Mastodon will release their next album, Marrow Deep, on August 28, and have dropped a new single, Snakes for Dinner, which features Josh Homme.

Marrow Deep is the band’s ninth album, and first without former guitarist Brent Hinds, who left the group in March last year, and was killed in a motorcycle accident last August.

It will also be the first with new guitarist Nick Johnston and keyboardist João Nogueira, who has been added as an official member of the band. It makes for a new-look Mastodon.

The band has already released Your Ghost Again, which saw them face Hinds’ loss head-on, and last week released a short film that celebrated his life and legacy.

Homme, who previously featured on Colony of Birchmen, returns to the fore with some harmonized vocals, while Bill Kelliher and Johnston's riffs propel the track forward. Some fierce fretboard runs nod to the band’s Leviathan and Blood Mountain eras.

Marrow Deep is inspired by the Three Fates of Greek mythology. Life, loss, and destiny are three interconnected themes throughout, as the band prepares to release yet another album dominated by grieving.

Emperor of Sand found Bill Kelliher writing by his dying mother’s bedside, while its follow-up, Hushed & Grim, was underscored by the death of their manager, Nick John.

The album was recorded at West End Sound in Atlanta with Patrik Berger, who has worked with Lana Del Rey, and Kurt Ballou (High On Fire, Converge). The album is said to feature “a staggering roster of guests”, which will be revealed in due course.

Having wrapped summer dates with Loathe, Mastodon will embark on the Poisonous Weapons Tour, which starts in Orlando on September 16 and concludes on October 24 at Sick New World Dallas.

Marrow Deep is available to pre-order now.

Nearly one year after Brent Hinds’ tragic death, Mastodon members are opening up about their complicated 25-year-relationship with the former lead guitarist – and the brain injury that nearly spelled the end of the band.

In an infamous accident that happened right after the 2007 MTV Video Awards, Hinds was involved in an altercation that resulted in a significant head injury that, for years, was rumored to have involved System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian – one that multiple sources have since dispelled.

“He, I guess, was kind of running around this casino and ended up just pissing off the wrong person,” says Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor.

“In his very drunken states, he would be a habitual line stepper. He crossed the line with somebody, from what I was told. This person said, ‘Don't do that to me,’ and he did it and got punched, and I think he fell over and hit his head, and I think that was what did the most damage.

“It was really, really, really scary, and we thought we might lose him then.”

“Yeah, we thought the band was over,” adds co-guitarist Bill Kelliher. “He's crossed the line; he's gone too far. He was really fucked up for a long time.” Hinds’ fellow band members even thought that the brain damage was going to be “irreversible” and “substantial.”

However, it also seemed like his recovery served as an intense period of inspiration for Hinds, who, according to Kelliher, was “playing acoustic guitar a lot” and had written an impressive number of songs.

“[We were thinking], man, maybe this is a good thing. Then, Crack the Skye happened, and it was like, wow – he came [up] with all these songs and riffs and ideas, and it was like this rebirth.”

“Every riff and song and composition that he brought in at that time, I was in absolute awe of it,” continues bassist Troy Sanders.

“It was next-level Brent; it was peak Brent, and if someone like Brent was really excited about something, it was on. All three of us, we [were] glued to him. That led to this magical, spiritual-like moment that became Crack the Skye.”

Released in 2009, Mastodon’s fourth studio album became one of their highest-selling albums to date – and marked a significant sonic shift for the band that many consider their masterwork.

“It was a very exciting time, looking back on it,” reflects Kelliher.

“It was a big jump for our band to go from Blood Mountain to Crack the Skye. I remember all of us saying we want to make a classic album that you can pull off the shelf in 20 years from now, 30 years from now, and go, ‘This record stands the test of time.’”

Mastodon recently released Your Ghost Again, their first song without Hinds. The track introduces new guitarist Nick Johnston, and serves as a taster of the band's album, slated for release later this year.

The group's The Poisonous Weapons Tour kicks off on September 16 in Orlando, Florida.

Mastodon have released their first single since the passing of former guitarist, Brent Hinds, and it finds the band grieving his death in a powerful manner.

