What makes The Giant by Ahab notable?

The Giant received notable acclaim within the metal community for its ambitious length and conceptual depth, charting on various metal-focused lists. It further established Ahab as a leading name in funeral doom metal, influencing subsequent bands seeking to explore atmospheric and narrative-driven compositions. Release in 2012, The Giant marked Ahab's third studio album, following their critically acclaimed second album, The Divinity of Oceans. At this point in their career, Ahab was solidifying their reputation within the doom metal genre, building on their thematic focus on maritime narratives and existential themes.

How many songs are on The Giant?

The Giant has 6 tracks, running approximately 61 minutes.

The Giant

Ahab · 2012

61 min · 6 tracks · doom metal

Ahab's sound is a crushing blend of doom-laden riffs and haunting melodies that evoke the depths of the ocean.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Further South — This opening track sets the stage with its slow, crushing tempo and intricate instrumentation, establishing the album's nautical themes while immersing listeners in a deep sonic landscape.
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Deliverance (Shouting at the Dead) — Combining powerful riffs with emotional intensity, this track showcases Ahab's ability to balance heaviness with melody, encapsulating the essence of despair found throughout the album.
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The Giant — As the title track, it serves as a culmination of the album's themes, weaving together motifs of nature and humanity while offering an epic soundscape that is both haunting and majestic.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

67 /100

Alpine

Higher than 91% of albums we've rated

The Giant showcases Ahab's signature blend of heavy riffs and haunting melodies, solidifying their place in doom metal.

What we noticed

The album features extended track lengths, with three songs exceeding ten minutes, allowing for gradual build-ups and atmospheric shifts.
Riffs are heavily layered, often alternating between crushing heaviness and melodic passages that create a sense of depth.
Vocals are predominantly growled, interspersed with clean singing that adds contrast and emphasizes thematic elements related to the ocean.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 7/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 8/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Further South 8:55
2 Aeons Elapse 12:44
3 Deliverance (Shouting at the Dead) 7:52
4 Antarctica the Polymorphess 11:45
5 Fathoms Deep Below 9:07
6 The Giant 10:36

What to play next

Listen next

The Boats of the Glen Carrig

2015

Go back to

The Divinity of Oceans

2009

Full Ahab discography Artists like Ahab

doom metal

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata