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From the bowels of the Atlanta underground, Mastodon's unique and meticulous approach to metal has helped garner them a loyal and devoted following among the metal underground.
Formed just over two years ago, Mastodon is beginning to take the metal world by storm. Having released two EP's in since August of 2001, they are showing no signs of stopping.
The band came together when Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher relocated to Atlanta, GA from their native Rochester, NY. The two have been musical partners for the last nine years, most of which was spent in the band Lethargy, and briefly, with Steve Austin's (no, not the wrestler) band Today is the Day.
Within days of their arrival in Atlanta, they met Brent Hines, who at the time was playing in both Four Hour Fogger and Fiend Without a Face. Brent, upon learning of Bill and Brann's desires, called his buddy and bandmate Troy Sanders. Troy a bass player and Brent a guitar player, decided to meet up with the former Lethargy duo, and jam. The group "made mass noise, and right away, we knew, boom, looked at each other · we played like 1 minute (really 20), we knew this was great" according to Sanders. The mutual admiration they had for one another led to what was to be called Mastodon.
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 Troy sings like a mad man! |
 Brent Hind on guitar & vocals |
 Bill Kelliher on guitar |
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Mastodon did not take long to get themselves established underground metal world. Within three months, the band was already playing out of town shows. As their confidence grew, so did the gigs they played. Eventually they were performing in big metal festivals, inlcuding Milwaukee Metalfest, Metal Meltdown in New Jersey, Loud as Fuck Fest at CBGB's in NYC and Hellfest in Syracuse, NY. Numerous shows later, they caught the eye of Relapse Records and traveled to Philadelphia to play in a "basement in West End Philly hood". Relapse, familiar with the band members of Mastodon from Troy's other band Social Infestation and Bill and Brann's previous Relapse label band Today is the Day. The record company invited the band to stay fot breakfast next morning. They asked Mastodon "what they wanted to do, "Start with an EP?" The band replied with a resounding "Hell yeah!" They cheered over coffee, smoked a j. and drove to Boston, knowing they were about to sign a recording contract. That meeting would lead to the August release of the 5 song EP "Lifesblood".
On a following road trip, the band played at the Ottobar in Baltimore where Troy and Brent invited Reptilian Records shop owner, Chris X, to their show. After watching the performance he asked the band to breakfast, and offered them the opportunity to do a picture disc as part of his 7" series. The band agreed with another "Hell Yeah!" and toasted over coffee. This meeting led to the three song self-titled picture disc EP.
Sounds like breakfast has been a good thing for these guys. "We,re fat, we like to eat." says Troy with a laugh.
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 Troy Sanders & Brent Hind |
 Brann Dailor on drums |
 Troy Sanders on bass |
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The band recently played their 100th show, and is looking forward to playing many more. They will be on tour over the next few months playing all over the East Coast and Midwest. Most notably at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York, with Burnt by the Sun and Skinless on Feb. 8, and at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, TX, were they are scheduled to perform with High on Fire and Nile, and many more Grindcore bands.
In November of 2001, the band recorded their first full length record for Relapse, slated for release in April or early May of this year.
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