Song of the Day-Cavern-"Outsiders"

"Outsiders" is taken off the new release from Cavern out tomorrow on Grimoire Records. This is the band's third release and their first all-instrumental effort. The album is sure to please fans of Russian Circles, Baroness and Mastodon. For more information, please check out the following links: Facebook | Bandcamp

Zac's "Quik Drag": Supervoid-Filaments

Supervoid - Filaments 

Some of the Heavy Planet crew, including myself, had the chance to catch Supervoid live in Pittsburgh at the 31st St Pub this past August. This local five piece got started back in 2012 and have been bludgeoning audiences with what Heavy Planets' very own Tobias Maximus described as a monumental mash-up of Lamb of God meets Mastodon. Having never listened to Supervoid previously, I had no idea what to expect. However, I was reassured by the band's tee shirt propaganda (Baroness, Immortal and Mastodon) that these cats were educated in the heavy and were going to deliver a hefty helping to the minute crowd that particular summer evening. 

Since that ear fuzzing and spine numbing evening, Supervoid have completed their debut release Filaments and given Heavy Planet the chance to preview it. First off, the wait was worth it and second, everything I was engrossed in at the smoke filled 31st St Pub has evolved into an interstellar road trip that you won't mind giving up shotgun, you'll just want to be part of the trip. These five musicians play off one another with such fluidity that the music becomes a cosmic river, rolling through both organic and man-made structures, eroding what was and transforming it into something new. Supervoid employ a sludge-coated trod at the core of their tunes and compliment the lows with a starry ascension. This creates a sort of ebb and flow very similar to the instrumental post-metal genius' Pelican and Red Sparrows, except here listeners are getting lashed with a diverse style of vocals, part Randy Blythe part Jeff Martin (Lo-Pan). Filaments does not simply rely on atmoshpere and ambiance, the group dive into the record like they were late for the party of the century. Coat of Luminous, our album opener, is full of fast strumming, catchy licks, and plenty of chances for everyone to sing a long. Quite a contrast to the space rock inspired, progressive side of Filaments. Stand out track for this listener is Wake of the Smoke Jumper. Implementing some steady bass drum thumps Wake of the Smoke Jumper quickly mutates as the lead vocals appear as an all devouring mouth monster gulping down the very ground before you. Some powerful female vocals (ha ha found out this is actually Brian) soar over-top the gritty male vocals in the chorus and the song recedes back with some cleaner plucking only to be overtaken again in a golden napalm shower. 

Filaments is a dynamic and surprising debut for these Pittsburgh'rs. Fans of progressive sludge titans Mastodon and the film Star Wars will certainly be smitten from the galactic style artwork with thematic gems hidden on the cover, the low n' slow burners and elephantine percussion.  Filaments is available now as a name your price download.  Be sure to get your copy or if you will be in the Pittsburgh area catch the release show with the mighty Orange Goblin at The Rex Theater [October 26th].         

Members: 

Brian - Vocals 

Dave - Guitar 

Greg - Drums 

Joe - Guitar 

John - Bass

I bandcamp I facebook I

Zac's "Quik Drag": Hungry Brains

Zac's "Quik Drag": Hungry Brains

Hungry Brains: Centre Of The Omniverse

If for some strange reason you missed Hungry Brains single Crooked Eye on last weeks NBTBOT Playlist this Quik Drag will bring your ears up to speed.  Hungry Brains is a UK based progressive metal band with a stoner rock disposition and an excellent taste for cover-art.  Centre Of The Omniverse's Salvador Dali inspired cover piece is one of the best I've seen this year.  Enough pictorial art though, lets get to the sound!  Hybridizing the technicality of Mastodon and the syncopation of Tool, Hungry Brains exercise their rhythym section continuously, making for a groove focused sound.  That groove / art metal character is contrasted by a huge vocal delivery.  Part Dream Theater's James LaBrie and part Dio, Callum's hardened vocal chords add an extra jolt to the sound.  Hungry Brains' are currently preparing the release of The Mule, which should be out sometime this autumn.  In the mean-time check out my favorite jam Dawn Of A New Age above.  If the infectious sludge RIFFS don't convince you then the battery from Hungry Brains bass and percussion certainly will.

