“Some of the riffs are really heavy and tasty”: Mastodon are hard at work making “two different projects”

Mastodon are currently preparing to release two new musical projects.

Drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor reveals in a new interview with Loudwire that the Atlanta-based sludge metal act have been writing since November 2023 and amassed plenty of heavy ideas.

While he doesn’t specify the nature of the twin projects, Dailor rules out them being a double album like Mastodon’s latest record, 2021’s Hushed And Grim .

“I can’t really divulge too much. It’s a hush-hush operation, very top secret,” the drummer says.

“I don’t wanna spoil it. There’s lots of music, that’s all I can say. There’s tons of music.”

Dailor continues: “We’ve been writing pretty much this whole time that we’ve been off since we got home from South America [in November 2023].

And after we got home from South America with Gojira , we opened Christmas presents and then, since like February or so, we’ve just been working hard making two different projects – not a double album, but two different projects. So that’s the nugget I can share with you.”

Expanding on what the music will sound like, Dailor says, “Whatever those projects are, nobody knows. But there’s riffs involved.

“Some of the riffs are, like, really heavy and tasty and I really like ’em.

“I’m the metalhead in the band, so when we get some real heavy stuff, I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I like that. It’s cool.’”

Mastodon are currently touring North America on a co-headline run with Lamb Of God .

Both bands are celebrating the 20th anniversaries of their 2004 albums, Leviathan and Ashes Of The Wake , by performing them in full.

Support comes from Slayer guitarist Kerry King’s solo band and UK metalcore group Malevolence.

See the list of remaining tour dates below.

Lamb Of God and Mastodon Ashes Of Leviathan North American tour 2024

Jul 23: Jacksonville Daily’s Place, FL
Jul 24: Orlando Orlando Amphitheater, FL
Jul 25: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA
Jul 27: Raleigh Red Hat Amphitheater, NC
Jul 28: Richmond Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, VA
Jul 30: Pittsburgh Stage AE, PA
Jul 31: London Budweiser Gardens, ON
Aug 01: Montreal Bell Centre, QC
Aug 03: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Aug 04: Manchester SNHU Arena, NH
Aug 06: Bangor Maine Savings Amphitheatre, ME
Aug 08: Reading Santander Arena, PA
Aug 09: Cleveland Jacobs Pavilion, OH
Aug 10: Sterling Heights Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, MI
Aug 13: Moorhead Bluestem Center For The Arts Amphitheater, MN
Aug 15: Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome, AB
Aug 16: Penticton South Okanagan Events Centre, BC
Aug 17: Kent Accesso ShoWare Center, WA
Aug 18: Portland Theater of the Clouds, OR
Aug 21: Los Angeles The Kia Forum, CA
Aug 23: Phoenix Arizona Financial Theatre, AZ
Aug 24: Rio Rancho Rio Rancho Events Center, NM
Aug 25: El Paso El Paso County Coliseum, TX
Aug 27: Magna The Great Saltair, UT
Aug 29: Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre, CO
Aug 31: Omaha The Astro Amphitheater, NE