Last year was a tumultuous period for the Atlanta Grammy winners, with Hinds’ tragic death coming just months after Mastodon parted ways with the band’s co-founder after 25 years.

Your Ghost Again, is the lead single from their forthcoming ninth album, Poisonous Weapons, and the first to feature their new guitarist, Nick Johnston.

The track is Mastodon at their best, hurtling through breakneck time signature changes with violent vivacity while exorcising heavy, cathartic emotions. Hinds isn’t physically on the track, but his memory is present and his spirit echoes through it.

“I kept seeing him out of the corner of my eye in the studio, where he would normally be with his guitar,” drummer Brann Dailor explains in a video posted to social media. “It kept catching me off guard, you know?Your Ghost Again is about how your mind plays tricks on you, especially soon after someone dies, and you’re in the places where they always were.”

Mastodon addressed Hind’s untimely passing after their first show since his death, but otherwise the band has remained largely quiet on the subject. They have their reasons.

“[This song] means a lot to me, and so I hope that that can translate to the fans that are grieving Brent,” Dailor says. “I understand that, from a fan’s perspective, we never really addressed it. We just couldn’t; it was too much.

“I know Brent’s not there, and I know it’s weird, and it’s hard, and some people might be like, ‘Well, I don’t want to listen to it because Brent’s not there, and I’m hurting about that,’ but we are too. I’m still unpacking it.”

Following a one-show stand-in from YouTuber and Mastodon superfan Ben Eller, the band recruited prog fusion ace Nick Johnston for the position.

Guitarist Bill Kelliher had previously confirmed that Johnston will feature on the new album and that the pair have been writing like crazy. Touring keyboardist João Nogueira is also part of a new-look lineup.

Mastodon will also tour the US with support from Deafheaven and Alcest later this year, with dates in September and October culminating on October 24 at Sick New World, Dallas.

See Mastodon for more.

I met Brent Hinds a few years ago at a Mastodon gig. For some reason, he was standing next to me at the public bar, waiting in line to buy a drink, rather than staying out of sight backstage, so I introduced myself as a writer for Guitar World’s sister magazine, Total Guitar, and bought him a beer and a shot.

We talked briefly before he headed backstage, but I couldn’t quite figure him out. My impression was that he was a bit of an introvert, perhaps not that good with new people – someone who saved his flamboyance for the stage.

In his personality, Hinds – who died August 20 in a traffic collision in Atlanta at age 51 – was rather like the music of Mastodon. Their eight studio albums are epic, progressive and thought-through, but none of the music is easy to digest or understand, making the elevated commercial position they hold damn-near miraculous. Mastodon never recorded a substandard album, either. From day one, they were a force of nature.

A large chunk of Mastodon’s brilliance and success can be attributed directly to Hinds. Sure, his partnership with guitarist Bill Kelliher – also a phenomenal musician, who focused more on heaviness and riffs while Hinds tended more toward solos and weird textures – was among the most accomplished in metal.

But Hinds’ own songwriting and performing was unique to itself; he blended genres deliberately but effortlessly, denying that he was anything as limited as “a metal guitarist” in GW and elsewhere.

Hinds was born in Helena, Alabama, in 1974 and listened to country musicians as a kid, later namechecking Johnny Paycheck and Jerry Reed, in particular the latter’s guitar playing.

He attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts and later moved to Atlanta, where he joined bassist Troy Sanders’ band, Four Hour Fogger. The two musicians later formed Mastodon with Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor, who they’d met at a High On Fire show, initially performing as a quintet with singer Eric Saner.

A demo led to a deal with Relapse, and when Saner quit, an unusual setup developed in which lead vocals were alternately delivered by Sanders, Hinds and Dailor; a debut album, Remission (2000), attracted immediate attention and Mastodon rapidly built a profile.

March of the Fire Ants was an immediate fan favorite, demonstrating the group’s unorthodox but compelling set of influences – think Metallica and Rush meet Isis and Neurosis, plus Hinds’ love of country guitar – and a fanbase swiftly coalesced.

The ambitious concept album Leviathan (2004), based on Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick, has become a 21st-century milestone for its progressive-metal mastery, appearing in several best-of-the-decade polls.