Members:

Paul Daly

Callum Armstrong

Orestis Papisback

I bandcamp I facebook I last.fm I twitter I

Zac's "Double Dose": Sleepers Awake / VolumeFeeder

 

Sleepers Awake: The Fulcrum Single 

Commencing in a sonorous roar and a clash of metallic instrumentation Columbus, Ohio's Sleepers Awake introduce us to their latest single The Fulcrum from the soon to be released full length album Transcension. Formed in 2005 this quartet have focused their talents on creating over-the-top epics through a progressive mentality, citing influences from Mastodon to Queen. I say epics because the band likes to stick to a concept and also fully appreciates albums as entire pieces of art, leading to what I believe is an epic disposition. So, The Fulcrum is a very small corner of a twelve track sonic painting due out the seventeenth of June (those interested in pre-ordering Trancension can do so at the bands web-store). Now, the question is, what can we dissect from this sample of the illustration in regards to the entire piece and more importantly how much metal can we find within Trancension? Well, first and one of the most prominent features of The Fulcrum is the triumphant vocal prowess of Chris Thompson. The potency in his proclamation throughout The Fulcrum could carry an album on its own and instills a promising outlook for the full length release. Next up, the brilliant percussion of "Ambrose", or Chris number two, Burnsides. His volatile drumming patterns, transforming from complex strikes to a tribal wallop, will encircle your cerebral cortex and leave your mouth agape. Finally, we come to the interlacing guitars and bass. Chris [Thompson] and Rob Bradley find themselves engaged in twin guitar slinging duels one moment and the next feeding off of one anothers booming RIFFS, while Kedar Hiremath's bass supports the battle-front. The track approaches its climax with a tolling bell mixed into Ambrose's Dany Carey-esque rolling patter. This soon evolves into a full spectral blast thanks to those swelling guitars and there you have it. The Fulcrum ends as abruptly as it began. So, lets return to our initial question. "How much metal can we find...?" Well, I'd say an oceanic proportion of metal on Trancension. Within the six minutes of The Fulcrum we find a depiction of RIFFING swells, heroic singing, and voracious tides of percussion adorning Trancension's canvas. Check it out below and get out there to support these guys. Word on the street is they have played shows with Heavy Planet favorites The MIdnight Ghost Train and Neon Warship! How could anyone in their right mind want to miss that show?

Members: 

Christopher “Ambrose” Burnsides - Drums 

Chris Thompson - Vocals // Guitar 

Kedar Hiremath - Bass 

Rob Bradley - Guitar

I bandcamp I facebook I soundcloud I twitter I web I 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

VolumeFeeder: Crowns and Chains 

VolumeFeeder, this weeks follow-up 'Dose, hail from Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary. No, I have no clue how to pronounce that city's name and that's okay. Why? Because what is important here are the tunes. With their latest EP, entitled Crowns and Chains, VolumeFeeder have found a delightfully groovy way to indulge aggression. This trio has been creating a Hungarian-take on that Southern Louisiana sound for some ten years now and after listening to the three tracks available on Crowns and Chains, I plainly hear why. These three know how to work off of each others creativity and the outcome is just straight groove-laden metal hooks and RIFFS, RIFFS, RIFFS. You will not be sitting still for long when you plug Crowns and Chains in. So, get yourself over to bandcamp where the entire EP is streaming and available at a "Name Your Price" download. But support these guys in anyway you can. Then we can hope for a full length release.

Members: 
"Imi" Imre Balázs - Vocals // Guitar 
"Geri" Gergő Drahota - Bass 
"Robi" Róbert Jaksa - Drums

I bandcamp I facebook I reverbnation I soundcloud I youtube I

New Band To Burn One To: GIZA

HEAVY PLANET presents...GIZA!

BAND BIO:

Giza was formed in March of 2012 by Steve Becker, Trent McIntyre, and Richard Burkett with the goal of writing loud and massive instrumental music. In May of 2012 Giza recorded 6 songs with Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Minus the Bear) which will be self released in January of 2013. Giza is currently playing shows in the Pacific Northwest.

THOUGHTS:
"I have been on this huge instrumental band kick as of late, so when I received this band the other day it sent my adrenalin soaring. The music represented on this debut full-length from Seattle's Giza is a moody, dark and desolate journey paralleled by the cloudy and rainy climate of the Pacific Northwest. The heaviness continuously explodes amidst meandering tempos, down-tuned guitars and crushing aural pleasantry. There are no guitar acrobatics or soaring vocals to be heard, just what I would call heavy as fuck chill-out music. My favorite track "Hour of the Bullfight" is introduced by the mellow intro of "Interlude", once the intro subsides, a heavy aura surrounds you with monsterous tones and savage drum fills. The playing is tight, the production is stellar and the sound is massive, combine that with some sweet album artwork and "Future Rains" by Giza comes out a winner. I highly recommend this shit for anyone jonesing for some post-apocalyptic instrumental sludge metal."
For fans of Mastodon, Isis, Russian Circles and Minus the Bear

((facebook|bandcamp|twitter))

Album Review: Mastodon-"The Hunter"

Mastodon - The Hunter

by Zac Boda

 

Personally, I believe Mastodon needs no introduction.  I began tuning in during the period between Leviathan and Blood Mountain era, captivated by the shear heaviness of the jams and Mr. Hinds fancy fret-work.  And then... and then they released Crack the Skye in 2009.  (The following two words I speak with utter confidence) THIS MASTERPIECE pretty much solidified my status as a dedicated fan knowing that I will follow and enjoy anything these guys throw at me. 

The Hunter is not Crack the Skye.  It is not this wondrous caldron that bubbles and bursts perfectly.  Having said that, The Hunter is impressive in it's own right.  It is aggressive and jagged yet smooth and comforting... It is a welcome addition to what is the Mastodon legacy, combining familiar Mastodonian sounds on tracks like "Black Tongue", "Stargasm", and "Spectrelight" with the not so expected "Creature Lives".

All of The Hunter is a great listen.  Brann's drumming fills and rolls continue to leave me jaw-dropped and the chemistry of these four guys is breath-taking.  It is especially more clear than ever knowing that all four musicians put fourth in this collaborative effort. 

The introductory track, "Black Tongue," begins in typical Mastodon fashion- heavy bass ambience, great percussion, and a killer lick.  The track couldn't be better placed.  For long-time Mastodon fans it's easy to recognize the building blocks of this band and therefore easy to find oneself enjoying the new tunes.  It's also perfect for noob's for it's shear brilliance... and what's not to like when the song ends with "death of the sun".

I really enjoy the track placement, the beginning of this album is chock full of Mr. Hinds genius on the lead guitar and the affinity these musicians have together.  "Curl Of The Burl" is followed by, one of my favorite tracks "Blasteroid".  What a great title.  Again we find Hinds melting our faces while Kelliher, Sanders, and Dailor create a tremendous groove.  The groove is turned into a nightmare when the cleanly sung vocals turn to blood curdling screams.  These are some of the most aggressive vocals I've heard from the band. 

"Stargasm" (another, among many, fantastic song titles) begins with a harmony that could easily have been placed on Crack the Skye.  This cosmic intro creates a faultless build.  I must note, Brann's work here is splendid.  The chorus is instrumentally vivid allowing the cheap lyrics to pass unnoticed. 

The following tracks "The Hunter", "Dry Bone Valley", and " Thickening" change the pace.  Here the sound builds to prepares us listeners for something never expected on a Mastodon album.  That something is "Creature Lives" with its immensely thick electronic whirls, beeps, and zips.  This is a very mellow tune for the likes of Mastodon.  I personally love the simplicity of the song structure, quirky lyrics, and vocalizing background singing.  This is the song that will either greatly disappoint the listener or ignite the listeners contemplation.  That being said, I feel this is brilliant. 

Never fear, if you needed punched in the throat Mastodon follow up the easygoing "Creature Lives" with the thrashing "Spectrelight". The riffage loops around, strangling you while the bass and drums barrage your skull.  "Spectrelight" I haven't the faintest idea how to continue...

The Hunter is another strong addition to an already spectacular discography that Mastodon has given us.  The instrumental orchestration is superb, proving the creativity and artistry of these four gentlemen.  The art work is unusual and unique, completing the package.  I spent the extra dough for the "Deluxe Edition" which offers a couple bonus tracks "The Ruiner" and "Deathbound".  Serious fan should certainly pick these tracks up.    

The Hunter... Mastodon... 9 out of 10.

