MASTODON CONFIRM PRODUCER / PREPARING FOR THE STUDIO

Rolling Stone recently spoke with Mastodon's drummer Brann Dailor in regards to the band's new album. They're currently preparing to enter the studio and have found a producer in Nick Raskulinecz (who has worked with Deftones, Alice In Chains, and Queens Of The Stone Age). You can read the full story here or just look over the quotes below.

_______________________________________________________________________________

In regard to the album he said:

“It’s gonna be massive and insane, lots of epic greatness. There will be lots of huge riffs and new directions. It’s real weird, real math-y, real straightforward. It’s up, down and all around.” He laughs. “It’s a culmination of everything for the band. The snowball keeps rolling and collecting snow.”

“There’s very few things that anybody can do to stop a Mastodon record from being born. And this thing’s gonna get born, OK? And there’s nothing anybody can do about it. We’re ready to lay them shits down. We’re ready to rock.”

In regards to working with Nick Raskulinecz he said:

“He’s a rock guy. He’s a rocker. He likes to rock. He’s done a bunch of our friends’ records that sound great. I’m a fan of all the Deftones records he’s done, all the Alice In Chains stuff, and he worked with Queens Of The Stone Age on Songs For The Deaf.”

_______________________________________________________________________________

Apparently the band has written approximately 19 songs in preparation of the new album. The number will be cut down through the recording process until the cream of the crop remains. Stay tuned for more from Mastodon.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MASTODON BEER!

Alcohol and metal have a long standing alliance. So it comes as no surprise that many upscale metal acts have released their own brands of alcohol over time. Names like Iron Maiden, Slayer, and Motörhead come to mind when it comes to brewing.

Well it looks like the sludge pros in Mastodon are the newest addition on this list. They've released their brand of "Black Tongue" beer and it's a "pallet crusher". To be more specific, it's an 8.3% double black IPA brewed in association with Signature Brew. You can order it here.

We actually had the opportunity to interview drummer Brann Dailor over the Summer. We asked what his favorite alcoholic beverage was and it basically boiled down to double and triple IPAs. So this move from the band only makes sense.

You can go ahead and watch the bands trailer for the beer along with our interview with Brann below.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

NAPALM DEATH / FAITH NO MORE / MASTODON / SOILWORK SUPERGROUP!

Looks like another supergroup is in the making. This time around it's composed of Napalm Death's Mitch Harris, Faith No More's Billy Gould, Mastodon's Troy Sanders, Soilwork's Dirk Verbeuren, and producer Russ Russell (responsible for Napalm Death among other bands). Together, they are Tronos. A permanent vocalist has yet to be found, but for now Silje Wergeland of The Gathering has been tapped for guest vocals.

Russ Russel spilled the beans on this project along with sizable additional projects via TeamRock Radio. Give his words a listen on Metal Hammer right now! And be sure to stay tuned for more... much more.

In the meantime, here's some music to blast!

Links: Napalm Death Facebook // Official Website // iTunes
Faith No More Facebook // Official Website // iTunes
Mastodon Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Soilwork Facebook // Twitter // iTunes 

MASTODON'S "LIVE AT BRIXTON"

Academy in Brixton, capping off the Atlanta-based band's world tour in support of their critically acclaimed album “The Hunter”. This sold-out performance was Mastodon's first show at the legendary Brixton venue. It won't be their last, as the London audience positively erupted from the opening chords until the final, frenzied encore. “Mastodon Live At Brixton” will be released digitally on December 10th to see and hear what happened on that night. 

In addition to performing "Curl of the Burl," "Black Tongue," and "Dry Bone Valley" from “The Hunter,” the band dug into their catalog, unearthing such scorching tracks as "Colony of Birchmen," "Capillarian Crest," and "Iron Tusk."  Rolling Stone Magazine referred to the band's sonic attack as one that: "Demonstrates how contemporary hard rock can still be made with imagination, precision and a majestic sense of force."

Click "play" below for visual proof.

Now this extraordinary live show is being released digitally by Warner Bros. Records as “Mastodon Live At Brixton,” on December 10th (Crashburn Media) (both featuring the full 97-minute performance) will be available from all digital retailers, including iTunes and Amazon. The full set-list is below.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Dry Bone Valley
Black Tongue
Crystal Skull
I Am Ahab
Capillarian Crest
Colony of Birchmen
Megalodon
Thickening
Blasteroid
Sleeping Giant
Ghost of Karelia
All The Heavy Lifting
Spectrelight
Curl of the Burl
Bedazzled Fingernails
Circle of Cysquatch
Aqua Dementia
Crack The Skye
Where Strides The Behemoth
Iron Tusk
March of the Fireants
Blood and Thunder
Creature Lives
__________________________________________________________________________________

At present, MASTODON is hard at work on their next studio venture. Details to be revealed soon.

- \m/eyer

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MASTODON / SOULFLY / THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN / EX- MARS VOLTA SUPERGROUP!

Yeah, you can go ahead and read that headline again.

This currently unnamed supergroup has been formed with the likes of Mastodon's Troy Sanders, Soulfly's Max Cavalera, The Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato, and the ex-Mars Volta drummer Dave Elitch.... Ohhhhh yeeeeah.

What's more? They've just signed with Nuclear Blast Records!

Not good enough? Here's some more big news. The album is almost done. Most of the recording is complete. Only the bulk of vocal tracking remains. On top of this, they worked with producer Josh Wilbur (aka the man responsible for works by Lamb of God and Gojira). There's no doubt this is a monster in the making.

If you're interested in learning more, head over to Metalkaoz.com and listen to the interview conducted with Max Cavalera. In the mean time, jam some tracks from the supergroup's respective projects below.