High-profile tours with Slayer, Lamb of God and Slipknot took the Mastodon message to the public and, after a compilation called Call of the Mastodon, a step up to the Warner label took the band even further.

High points that remember from Mastodon’s early-2000s trajectory include Colony of Birchmen from Blood Mountain (2006), featuring Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age; the psychedelic inspirations of Crack the Skye (2009), featuring Hinds’ amazing hybrid picking on Divinations; tours with Metallica and Dethklok; and their soundtrack to the 2010 movie Jonah Hex.

Curl of the Burl from The Hunter (2011) nabbed a Grammy nomination, Mastodon toured America with Opeth and Ghost in 2012, and your kids leaped off their cinema seats in excitement that year when a blast of Island was heard in Monsters University.

The upward trend continued with Once More ’Round the Sun (2014); appearances by Hinds, Dailor and Kelliher as undead adversaries in Game of Thrones in 2015; Emperor of Sand (2017), on which Hinds’ pentatonic mastery is on display on Roots Remain; and an EP called Cold Dark Place – inspired, said Hinds, by the end of a relationship.

“I wrote some pretty dark, beautiful, spooky, funky, ethereal, melancholy music, which also sounds like the Bee Gees a little bit,” Hinds said with typical sly humor. A 2019 cover of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven came from a similar place of sadness – the death of manager Nick John – and Mastodon’s most recent LP, Hushed and Grim, appeared in 2021.

Hinds didn’t talk much about his personal life, although we do know the title track of The Hunter was written for his brother Brad, who died on a hunting trip in 2010.

Occasionally he alluded to past trauma (“There’s hurt and anger that have afflicted us through our lives… the only way we can deal with it is to have these songs that go out to our fallen brothers and sisters”) and he also discussed a Xanax addiction with GW in 2022.

“I used to have constant anxiety about getting in a bus accident or a plane crash,” he said. “And then big crowds of people give me anxiety. So I’ve lived with anxiety for 20 years, and I was hooked on Xanax for 15 years, and I had to wean myself off of it a little bit at a time because it was compromising my breathing…

“One time I couldn’t get it and I had two seizures. So I finally weaned myself off. It took years, but recently I discovered that you need to be anxious and fucking deal with it and that keeps you on your toes and motivated to keep doing shit. Now I try to feed off the anxiety and play guitar.”

Despite Hinds’ issues, his guitar partnership with Kelliher was among the most creative of metal’s last two decades, but that’s not to say the two men operated as one; indeed, their creative processes differed radically.

“We’re opposite sometimes,” Kelliher told GW in 2024. “When I write songs I’ll spend months piecing them together, whereas Brent says, ‘Let’s jam in the studio.’”

Those differences often paid huge dividends, he told us. “Once in a while, he’ll hear something in what I’m showing him and he’ll come up with his own interpretation. And sometimes he’ll do something that will totally surprise me. Like, I’ll put a bridge in there and I assume he’ll play a solo over that.

“Then he’ll come in the next day and play his part and when I come back in, I’m blown away when I listen back because he put the solo somewhere entirely different, like over a midsection, which I thought would be instrumental. I’ll be like, ‘Whoa, wow! I wouldn’t have put it there, but that’s cool. That sounds killer.’ When it works, it’s a very cool thing to hear because it shines a whole new ray of light on the song.”

Still, those differences in personality and creativity didn’t exactly make it easy for Kelliher, as he diplomatically told GW.

“When Brent writes stuff – and I’ve told him this before – it’s like he’s writing as if he was the only guitar player in the band, because it’s just wild,” he said.

“So I’m trying to learn it and trying to play it over and over. I’m like, ‘Dude, this is really hard.’ He’ll go, ‘Oh no, it’s not hard. Your stuff is hard.’ I’m like, ‘Well, your stuff is hard because it’s almost like you’re playing a guitar solo the whole time.’”

He continued: “It’s very hard for him to teach me stuff and tell me what he’s doing. He doesn’t have any patience for sitting down and showing me what to do. When he plays, I have to video record his exact finger positions on my phone. And then I’ll learn it. But it changes a lot, too.