Troy Sanders - bass guitar, vocals

Brent Hinds - guitar, vocals

Bill Kelliher - guitar, backing vocals

Brann Dailor - drums, vocals

Web: http://www.mastodonrocks.com/

Store: http://www.mastodonrocks.com/store

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Mastodon

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mastodonmusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mastodonmusic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mastodon

Mastodon's Brent Hinds Presents: WEST END MOTEL and FIEND WITHOUT A FACE

Mastodon mastermind/guitarist Brent Hinds is proud to unleash two very special projects this year: WEST END MOTEL and FIEND WITHOUT A FACE. 

FIEND WITHOUT A FACE are a rockabilly/porno/metal concoction mixed with a bit of a country, surf guitar and applesauce on the side. They've been rockin' house parties for nearly two decades, but word on the street is that they're about to go legit thanks to Rocket Science! The self-titled debut features 13 tracks of singular awesomeness that needs to be experienced by anyone looking for a bit of adventure in their listening outings. Like a fat man sending back soup, these boys are on a mission for the world’s condition. FIEND WITHOUT A FACE are armed and dangerous, packing just pantyhose, a fez and a bit of Vyvanse. 

WEST END MOTEL are a conglomerate of losers, poets and hobo-sexuals. Tom Cheshire met Hinds in Atlanta on a corner under a bridge in 1993. They were panhandling and drinking cough syrup and before long, music began spewing from their pores. Songs were written on an acoustic guitar and a bucket with the occasional toy piano in the background. Late nights turned into early mornings and much booze was consumed. They write and sing for the underdog and give the listener a glimmer of hope. Originally, they aimed for a Simon And Garfunkel hanging out with Ethel Merman but the end product sounds more like Nick Cave fronting Gogol Bordello. The songs take on a life of their own and no two tracks sound alike.  Throw Mike Shina, Stiff Penalty and Ben Thrower into the mix and you got yourself one good time. WEST END MOTEL are now an official collective and are ready to get down to proverbial business with nine-track debut Don’t Shiver, You’re A Winner. 2011 is their year and they’re on a mission with no luggage. The band took over Brooklyn this past fall, where rich men, housewives, home bums and a garbageman danced in the streets. The West Coast is next, then the world. These men love music and write for people who love music. It's that simple. They write songs of loss and laughter and occasionally offer a new lease on life. They’re a gospel band, a soul band, a band of gypsies… Hear for yourself.

FIEND WITHOUT A FACE and WEST END MOTEL will be released as a two-CD set via Rocket Science Inc. on June 7, 2011. Said Hinds of the recordings: "I feel like a thousand umpa lumpas have been lifted from my back. I want to thank everyone that made this possible..  in the time it took to put these two albums out, I wrote five more, so whoever likes this kind of stuff, there's a lot more where this came from." You can pre-order the CD/bundles & received a free download from each band HERE.

Listen to a stream of FIEND WITHOUT A FACE’s “Tsunami” & WEST END MOTEL’s “I Like It A Lot” at the following locations:

http://fiendwithoutaface.viinyl.com/

http://westendmotel.viinyl.com/

Brent Hinds Presents FIEND WITHOUT A FACE and WEST END MOTEL
Two - CD Set

View Cover Art HERE

DISC 1: 
FIEND WITHOUT A FACE01. Calypso
02. Black Grass
03. Green Slime
04. Cha-Cha
05. Bank Robbin Bandits
06. Tsunami
07. Hot Rod
08. New York
09. Don’t Like
10. Cosmonaut
11. Stupido
12. Get Straight
13. Volcano

DISC 2: 
WEST END MOTEL
Don’t Shiver, You’re A Winner
01. The Confident Wino/...And We Are Here To Entertain You
02. The Devil Called Me Tommy
03. I Like It A Lot
04. She's On Fire
05. Under My Skin
06. Silly Old Song
07. Highwaters

MASTODON Eyeing 'Crack The Skye' Movie

Gary Graff of Billboard.com reports: A film adaptation of MASTODON's latest album, "Crack the Skye", is well within the realm of possibility — albeit not in production yet.

Drummer and lyricist Brann Dailor tells Billboard.com that the heavy rocking Atlanta quartet sat down with a film director, who he declines to name, and "wrote out a screenplay that reads from song to song. We didn't storyboard it, but we wrote a screenplay." Three different directors, he adds, have expressed interest in taking on the project.

