The genre defying MASTODON was forged with the union of erstwhile LETHARGY and TODAY IS THE DAY members vocalist / guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor along with ex-SOCIAL INFESTATION personnel bass player Troy Sanders and guitarist Brent Hines. The former duo had relocated from Rochester, New York to Atlanta, Georgia in order to build the new band unit in January 2000. Just weeks after arriving the four musicians met at a HIGH ON FIRE concert, held in Hines basement, and by June had crafted an opening nine track demo. Initially the band took on a Grind / Death stance but then expanded their horizons to incorporated modern Thrash and even Sludge influences. The demo was promoted by a hectic touring campaign supporting the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and MORBID ANGEL amongst others.

Reaction to the demo, a picture disc EP 'Slick Leg' as part of the Reptilian Grindcore series and live work garnered the interest and eventual signature of Relapse Records. In the Spring of 2001 MASTODON partnered with EYEHATEGOD, KEELHAUL and BURNT BY THE SUN for Eastern US dates, followed swiftly by a further run of gigs sharing stages with THE FUCKING CHAMPS and appearances at such events as 'Milwaukee Metalfest', 'Hellfest', 'World Series of Metal' and 'Mid-South Metal Fest' upfront of the opening EP, 'Lifesblood' issued in August. The debut album, June 2002's 'Remission' recorded at Zero Return Studios in Atlanta with producer Matt Bayles, drew exceptional praise on the Metal underground. MASTODON would tour Japan in November of 2002 packaged with Swedish Thrashers DARKANE and Stoners HIGH ON FIRE.

European gigs in April had the band lined up with THE HAUNTED and HATESPHERE. MASTODON undertook the 'North American Contamination' tour alongside Denver's CEPHALIC CARNAGE, Santa Barbara's UPHILL BATTLE and Philadelphia's DYSRHYTHMIA in May of 2003. That August saw the band hooking up with CLUTCH for further US shows. MASTODON maintained their live momentum into January of 2004, touring alongside NEBULA and CLUTCH. A limited 7" release through the Belgian Delboy label saw the band covering THIN LIZZY's 'Emerald' on a split release shared with AMERICAN HERITAGE.

The band's 2004 album 'Leviathan' recorded at both Robert Lang Studios and Litho Studios in Seattle with producer Matt Bayles would be a loosely conceptual offering based in part on Herman Melville's classic novel 'Moby Dick'. The album sold just over 8,000 copies in its first week of US sales, debuting at number 139 on the Billboard charts.

US gigs for July had the band commencing with an appearance at the New Jersey 'Hellfest' event then partnered with FEAR FACTORY and SWORN ENEMY for a run of shows including the 'Pigstock' and 'DFW Metalfest' dates. Chad Rullman directed a 'Moby Dick' themed promotional video for the track 'Iron Tusk'. Hooking up with SLAYER for a Jägermeister Music tour, alongside KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, saw a further round of shows kicking off on the October 29th in Springfield, Missouri. In February of 2005 MASTODON partnered with ISIS and CONVERGE for the 'Extreme The Dojo' tour of Japan. A lengthy run of European gigs into March saw Swedish Stoners DOZER and Norwegian Christian Death Metal combo EXTOL as support. Returning to the USA for West Coast and Southwest dates the group teamed up with THE HIDDEN HAND and BURNING BRIDES. The band signed to major label Warner Bros. Records in May.

MASTODON would contribute their rendition of 'The Bit' to a MELVINS tribute album, 'We Reach: The Music Of The Melvins', through Fractured Transmitter Records. The band also featured in a studio collaboration with FEAR FACTORY and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD to craft a take of 'Joan Of Arc' for the same compilation. The track 'Blood & Thunder gave the band a good degree of extra exposure when it was included on the soundtrack to the Bruce Hunt directed movie 'The Cave', released in August 2005.

Live work heightened as MASTODON secured a position on the BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN headlined Summer 'Ozzfest' dates, interspersing these weekend events with 'Off Fest' dates with IRON MAIDEN and ROB ZOMBIE. Relapse Records issued a special "Festival" edition of the 'Leviathan' album in August, clad in new artwork in slipcase format with the addition of videos for 'Iron Tusk' and 'Blood And Thunder'. Also in the works would be a retrospective collection of early recordings, remastered by original producer Matt Washburn and entitled 'Call Of The Mastodon', as well as a DVD compilation 'The Workhorse Chronicles'. UK concerts in December saw support from HIGH ON FIRE and Atlanta's WITHERED.

The band played their part in honouring METALLICA, contributing their rendition of 'Orion' to the album 'Remastered', this set being a complete remake of 'Master Of Puppets' in joint celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the classic album's release and the 25th anniversary of UK Rock magazine Kerrang! Summer 2006 US dates commencing in June, dubbed the "Unholy Alliance - Preaching To The Perverted" tour, saw the group packaged with headliners SLAYER plus THINE EYES BLEED, LAMB OF GOD and CHILDREN OF BODOM as support. Continuing into September the band drafted CONVERGE and THE BRONX as opening acts.

The 'Blood Mountain' album was delivered in September. Japanese variants hosted a customary additional track in a live recording of 'Crystal Skull'. MASTODON teamed up with CONVERGE and PRIESTESS for a U.S. tour beginning in early February 2007. MASTODON was announced as support act for SLAYER's April 2007 Australian and New Zealand concerts. The summer months witnessed a lengthy rash of European dates including performances at major festivals such as Donington Park 'Download' in the UK, Venice 'Heineken Jammin' in Italy, Nickelsdorf 'Novarock' in Austria, Zwolle 'Fields of Rock' in the Netherlands, Zaragoza 'Monsters of Rock' in Spain, Lisbon 'Super Bock Super Rock' in Portugal, Athens 'Rockwave' in Greece and Turku 'Ruisrock' in Finland sharing stages with giants such as HEAVEN AND HELL, OZZY OSBOURNE, METALLICA and AEROSMITH.

In 2008 the band set to work on album tracks, conceptually based on the life of Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, recorded in Atlanta with producer Brendan O'Brien. MASTODON debuted three brand new songs during their performance on Saturday, June 14th at Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival.

MASTODON hit the US touring circuit again kicking off on 9th July at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington as part of the 'Rockstar Energy Mayhem' tour billed alongside DISTURBED, SLIPKNOT, UNDEROATH, WALLS OF JERICHO, MACHINE HEAD, SUICIDE SILENCE, THE RED CHORD, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, 36 CRAZYFISTS, AIRBOURNE, BLACK TIDE and DRAGONFORCE through into late August.

The album 'Crack The Skye' emerged in March 2009. The group performed at the inaugural UK 'Sonisphere' festival at Knebworth Park in August 2009 headlined by METALLICA, LINKIN PARK, NINE INCH NAILS and HEAVEN AND HELL. MASTODON subsequently teamed up with DETHKLOK, the animated band from Adult Swim's 'Metalocalypse', plus CONVERGE and HIGH ON FIRE, for a co-headlining tour in October and November. The 34 date trek kicked off 2nd October at the Roseland Theater in Portland.

Garry Sharpe-Young