“I’ll work really hard and learn something one way and then by the next practice he’s changed it, which he can do. It’s his riff until we record it.”

Hinds understood that his own playing was complex, telling GW, “I like to sprawl out in a song. I think living in the city and being cramped around people causes these unconscious decisions for my songwriting.

“The only case scenario I have to really spread out is in a song. Having the kind of sound I have, when I play and get into it, I get kinda lost, and before I know it 13 or 15 minutes have passed.”

The complicated nature of Hinds’ compositions was in itself a challenge, Kelliher said. “There’s a song on Blood Mountain, Capillarian Crest, and when it gets to the midsection he’s playing completely crazy stuff. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not even going to try to play that because I’m going to give myself an aneurysm if I try to learn it.’ And then I got to the point where he was doing something really complicated and I went, ‘Okay, I’m never going to play something exactly like you because we’re different kinds of guitar players.’”

Gear-wise, Hinds was a Flying V guy to the core, often playing a silverburst model made by the Gibson Custom Shop, although he also played Les Pauls and SGs. Epiphone made him a signature V when Gibson failed to do so. “I’m pretty disgruntled with the Gibson people,” Hinds told us in 2016. “But Epiphone, if I could give them all a hug or a Valentine’s card, I would!”

The Hinds V is a tough instrument out of necessity; one of his most memorable GW quotes was, “I emphasized to them that I’m gonna wank, spank, slobber, bleed, bend, crunch and crush all over this fucking thing, and the guitar’s gonna need to be able to handle the monster behind it.” He also owned a pedal company, cunningly named Dirty B Hinds.

Mastodon was, despite their prolific output, just one outlet for Hinds. He released a split double album in 2011 from not one but two projects, Fiend Without a Face and West End Motel, and the following year formed a supergroup called Giraffe Tongue Orchestra with members of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Jane’s Addiction and the Mars Volta.

Another all-star project titled Legend of the Seagullmen, featuring Tool drummer Danny Carey, came in 2018.

Hinds either quit Mastodon or was fired from the group five months before his death. The official statement announced that they had “mutually decided to part ways,” a non-explanation that neither he nor the other band members subsequently clarified, as is so often the case in this legally sensitive era.

The group replaced him firstly with YouTuber Ben Eller and then with Nick Johnston, who did a sterling job at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show, Back to the Beginning, in Birmingham, England, on July 5.

Sadly, Hinds’ last words on the subject of Mastodon were bitter ones. In June he wrote (on Instagram), “I won’t miss being in a shit band with horrible humans” and later added in response to a live video from 2012: “My guitar sounds great, but Troy and [Dailor] sound absolutely horrible. They are way out of key. Embarrassing and they kicked me out of the band for embarrassing them for being who I am.

“But what about who they are? They are two people that can’t sing together live or anywhere else in the world. Everything they try to sing in the studio is manipulated by Autotune because they’re incapable of singing in key.

“Only I know who they really are,” he continued. “They are the biggest fans of themselves... I’ve never met three people that were so full of themselves. It’s disgusting.”

Kelliher rose above all this, writing in tribute, “We had our good and bad times, just like in any relationship… I didn’t think you’d be taken from us like this, [with the] absolute loss of a true, one-of-a-kind guitar wizard extraordinaire. You were a brother, we were a family, you were a wild man not to be tamed.”

A sad ending to a unique trajectory, then, and equally sadly, not the first or the last time that genius has proved a terminal obstacle to creative collaboration.

Hinds’ wild-card nature was summed up in the words of Shirley Manson of Garbage, who wrote: “I am utterly devastated to learn of your death… the world is so much less wild and free and beautiful without you in it. Rest easy my brother. Keep me a seat at the bar, will you?”

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Mastodon look to have ended speculation over the identity of their new full-time guitarist by confirming that their next album will feature parts written and recorded by Nick Johnston.

The Canadian prog shredder joined the band as a touring guitarist earlier this year, following the shock departure of founding riff-wizard Brent Hinds.

The announcement came just days before they were due to play at the Tool in the Sand festival in the Dominican Republic, with YouTuber and Mastodon superfan Ben Eller drafted in as a last-minute stand-in.

Afterwards, the band’s other guitarist, Bill Kelliher, told Guitar World that they wouldn’t be rushing to find a replacement and revealed what the Atlanta Grammy winners were looking for in their next guitarist.

Fans didn’t have to wait long to see who was next in line, with Schecter signature artist Nick Johnston tapped up for their tour with Periphery and Coheed & Cambria.

However, it seems he’s here to stay, with Kelliher revealing that Johnston has become involved with the writing process for the follow-up to 2021 double album, Hushed and Grim.

“Even before Hushed And Grim was finished, I still had extra songs, and then I just kept writing more and more and more,” he tells Blunt Mag. “So now we’ve got, like, 20-some ideas.

“I own a studio, so we’ll demo the stuff at my house, and we'll bring it to my studio with my engineer. Then we bring in Nick and João [‘Rasta’ Nogueira], the keyboard player, and we start jamming the songs and say, ‘You wanna add something? Please add whatever you want in here.’”

He adds that the material that has been written thus far is “mostly Brann [Dailor, drums/vocals] and me.” Yet, he reveals he's outwardly looking to both Johnston and Nogueira for contributions. He also hints that Johnston is part of the long-term picture.

“It still needs the touch of the other guys, but there are also these whole new songs that Nick is bringing in,” he develops. “So it’s a combination of both. It won’t be until the next record, after this one, I think, where it really will be more Nick being in there. He’s gonna be on the new record, for sure, yes. He’s writing like crazy. I’m writing like crazy.

“We’re so full of energy. We just don’t wanna get lost. I’m, like, ‘Let’s concentrate on the songs that we have that we had before Nick joined and get those out with their help.’ It’s a little lopsided still, because he’s only just joined the band. But it’s still gonna be fucking awesome. I’m so excited. Everything that we’ve been demoing is incredible.”

As things stand, there has been no official confirmation of Johnston’s position in the band beyond what we’ve seen him do on stage, but Kelliher’s words seem to all but confirm his permanent place in the band.

The band's former guitar player Brent Hinds tragically passed in a motorbike accident in August. Brann Dailor led the tributes to the man they wrote “beautiful music” with for a quarter of a century.

Talking to Guitar World in 2022, Hinds said he was the “oddball” of the metal scene, highlighting country players who have had the biggest influence on his one-of-a-kind playing style. Johnston has big shoes to fill, but it sounds like there is harmony in the Mastodon camp, something the band have been desperate for in recent months.

A new police report has been released concerning the tragic death of Mastodon co-founder Brent Hinds, which states that the guitarist was at fault in the motorcycle crash that took his life on August 20.

Preliminary reports suggested that the driver of an SUV failed to yield while making a left turn at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, consequently colliding with Hinds.

However, according to the newly released crash report, the investigators also found that Hinds was speeding – going between 63 and 68 mph, roughly twice the speed limit at the crash site.

“After conducting time distance calculations of the Motorcycle and assessing the changes in velocity of the BMW it was deemed that Hinds was traveling between 63 and 68 mph. Video of the intersection was used for the calculations. The video clearly depicts the crash. Hinds was at fault for the crash,” reads the investigator's statement.

The same report also includes what appears to be conflicting statements by one of the witnesses and the driver of the SUV. The driver asserts that “she was positive the light was green” when she made the left turn, while one of the witnesses told the police that it was red “when he looked to the light when everything happened.”

Brent was “breathing and moving with visible injuries to his head, arms, and torso” when the police arrived, ultimately “perishing from his injuries” at the hospital.

This past weekend, a memorial walk was held in Atlanta in honor of Hinds, with longtime Mastodon bandmates Bill Kelliher – who shared his own personal tribute to Hinds – and Brann Dailor among those who gathered to celebrate the life of the influential guitarist.

The band also honored Hinds onstage at their first live performance since his death.

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has made his first statement following the tragic death of his former bandmate Brent Hinds last week in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta, Georgia, at the age of 51.

“It’s been hard to get a grip on my emotions this week,” Kelliher wrote on social media. “We had our good and bad times just like in any relationship. All that we accomplished after that first fistfight in the van 25 years ago. I didn’t think you’d be taken from us like this, absolute loss of a true one of a kind guitar wizard extraordinaire.

The statement continues, “Keeping up with you taught me a lot. You were a brother, we were a family, you were a wild man not to be tamed, you could f*ck up bowling ball with a feather.

“You weren’t perfect but you were always DIRTY-B!! Your vagabond/gypsy/wild child lives on through your music, I will miss your crazy ass Manimal.”

Brann Dailor, Mastodon's drummer, publicly addressed Hinds' death at the Alaska State Fair on Friday, August 22, delivering a speech that focused on the group's relationship with Hinds and his long-standing legacy.

Furthermore, the band posted a public statement on social media, saying they are “heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we’ve shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many.”

Hinds, one of Mastodon's co-founders and co-leaders for a quarter of a century, played a pivotal role in pushing the boundaries of metal guitar and cementing the band as a trailblazer in the genre.

Following his passing, tributes have poured in from all corners of the guitar world, honoring his life and further cementing his far-reaching legacy.

Brent Hinds has once again broken his silence following his surprise departure from Mastodon, claiming that his exit was by no means amicable.

Earlier this year, Mastodon announced that they had “mutually decided to part ways” with Hind, though reports of a not-so-mutual split emerged months later when Hinds wrote in an Instagram comment, “I won’t miss being in a band with horrible humans”.

Hinds has now returned to social media with another explosive message concerning his former bandmates, claiming Bill Kelliher and the rest of the Mastodon members kicked him out of the band.

In a response to a video of Mastodon performing Crack the Skye in 2012, Hinds wrote (via Billboard), “My guitar sounds great, but Troy [Sanders, bass and vocals] and prawn [drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor] sound absolutely horrible. They are way out of key. Embarrassing and they kicked me out of the band for embarrassing them for being who I am.”

As for his former bandmates themselves, Hinds reserves some choice words, adding, “But what about who they are? They are two people that can’t sing..together live or anywhere else in the world. Everything they try to sing in the studio is manipulated by autotune because they’re incapable of singing in key.”

Hinds then doubled down on his previous sentiments concerning the Mastodon crew.

“F–k these guys,” Hinds continued. “Only I know who they really are. They are the biggest fans of them self’s [sic]. I’ve never seen anyone in my life look in the mirror more than Troy Sanders. He thinks he’s God’s gift to anything. I’ve never met three people that were so full of themselves. It’s disgusting.”

It is now the second time Hinds has come out and claimed that his exit from Mastodon was not as mutual as the band first announced. That messaging starkly contrasts with the words of Hinds’ former guitar partner Bill Kelliher, who – although accepted that they had grown apart – implied they parted ways on good terms.

Speaking to Guitar World about Hinds’ exit, Kelliher commented, “It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There’s been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead, and Tool. I cherish all of that.

“Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams.”

After Hinds’ exit, Mastodon first turned to YouTuber Ben Eller, and then fusion virtuoso Nick Johnston, to fill the position. Johnston recently spoke to Guitar World about his experiences stepping up for the role.

Although Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher is one of metal’s premier riff writers, he remains in awe of Black Sabbath. Moreover, he’s in awe of being asked to be a part of the July 5 Back to the Beginning event.

“I’m just going to take it in, man,” he says. “I’m privileged to be in a band that’s been asked to be on such a metal experience.”

It’s been a whirlwind for Kelliher and Mastodon, who, back in March, announced the “mutual” departure of Brent Hinds, meaning Mastodon will be sporting a new lead guitarist – most likely Nick Johnston – come July 5.

Still, Kelliher marvels at the fact that the original four members of Mastodon held it together for so long, which makes the lessons learned from Sabbath – who have had trouble doing the same – bittersweet.

“They taught us that you’re never too old to rock,” Kelliher says. “They’ve withstood the test of time. They’ve been a band for over 50 years, since the late ’60s. That’s a long time, man.”

What led to Mastodon getting the call for Back to the Beginning?

“I’m not exactly sure who mentioned us, but I mean… we’re Sabbath-worthy! [Laughs] We toured with Sabbath during Ozzfest in 2005. And they were fans of Mastodon, but I’m not sure if they had anything to do with it. I’m just happy to go. I’m not asking any questions!”

What was it like touring with Sabbath? Did you rub elbows with the band?

“Those guys are pretty well-padded, you know? They’re kinda like fine china at this point. They’re not rubbing elbows with the common folk too much. [Laughs] But I remember sitting down with Bill Ward a couple of times, and he had nice things to say about us.”

You didn’t get to talk with Ozzy, Geezer or Tony?

“I believe I met Ozzy at one time for a second – but I think both of us had a few substances in us. [Laughs] The only time I spoke to Mr. Iommi was when we were accepting an award in London, 10 or 12 years ago; he was accepting an award, too.”

What did Tony have to say?

“We were all standing there and were going to perform a couple of songs. He was about to accept his award, and it was dark behind the stage; as he was getting ready to walk out, instead of being like, ‘Hey, man, you’re my favorite guitar player, let’s get a picture,’ I was like, ‘Watch out for that cable running across the floor.’ [Laughs] He was like, ‘Oh, yeah. Thanks, dude.’ That was my interaction.”

Do you regret not saying more – or not getting that photo?

“I’m sure he gets plenty of crazy, weird bands all over him. I don’t ever really like to meet my heroes, you know? I like to think of them as the way they are in my head, like these gods. I don’t want to be disappointed when I meet them.”

How has Iommi impacted your playing?

“They’re the quintessential heavy metal band. They’re like the original fucking metal band, really, in my eyes. His playing influenced just about every metal riff you’ve heard. Whether you want to admit it or not, he created a lot of those iconic harmonies.”

Tony is about as unique a player as it gets. What’s his secret?

“It’s not the proficiency of the playing. It’s more about writing a great riff that sticks in your head and is catchy. A lot of them are simple, but believe it or not, it’s harder to write a three-chord rock song than to write something super-arpeggiated with weird time signatures all over the place.”

Do you have a favorite Sabbath riff?

“Supernaut. I can’t imagine writing that at home and being like, ‘I can’t wait to take this to practice to show the other guys,’ and then showing up and being like [in a British accent], ‘Hey, mates, I got this cool fucking riff. Check it out!’

“It fucking checks all the boxes. It’s very upbeat but dark and evil at the same time. It’s got a great swing to it. Swing is another thing that metal guitar players don’t think about.”

What’s the greatest challenge in trying to cover Tony’s parts?

“A lot of people emulate him. He’s not over-the-top with his guitar solos, really fast or technical. He’s right in the middle. He created sludge metal with those slowed-down, heavy-ass riffs.

“It’s not hard to be like, ‘That kind of sounds like Black Sabbath’ when you’re writing riffs. I mean, it’s hard not to; I don’t know; he just used pentatonic scales in a really evil way and chose his notes wisely.”

Have you discussed what Sabbath song you’ll play at the show?

“I want to play Supernaut! But I don’t have all the details. We’re still in the dark about a lot of that. There’s a lot of bands playing, and there’s only so much time to let Sabbath do their thing… Metallica will probably play a few songs, so we may only get to play one song, which is fine.”

What does it mean to you to be a part of this event?

“It’s a very special occasion. Those guys are getting up there – we all are – so for them to get back together and do this one last show as the original four dudes is monumental.

“It’s great. When we were invited to do it, I was kind of beside myself, like, ‘Really? Wow.’ We’re going to be up there with some really fucking huge bands of our genre that we looked up to. I’m very humbled. It’s super-special that we got asked. It speaks volumes.”

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Former Mastodon electric guitar player Brent Hinds has seemingly taken to social media to call out his old bandmates – even going as far as calling them "horrible humans".

The exchange happened on Instagram, when Hinds commented on a post that celebrated Mastodon’s 2014 album, Once More ‘Round the Sun, with the caption, “11 more trips ‘round the sun since this was released!”

Hinds comment has since been deleted, but it said, “I want [sic] miss being in a shit band with horrible humans.”

It’s safe to say the unexpected interjection has sparked a lot of debate in the comment section. The fact it was deleted has fuelled even more speculation, with fans commenting, “Where’s Brent’s comment all over the news?” and “Are they now just deleting comments regarding Brent Hinds?”