Links: Mastodon Facebook // Soulfly Facebook // The Dillinger Escape Plan Facebook

MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2013 RECAP

Mayhem Festival was incredible this year. We met a lot of people, saw many bands, and got a lot of work done. From interviewing metal icons to standing in front of 8,000+ people, not to mention moshing like some mad men, it was pretty much unforgettable for our team. Thanks to Mayhem Fest and all the great people behind it.

Here's our full recap of the day. Look below for interviews with Mastodon, Born of Osiris, and Battlecross. You'll also see our photo gallery (unfortunately we had to miss Mastodon, Machine Head, and Children of Bodom due to our tight schedule...). We should have ALL of our pictures up on our Facebook page very soon...

Stay tuned for next year!

                                                                                                                           NEXT PHOTO

1 of 25

                                                                                                                           NEXT PHOTO

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

MASTODON INTERVIEW

We had the chance to talk with Mastodon's drummer Brann Dailor at Mayhem Fest this summer. Very cool dude. Go ahead and watch the interview down below. We've also included two of his favorite songs to play from Mastodon's latest album "The Hunter". Check 'em out!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

NEW MASTODON ALBUM NEXT YEAR?

It has already been made public that Sludge Metal legends Mastodon have a brand new album on the way. But as of a few days ago more info was released on this matter via an interview conducted by SimmonsTobias at this year's edition of Mayhem Festival. One particular quote sticks out on this matter. Check it below along with the full interview and some more goods from Mastodon.
__________________________________________________________________________________

“Before we left for the European tour, which was prior to this, we got into a studio with a producer. We started just putting ideas down on tape, so to speak. We have about 25 to 30 songs that are ready for the new record.

We’re obviously not gonna use all 30 of them, but we’re in a much better place than we’ve ever been as far as being prepared during pre-production for an album.

We’d like to get the record finished by the end of the year and have it out as soon as Christmas and all the holidays are over with—maybe, like, March or April, it would be great to have the new record out and then do a brand new tour on some new music.”
__________________________________________________________________________________

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MASTODON IN A DISNEY MOVIE?

This is the kind of news that makes you do a double take. Mastodon meets Disney? Yeah, it's happening.

The song "Island" from the Mastodon album "Leviathan" will be used for the family friendly Disney / Pixar romp "Monsters University". This was recently confirmed by the movie's director Dan Scanlon. You can read what he had to say down below.

Unfortunately, the song will not be included on the official soundtrack (shocker). Either way, it's cool to see some great metal getting exposure on such a large scale. The movie hits theaters June 21st.
 
“There is a great moment in ‘Monsters University’ when we thought it would be funny if the tunes were some of the most intense heavy metal imaginable. Mastodon was the obvious choice. They show off an unexpected monstrous side for one of our great new characters.” - Dan Scanlon

Listen to "Island" along with some more Mastodon greats!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MASTODON WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM

“For those of you who are interested, Yes we have been VERY busy writing and putting songs together for the next studio MASTODON album, we are down at our space hammering out riffs that can be friends and working our fingers to the bone to put out another great album. thank you to all our loyal fans!!!!” - Mastodon Statement

Speaking with ARTISTdirect, vocalist Troy Sanders also stated the following... “…To a degree, I’m going to say it’s picking up where we left off. It’s kind of an open game or a clean slate. Every single day I go to band practice, I feel like I’m going to a chef’s table for a food tasting because there’s an element of the unknown. I’m fascinated with that. Either Chef Brent or Chef Bill will present a tasty riff dish of the day and we all lock in and go for it. Nothing that is out of the box will be turned away. We’re doing this for ourselves and by ourselves.

We’re creating delicious sandwiches every day at band practice [Laughs]. Yesterday Chef Brent brought down some tasty turkey, and it was delicious. Brann decides what kind of bread is going to sandwich it. I’m just trying to create an intriguing mayonnaise or some kind of glue to hold this sandwich together. Who knows that’s going to happen today? We just don’t know…”

“We’ve got the skeletons of enough songs for an entire album. We’re thinking of vocal ideas and putting together as much rough demos as we can before we go overseas so we can listen to everything over the summer. Then, when we return from the tour, we’ll know what we want to keep, delete, and add.”

There's so much incredible music on the way it's almost hard to keep up with. It's just been confirmed that Mastodon is indeed working on their sixth studio album. It should be an incredible aural experience in the making. Beyond the statements from the band above, there is no further news.

But there is a great discography of Mastodon tunes on the loose. So while you're waiting for new material, be sure to enjoy some of them down below.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2013

So, the line up of Mayhem Festival 2013 has officially been announced and it's looking like a year worth going to. Usually the Festival is hit or miss, but they brought on Mastodon, Amon Amarth, Machine Head, Children of Bodom, Behemoth, Job for a Cowboy, and Born of Osiris among others for the event this summer.

Not to say there aren't some less favorable additions. Should be hilarious to see Emmure take the stage before Behemoth.

Check out the flyer along with some heavy music down below. And if you want to go to Mayhem 2013, be sure to head over to their Official Website and grab some tickets sooner than later!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2013

The line-up for Download Festival 2013 has officially been announced. No doubt some bands are much more appealing than others, but all in all it's looking like a great time waiting to happen.

The three headliners are IRON MAIDEN, Rammstein, and Slipknot. And there is plenty of great talent to back them up including Motorhead, Mastodon, Architects, Parkway Drive, Converge, Katatonia, Amon Amarth, The Ghost Inside, Turisas, After The Burial, and The Algorithm among many others.

There will be several stages boasting several artists over the course of three days in Nottingham, England. If this sounds like fun to you, check the flyer below, grab your tickets here, and get stoked for June!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Website