In a recent interview with Guitar World, Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher looked back on the making of Mastodon’s ‘Leviathan.’ While talking about the album’s longest song ‘Hearts Alive,’ the rocker compared it to ‘Blood And Thunder’ and how they were on the ‘opposite ends of the spectrum.’
“We don’t really fit into one category,” he said of his band. “I love that about our band! Today we’re a metal band, tomorrow we’re a Southern rock band or a doom band. There are bluesy licks; there’s country licks, metal-ized; there’s punk rock riffs. It’s what keeps our heart beating.”
Though Mastodon is labeled as metal, one of the band members hates a particular subgenre of it.
“I f*cking hate heavy metal and I don’t want to be in a heavy metal band,” Brent Hinds told Guitar Player. Interestingly enough, the rocker was never a metal fan. “I thought it was rebellious,” he admitted of playing in a metal band. “Ever since then, I’ve been trying to get Mastodon to not be such a heavy metal band… I don’t want to be in a heavy metal band.”
In other news, Mastodon might be working on a new album.
The band’s drummer Brann Dailor posted a video on Instagram from West End Sound recording studio, showing his drum kit. “Set up! Looking good and sounding good down at West End Sound. got after it today! Excited to do more! Eternally grateful to Tama Drums, Evans Drumheads, Vater Drumsticks, and Meinl Cymbals for helping me along the way. Donny Gillies with the sick paint job,” he wrote.
When a fan asked, “New Mastodon cooking?” the drummer replied with, “Something like that.”
Mastodon is currently on tour with Lamb Of God. They are playing ‘Leviathan’ in full during the tour to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The tour kicked off on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas, and will wrap up on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.