ALBUM REVIEW: Mastodon – Hushed And Grim


Considering the progressive nature of Atlanta genre dodgers Mastodon, the only real surprise regarding the band’s choice to record an eighty-eight minute double album is that it’s taken them this long to do it in the first place. 

Continue reading


Watch Brann Dailor’s Drum Playthrough of Mastodon’s “Ghost of Karelia”


Brann Dailor of Mastodon has done a series of drum playthrough videos for MEINL Cymbals on YouTube. Watch him on a full drum playthrough of Brann performing “Ghost of Karelia” from their classic prog metal album Crack The Skye (Reprise). 

Continue reading


Mastodon – Stairway To Heaven


Covers are a funny thing in music. Nowhere else in art is this level of flattery both respected and derided. Copies or recreations of painting or sculpture are often labeled as “influenced by” or worse, a forgery. All the remakes Hollywood keeps ramming our eyeholes with are mostly flaming hot garbage at summertime in New York City. With cover songs, the best ones are often not a note for note recreation of the original, unless it is an underrated artist or a little known song. From ‘Yesterday” to ‘Cum On Feel The Noise’, Covers have earned a place in our musical culture not only as a novelty. Others can take a well-known song and take it to new heights. Mastodon has done some stellar covers (‘The Bit’ from Melvins, ‘Emerald’ by, Thin Lizzy) and has now added all-time classic rock anthem ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by Led Zeppelin to the mix. Done in tribute to their late manager Nick John on the Stairway To Nick (Reprise Records) 10″ single for Record Store Day 2019, since Nick was a massive Zep fan. Tragically he passed away after a bout with pancreatic cancer in 2018. Mastodon will donate the proceeds from this release to research for that very disease. You can actually say they did it “because Nick John would have wanted it that way”. And you’d be right. He’d be touched. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Mastodon Breaks Through With “Crack The Skye”


After emerging from the muddy underground in a wonderful muck of sludge, prog, hardcore, and doomy weirdness out of Atlanta in the early aughts, Mastodon built up a strong reputation after their crucial third album, Blood Mountain (Reprise). They were not shy about embracing their proggier side, and they never needed a push over the edge to go fully away from most conventional types of metal they were known for at the time. Their second major label album came at a time of transition that would alter the course of the band and see them leave the underground and embrace a different path. That change led to the creation of Crack The Skye (Reprise) which is now ten years old.

Continue reading


Mastodon – Kvelertak – Mutoid Man: Live at UEA, Norwich


People so often complain that a band isn’t playing their town on a tour. Every announcement is met with requests to play Billy from Stoke’s bedroom – though that would be sweet – and never satiates the audience size. Spare a thought for the people of Norwich who have had to go for years without seeing the glory of Mastodon in their city. As such, tonight’s event is packed out from the moment doors open, and anticipation is at an extreme high.Continue reading


Mastodon And Mikeller Brewery Launch A New Beer – “Ancient Kingdom”


Mastodon has teamed up once again with Mikeller Brewery for another beer collabo! Mastodon’s Ancient Kingdom Kingdom Beer is named for the track of the same name from their acclaimed last album Emperor Of Sand (Reprise). The release of this beer marks the third collaboration between the band and the brewery, and it is in select European stores right now!Continue reading


Mastodon To Begin Writing New Album In Early 2019


In a new interview, Mastodon drummer and lead vocalist Brann Dailor revealed the band is already planning the follow-up to 2017’s Emperor Of Sand (Reprise) album. The band is already sketching out ideas while on tour, most recently with Primus and upcoming Canadian tour dates with Dinosaur Jr., and will reconvene officially early next year to begin in earnest. Continue reading


Watch Primus, Tool And Mastodon Members Cover Peter Gabriel


Primus, by Meg Loyal Photography

At the Los Angeles date of the recent Primus/Mastodon tour, Primus had some help with their regular cover of Peter Gabriel’s deep cut ‘Intruder’. Brann Dailor from Mastodon and Danny Carey from Tool joined in to jam, with help from Brann’s bandmate Troy Sanders as well. Continue reading


Brann Dailor (Mastodon) Shares First Solo Single – Red Death


Brann Dailor, one of the leaders of prog metal masters Mastodon has shared his first-ever solo song. Released in conjunction with DC Comics to celebrate the release of Dark Days: The Road To Metal. It’s available now in comic book shops and in bookstores and digitally on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. This also marks Dailor’s first collaboration with DC Comics. Hear the track right now! Continue reading