Pitchfork

Your first-quarter best-of list is not safe. Atlanta doom-crunch kingpins Mastodon now have a release date. On March 24, Reprise will unleash the band's fourth album, Crack the Skye. How much is this album going to rule? Here's drummer Brann Dailor, talking to MTV: "It is my favorite thing we've ever done, and I hold it very dear." Keep in mind that Mastodon recorded "Blood and Thunder". "Blood and Thunder" is not Brann Dailor's favorite thing that he's ever done. That is big talk.

Other tidbits from that MTV article: The title is not, in fact, a reference to the unjustly forgotten Maryland prog band Crack the Sky. Rather, it's a reference to Dailor's sister Skye, who died when he was a teenager. Dailor wrote most of the album's lyrics, and face-tatted guitarist Brent Hinds wrote most of the music, immediately after he recovered from a serious head injury. It's almost scary to consider just how intense this album will be.

And for full immersion in that intensity, Mastodon will release a deluxe limited-edition version of the album with a whole bunch of bonus material and ridiculously cool packaging. The CD will come in a hard box with "a third dimension worm hole design" from Paul Romano, the guy who does all the Mastodon cover art. Third dimension worm hole design! This band rules.

That deluxe edition will also come with a DVD that'll feature "The Making of Crack the Skye", track-by-track commentary from the band, a photo gallery, and other stuff. There will also be an exclusive 14"x14" lithograph from Romano. Mastodon themselves will autograph the first bunch of orders.

Also, keep on the lookout for the launch of the album's website, which will probably be just as intense.

On February 28, Mastodon will headline the ridiculously badass Scion Rock Fest along with Neurosis and practically every other great metal band out there. They're also set to play Coachella on April 18. And this summer, they'll play a whole mess of European stadiums opening for Metallica.

Dates:

02-28 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Scion Rock Fest)
04-18 Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
06-14 Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall Arena *
06-15 Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall Arena *
06-17 Oslo, Norway - Spektrum *
06-19 Nickelsdorf, Austria - Nova Rock Festival *
06-20 Nijmegen, Netherlands - Goffert Park (Sonisphere Festival) *
06-22 Milan, Italy - Datch Forum *
06-24 Rome, Italy - Palalottomatica *
07-04 Hockenhein, Germany - HokenheimRing (Sonisphere Festival) *
07-05 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter *
07-07 Nimes, France - Festival de Nimes *
07-11 Barcelona, Spain - The Forum (Sonisphere Festival) *
07-13 Madrid, Spain - Palacio de Deportes *
07-14 Madrid, Spain - Palacio de Deportes *
07-16 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion *
07-18 Hultsfred, Sweden - Folkets Park (Sonisphere Festival) *
07-20 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Forum *
07-22 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Forum *
07-23 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Forum *
07-25 Pori, Finland - Kirjurinluoto (Sonisphere Festival) *
07-27 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Forum *
07-28 Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhagen Forum *
08-02 Stevenage, England - Knebworth House (Sonisphere Festival) *

* with Metallica