MASTODON have officially confirmed that their ninth studio album is titled "Leviathan II" and will arrive on June 5, 2026 via Reprise Records. The announcement came Saturday morning alongside the premiere of the lead single "Kraken's Descent," a sprawling eight-minute progressive metal opus that sees the Atlanta quartet returning to the oceanic themes that defined their landmark 2004 debut "Leviathan." The new single immediately trended on social media, with fans celebrating what many are calling a spiritual return to form after the more straightforward hard rock direction of 2021's "Hushed and Grim."
Vocalist and drummer Brann Dailor confirmed in a press release that the album was conceived as a conceptual companion piece to the original "Leviathan," revisiting the themes of Moby Dick through a contemporary lens — exploring obsession, environmental destruction, and humanity's fraught relationship with the natural world. "We always said 'Leviathan' was our most ambitious album, and for years we felt like we left things unsaid," Dailor explained. "We finally felt ready to go back to that ocean and dive deeper than we ever did before."
The album features contributions from Neurosis frontman Scott Kelly, who appeared on the original "Leviathan," as well as collaborations with composer Hans Zimmer on two tracks, marking a significant creative leap for the band. Producers David Bottrill and Brendan O'Brien share production duties across the twelve-track, 68-minute record. MASTODON have also confirmed a world tour in support, launching June 20 in Atlanta and including a European leg in August with BARONESS and PALLBEARER as support acts. The pre-order campaign begins March 14, with vinyl editions in multiple colors and a deluxe box set containing a 60-page hardcover book.