"That'd be killer if it actually happens," Dailor says. "That's something that's cool about making concept records, that opportunity for more to be done, artistically. If you just had an album with a bunch of songs that didn't have anything to do with each other and there was no common thread, that aspect of the art wouldn't be there. But with ('Crack the Skye'), we have that possibility."

Read the entire article from Billboard.com.

MASTODON To Perform On 'The Late Show With David Letterman'

Atlanta-based hard-rock iconoclasts MASTODON will be the featured musical guests on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" airing on Friday, May 15 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for details.

Kylesa Join Mastodon For Forthcoming Tour; New Album Out Mar. 17

Kylesa, the co-ed psych-sludge quintet from Savannah , will join Mastodon for their forthcoming tour launching Apr. 10 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Static Tensions, the band’s new album which is set for a Mar. 17 release on Prosthetic Records, is already earning high praise with Revolver awarding it four stars and adding that the new set features the “sweetest and sunniest hooks of their career." Decibel Magazine has given the record a 9 out of 10 rating and remarked that it’s the group’s best release to date.

Pre-order details for the album can be found on both on Kylesa’s MySpace page (myspace.com/kylesa) and at Prostheticrecords.com. The pre-order special includes a limited edition t-shirt and CD for $20.

Static Tensions’ artwork was created by Baroness’ John Dyer Baizley and was produced by the band’s own Phillip Cope (Baroness, Withered). A vinyl edition will be released the same day on 20 Buck Spin.

Dates below w/Mastodon (except where denoted by "*" or "**" as outlined below):

Apr. 10 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay Theater
Apr. 11 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
Apr. 13 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
Apr. 14 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
Apr. 15 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
Apr. 16 - Phoenix, AZ - Martini Ranch
Apr. 17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echoplex *
Apr. 18 - Santa Cruz, CA - Santa Cruz Veteran's Hall **
Apr. 19 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
Apr. 21 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
Apr. 22 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's
Apr. 23 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Apr. 24 - Calgary, AB - MacEwen Ballroom
Apr. 25 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Ballroom
Apr. 26 - Saskatoon, SK - The Odeon
Apr. 28 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick
Apr. 29 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Hall
Apr. 30 - Chicago, IL - Metro
May 1 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
May 2 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
May 3 - Buffalo, NY - Club Diablo **
May 4 - Montreal, QC - Le National
May 5 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
May 6 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt **
May 7 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
May 8 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA
May 9 - New York, NY - Fillmore @ Irving Plaza
May 10 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
May 11 - Baltimore, MD - Talking Head **
May 12 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club
May 13 - Carbarro, NC - Cat's Cradle
May 14 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
May 15 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage

* - w/Intronaut & Made Out of Babies

** - w/Intronaut

At SXSW:

March 20 – Austin , TX – Red 7 (SXSW Tone Deaf Touring Showcase)

Dates below w/Skeletonwitch

March 13 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone
March 14 – Johnson City , TN – The Hideaway
March 15 – Nashville , TN – The Muse
March 16 – Little Rock , AR – Downtown Music
March 17 – Memphis , TN – Hi-Tone Cafe
March 18 – Dallas , TX – Club Dada
March 19 – San Antonio , TX – Rock Bottom Tattoo Bar
March 20 – Austin , TX – Red 7 (SXSW Tone Deaf Touring Showcase)
March 21 – Houston , TX – Rudyard's
March 22 – New Orleans , LA – Candle Factory
March 23 - Tallahassee, FL - Big Daddy's
March 24 – Tampa , FL – Brass Mug
March 25 – Savannah , GA – The Jinx
March 26 – Wilmington , NC – Lucky’s Pub
March 27 – Asheville , NC – Rocket Club

MASTODON To Play New Album In Its Entirety On Upcoming Tour

According to Billboard.com, Atlanta-based progressive metal band MASTODON will perform its new album, "Crack the Skye", in its entirety on the group's upcoming tour.

The complete album performance is something new for the group, says bassist Bill Kelliher, but "there's something about ["Crack The Skye"] where it would be weird to leave a song out. We'll incorporate a whole stage show, which will hopefully make it even more exciting for kids to come see and more visually stimulating." The band is also hoping to make a short movie from all the songs, which Kelliher hopes will be MASTODON's version of "The Wall".

