Ok, so when your talking modern day heavy metal it really begins and ends with Mastodon. The Atlanta, GA foursome have become an unstoppable locomotive of sound and story. The band came onto the metal scene with their debut album, Remission released in 2002. It wasn’t until the release of their second album, Leviathan, in 2004 that the band started their heavy metal takeover. With band last two albums, Blood Mountain in 2006 and their most recent Crack the Skye in 2009, they have taken on a more progressive metal sound that has given the band a godlike aura.

Now I say sound and story, because while they are one of the loudest metal bands around today their albums tell a unique story. Drummer Brann Dailor has been the lyrical mastermind behind the band. The lyrics and imagery of the band started with Leviathan, a concept album about Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick”, and has just gotten bigger and better each album. There most recent album, Crack the Skye, deals with a story in Czarist Russia…I mean come on what is more metal than Czarist Russia. Dailor has a personal connection with Crack the Skye though, Skye was the name or his sister that committed suicide at 14. While iHe has said a lot of the songs are about him saving his sister from death, so this album and the success of it have been a high point for Dailor and the band.

So after some back story, I guess I can give you some info about their tour. This is a special tour in that the band will be traveling to cities that have yet to experience the Crack the Skye experience. Lucky for us here in Indy we have not yet had that experience, but come April 30 we will. They will make a stop on that very date in Indy at the Vogue. Coming along on this ride with them is another really great metal band Between The Buried And Me. Other bands on the bill include Baroness and Valient Thorr.

They are slowly becoming a band that is too big for the genre. I think it is justifiable to be putting this band up with the likes of Metallica and Black Sabbath. When its all said and done they will be heavy metal legends. With all that said I’m really excited for this show, to see a band the caliber of Mastodon in a setting such as the Vogue will be a concert I’m sure I’ll never forget.