathan Tour underscored the camaraderie makes life on the road so special.
This summer, Lamb Of God and Mastodon embarked on the Ashes of Leviathan 20th anniversary tour. On August 31, 2004 we released our albums, Ashes of the Wake and Leviathan, respectively.
We had been kicking around the idea for the tour for the last 8 or 9 years and to see it actually come to fruition was incredibly satisfying for both bands. This was not only because of our records reaching the two decade milestone— our bands have been friends for so long it really drove home how lucky all of us are to still be able to go out and do this together.
Furthermore, Kerry King and Malevolence, the two opening acts on the tour, absolutely smashed it every night. There was a really awesome, laid back vibe to the tour with no stupid drama. This is how touring should always be.
We all had a blast. So if you came out to a show, thanks for hanging out and kicking some ass with us!
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