Read more from Billboard.com.

MASTODON Unveils 'Tripped-Out' Web Site For New Album

Head over to CrackTheSkye.com and get ready to have your mind blown! The new MASTODON microsite has just launched and features animation inspired by the band's upcoming album, "Crack the Skye". The new site is a Flash-based, interactive experience threading fans through an extremely visual, user-controlled cyber journey into the inner sanctum of "Crack The Skye". Content will be thematically based on the album's concepts, artwork, images, lyrics, videos, and its unique packaging through engaging visuals and music from "Crack The Skye" intended to accompany and enhance the experience of listening to the album in its entirety. The site also features the world premiere of the sweeping instrumental "Oblivion".

MASTODON recently shot a video for the song "Divinations" with director Roboshobo (a.k.a. Robert Schober; METALLICA's "All Nightmare Long"). The track comes off "Crack The Skye", which is scheduled for release on March 24.

As was the case with MASTODON's previous releases, the artwork for the new CD was created by Paul Romano (TRIVIUM, GODFLESH).

MASTODON will tour Europe with METALLICA this summer. In addition, they have been invited to perform as part of the Sonisphere touring rock festival this summer in Europe with METALLICA, LINKIN PARK, SLIPKNOT, LAMB OF GOD and more.

MASTODON: New Song 'Divinations' Available For Streaming

Atlanta-based hard rock behemoths MASTODON premiered a brand new song, "Divinations", from their highly anticipated, long-awaited new studio album, "Crack The Skye", on this week's (January 26/27) installment of BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show". The program, which is hosted by Daniel P. Carter, is now available for streaming at this location (go to 21:30 mark to hear the track).

Fans now have the opportunity to buy the "Divinations" bundle which is comprised of a two-track CD-single ("Divinations", along with an instrumental, non-album version of the track) and an exclusive album art T-shirt unavailable anywhere else. The single will also be available digitally as well from iTunes and all other participating digital retailers. This direct-to-consumer bundle is only available through www.mastodonrocks.com. Supplies will be extremely limited, so don't delay.

"Crack the Skye" track listing:

01. Oblivion
02. Divinations
03. Quintessence
04. The Czar
I. Usurper
II. Escape
III. Martyr
IV. Spiral
05. Ghost of Karelia
06. Crack The Skye
07. The Last Baron

MASTODON: New Track To Premiere On BBC RADIO 1's 'Rock Show'

Atlanta-based hard rock behemoths MASTODON will reveal a brand new song, "Divinations", from their highly anticipated, long-awaited new studio album, "Crack The Skye", on next week's (January 26/27) installment of BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show". The program, which is hosted by Daniel P. Carter, airs Monday nights/Tuesday mornings between 12:00 midnight and 2:00 a.m. local U.K. time (7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST). American fans can tune in to the radio debut via the Internet at this location. The following day — Tuesday, January 27 — fans will have the opportunity to buy the "Divinations" bundle which will be comprised of a two-track CD-single ("Divinations", along with an instrumental, non-album version of the track) and an exclusive album art T-shirt unavailable anywhere else. The single will also be available digitally as well from iTunes and all other participating digital retailers. This direct-to-consumer bundle is only available through www.mastodonrocks.com. Supplies will be extremely limited, so don't delay.

Hardcore MASTODON fans who paid close attention were recently rewarded by the band who gave away a quantity of free "Crack The Skye" album T-shirts to their most loyal supporters by strategically placing special redemption codes at various hard rock online destinations, including BLABBERMOUTH.NET and the band's own MySpace page. These shirts are now gone but keep a close eye on the band's web site for future fan-related exclusive offers, merchandise, contests and content.

Possum of Altitude conducted an interview with MASTODON at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants), which was held January 15-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Watch the five-minute chat below.

A teaser clip of the new MASTODON track "Oblivion" is available for streaming on the band's official web site. The song will appear on "Crack The Skye", which is tentatively due late March.

John Doran of The Quietus has posted a track-by-track review of "Crack The Skye". Read it at this location.

Patrizia Mazzuoccolo of the "Tinitus" radio show, which airs every Wednesday on Norway's NRK P3, spoke to MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor in late November prior the band's concert in Oslo as part of the "Unholy Alliance: Chapter III" tour with SLAYER, TRIVIUM and AMON AMARTH.

