It's been a few year (four to be exact) since Leviathan's mastermind Wrest/Jef Whitehead released an album. 2011's True Traitor, True Whore was a decent album, but it stands out as some of the weakest material Whitehead's ever created. That's not particularly surprising considering he was struggling with substance abuse issues and staring down the barrel of 34 counts of battery and sexual assault against his former girlfriend when the album was recorded. The result, while good, was marred by so much spite and blind rage that the entire album felt unfocused in a way that Whitehead's material typically doesn't.
Flash forward to 2015. The court dropped 28 of the 34 counts they brought against Whitehead and he was found not guilty of all but a single count of aggravated domestic battery for which he received 2 years of probation. He's also gotten clean, relocated to Portland, and entered into a new relationship with fellow musician Stevie Floyd of Taurus and Dark Castle. The couple had a child together last year, too. Fans who are concerned that these positive developments will take the edge of Leviathan's music needn't fear though. If the entirety of the upcoming Scar Sighted is as good as "All Tongues Toward," this album will be an easy contender for Best of 2015.
"All Tongues Toward" begins with martial drumming over ambient noise and droning guitars. After a minute of this, the song erupts into blast beats, atmospheric guitars, and Whitehead's signature raspy howl. This is the Leviathan that fans are accustomed to back with a vengeance. As with True Traitor, True Whore, Profound Lore Records will be handling the distribution of Scar Sighted. The album is set for release on March 3rd, so start saving your pennies now. So, without further ado, here's the first track for your listening (dis)pleasure.
https://soundcloud.com/profoundlorerecords/leviathan-all-tongues-toward