Exclusive excerpts from the interview were originally aired on the November 26, 2008 edition of "Tinitus". The show is now available on podcast at this location.

"Crack the Skye" was recorded at Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta and was produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, who has previously worked with VELVET REVOLVER, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, PEARL JAM, AC/DC and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, among others.

Exclusive- Mastodon Interview at NAMM

MASTODON, NEUROSIS, HIGH ON FIRE Confirmed For SCION ROCK FEST

MASTODON, NEUROSIS, HIGH ON FIRE and CRYPTOPSY are among the confirmed bands for the Scion Rock Fest, set to take place Saturday, February 28 at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows:

MASTODON
NEUROSIS
HIGH ON FIRE
BORIS
1349
CRYPTOPSY
TORCHE
NACHTMYSTIUM
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
BARONESS
HARVEY MILK
KYLESA
ZOROASTER
WITHERED
KRALLICE
TOXIC HOLOCAUST
SKELETONWITCH
RWAKE
A STORM OF LIGHT
WARBRINGER
SALOME
SUIDAKRA
TYR
ALESTORM

For more information, go to this location.

MASTODON: 'Crack The Skye' Track-By-Track Review Available

John Doran of The Quietus has posted a track-by-track review of the forthcoming MASTODON album, "Crack The Skye". Read it at this location.

Patrizia Mazzuoccolo of the "Tinitus" radio show, which airs every Wednesday on Norway's NRK P3, spoke to MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor in late November prior the band's concert in Oslo as part of the "Unholy Alliance: Chapter III" tour with SLAYER, TRIVIUM and AMON AMARTH.

Although MASTODON's new album, "Crack The Skye", is a conceptual piece in the same vein as the band's previous releases, it is not about air but "ether." "The whole story has little to do with what the album emotionally is really about," clarifies Dailor. "But everything in the lyrics and the story is metaphors. We wanted to stick with elements and we wanted to do the 'ether' record. Ether is what the soul is made out of and it took a few months to connect all the dots."

Dailor goes on to explain the "Crack The Skye" concept: "There is a paraplegic and the only way that he can go anywhere is if he astral travels. He goes out of his body, into outer space and a bit like Icarus, he goes too close to the sun, burning off the golden umbilical cord that is attached to his solar plexus. So he is in outer space and he is lost, he gets sucked into a wormhole, he ends up in the spirit realm and he talks to spirits telling them that he is not really dead. So they send him to the Russian cult, they use him in a divination and they find out his problem. They decide they are going to help him. They put his soul inside Rasputin's body. Rasputin goes to usurp the czar and he is murdered. The two souls fly out of Rasputin's body through the crack in the sky(e) and Rasputin is the wise man that is trying to lead the child home to his body because his parents have discovered him by now and think that he is dead. Rasputin needs to get him back into his body before it's too late. But they end up running into the Devil along the way and the Devil tries to steal their souls and bring them down…there are some obstacles along the way."

The title track, "Crack The Skye", features vocals by Scott Kelly of NEUROSIS. "We heard Scott's voice all over that track," Dailor says. "It's really NEUROSIS-sounding and then when it became the title track, in particular vocally and lyrically it had a lot to do with Skye so it made it even more perfect that Scott would be doing the verses on it just because he is very familiar with that tremendous loss, suicide, stuff like that…"

The album, due out for release in March 2009, is a dark conglomeration of musical as well as conceptual layers. "'Crack The Skye' means a number of different things," Dailor offers. "You'd probably get a different answer from the other members of the band as to what the meaning of it is and I can also come up with three different ones. The main one for me would be (that) Skye was my sister’s name and she died when I was 15. She was 14, she killed herself and it changed my life. When we started working on the material, I knew that Brent [MASTODON singer/guitarist Brent Hinds] was coming from a deeper place musically. He was shaken up from his accident in Las Vegas, was traumatized by that and I think that has a lot to do with the sound of the record. He is pretty emotive with the guitar and from that depression he was in came a lot of that material — kind of slow and spaced out, real psychedelic. I could see that there was something a lot deeper going on so it was the perfect opportunity lyrically to dig a little deeper myself into some demons in the past and I'd never really gone there before; you know, it's a touchy subject. But I felt that with the songs being the way they were that it was the perfect opportunity to get rid of some stuff myself… the 'Crack in the Skye' is the moment you realize that that person is gone."

Exclusive excerpts from the interview were originally aired on the November 26, 2008 edition of "Tinitus". The show is now available on podcast at this location.

"Crack the Skye" was recorded at Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta and was produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, who has previously worked with VELVET REVOLVER, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, PEARL JAM, AC/DC and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, among others.

"Crack the Skye" track listing:

01. Oblivion
02. Divinations
03. Quintessence
04. The Czar
I. Usurper
II. Escape
III. Martyr
IV. Spiral
05. Ghost of Karelia
06. Crack The Skye
07. The Last Baron

Footage of MASTODON performing as a three-piece on November 30, 2008 at Tivoli in Utrecht, Holland can be viewed below (guitarist Bill Kelliher was unable to complete the tour as he was hospitalized in London on November 3):



A teaser clip of the new MASTODON track "Oblivion" is available for streaming on the band's official web site. The song will appear on MASTODON's new album, "Crack The Skye", which is tentatively due late March.

MASTODON: Deluxe Vinyl Box Set Due This Month

A collector's edition MASTODON vinyl box set will be released on November 18 via Relapse Records. This box set will be a one-time pressing strictly limited to 1,000 copies and include nine 180-gram LPs encapsulating the legendary band's entire history of recordings.

The box set will be cased in a heavy duty, foil stamped black box and include the following:

* The vinyl pressing of MASTODON's 2006 Reprise debut, "Blood Mountain", on expanded double LP.
* The band's critically acclaimed 2004 release "Leviathan", expanded to double LP.
* MASTODON's covers of "The Bit" (MELVINS), "Emerald" (THIN LIZZY) and "Orion" (METALLICA).
* A live record documenting the band's performance at the Relapse Contamination Festival in 2003. This LP is, and will remain, exclusive to this box set.
* The band's reissue of early recordings, "Call Of The Mastodon".
* The final vinyl pressing of the original "Lifesblood" recording.

The box set will also include an embroidered logo patch, a vinyl sticker set, as well as a custom MASTODON turntable mat. All of these items will be exclusive to this box set, never to appear outside of it.

For more information on this release, including pre-order options, visit this release page.

MASTODON Confirmed For UK's THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON have been confirmed for The Nightmare Before Christmas Festival, set to take place December 7-8 at Butlins Holiday Centre, Minehead, England. The event will be curated by Mike Patton and MELVINS and will feature performances by the following artists:

BIG BUSINESS
BUTTHOLE SURFERS
DäLEK
ISIS
J.G. THIRLWELL'S MANOREXIA
KILL ME TOMORROW
MASTODON
MELVINS
NEIL HAMBURGER
THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION
THE DIRTBOMBS
TORCHE

For more information, visit www.atpfestival.com.

Mastodon Photos And Setlist From Post-Gazette Pavilion August 2, 2008

This past Saturday I attended the Rockstar Mayhem Festival at the Post-Gazette Pavillion in Burgettstown, Pa. My friend Sue and I were in the pit and she captured some pretty cool pics. She was also able to score a setlist from one of the roadies. Check out Brann Dailor's Rhandy Rhoads' inspired drum kit. Fuckin' killer!

Photo 1:



Photo 2:



Photo 3:



Photo 4:



Photo 5:



Photo 6:



Setlist:

MASTODON: New Video Interview With BRANN DAILOR Available

Synthesis.net conducted an interview with drummer Brann Dailor of Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON at a recent stop on the band's current Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival tour with SLIPKNOT and DISTURBED. Watch the five-minute chat below.

MASTODON bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders recently shot down rumors that the band's as-yet-untitled new album will be a concept record about Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin. Yes, Dailor drew a mad-eyed image of Rasputin with the band's name tangled into his untamed beard. Yes, the band used the image on t-shirts, posters and stickers. But no, Rasputin won't be the subject of MASTODON's next epic prog-metal opus.

"One big rumor gets out there, and it kind of spreads quickly, which is cool," Sanders told Headbanger's Blog. "I'm glad people are speculating on what the record's gonna be. We want to keep some of the mystery behind it until the record hits the stands. But the record is not based on the life of Rasputin."