Hinds' exit from the group was announced by the band on March 7, with a statement shared on social media reading: “Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, Mastodon and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways. We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

“We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of Mastodon. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road.”

The departure was announced just days before the band’s performance at Tool's festival in the Dominican Republic – with Ben Eller, a YouTube guitar educator and long-time Mastodon expert, drafted in as Hinds' last-minute replacement.

Since then, Guitar World has spoken to Mastodon’s other guitarist, Bill Kelliher, about what led to the departure. While he didn’t share the exact details, he asserted that, “We’re not going anywhere. We’ve been around a while; this is all I really have. I live and breathe it.

“It was 25 long years. Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart and they get interested in other things. It was time to part ways. And we wish nothing but the best for Brent in his endeavors – chasing his dreams and doing what he likes to do. We look forward to a new chapter of Mastodon.”

Brent Hinds shows no sign of taking a pause, as the guitarist donned a beaten-up Tele and a cowboy hat for his first show sans the metal giants, with his psycho-billy surf project, Fiend Without A Face, on March 21.

The narrative surrounding Mastodon’s newly vacant electric guitar spot has taken a fresh twist, with Nick Johnston becoming the latest stand-in following Brent Hinds' departure.

In early March, the Atlantan prog metallers announced they had parted ways with founding guitarist Hinds. The news broke just days before Mastodon's appearance at the Tool in the Sand festival in the Dominican Republic.

Three days later, YouTuber Ben Eller was on stage with the band, having learned 17 songs in double quick time specially for the set. Though he went into the show expecting the worst, Eller was blown away by the warm reception his involvement got from the Mastodon community.

However, Eller has now been drafted out for the band’s latest run of shows, as Bill Kelliher continues his search for their next full-time recruit.

Enter Nick Johnston – a prog-minded instrumentalist shredder who has been conquering the guitar world with his signature Schecter Strat-a-like, and who has cemented his reputation as one of the finest guitar talents of his generation.

Owing to the apparent stylistic differences between Johnston's own music and Mastodon's back catalog, it makes for an interesting pairing indeed.

Johnston's first major solo album was 2016's Remarkably Human, and it put his tasteful but intricately virtuosic sound on the map, after he featured on Polyphia's Champagne. two years earlier.

He also guested on Periphery's Clear EP that same year, playing on The Parade of Ashes. Johnston has since played on Intervals and Scale the Summit tracks, and he released another album, Child of Bliss, last year.

Given Johnston's sheer virtuosity and versatility, Mastodon's selection – despite the genre gap – is incredibly astute, and going off footage of the band's performance at the Sonic Temple Festival on May 9, he certainly has the chops for the gig.

Dissecting his sonic DNA with Guitar World, Johnston has cited the likes of Pat Metheny, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Jeff Beck as key influences, and has previously spoken about how writing on a piano first can make his guitar playing more interesting.

“When you take away the guitar, your usual tricks and licks are gone. There is no comfort zone,” he says. “I find my guitar lives these days more like the icing on the cake. My favourite songwriter is Pat Metheny and he’s talked about it too, choosing to mainly compose on piano. You can really hear someone’s sense of harmony when you pull the shapes away.”

There will be factions of the Mastodon fanbase sad to see Eller, who smashed his one-off show with the band despite a mishap with a stage wedge, no longer involved. But there's no denying Johnston's suitability for the role, either.

Eller himself, meanwhile, has voiced his support for the appointment. Posting a photo of himself with Johnston and Kelliher on Instagram, he says, "Starting to think Bill has a thing for hunky brunettes. My friend Nick Johnston is a hell of a cool guy."

As with Eller, the extent of Johnston’s involvement is shrouded in mystery, but it would be a surprise if he doesn’t at least see out their current tour with Periphery and Coheed & Cambria.

The future of the band, and who will come to fill Hinds’ spot permanently, remains to be seen, with Keliher happy to take an exhaustive approach to get the right player for the job.

“I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon, he told Guitar World. “I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking”

Hinds, meanwhile, has wasted no time in getting back on stage, and he has plenty more shows lined up.

Brent Hinds has played his first show since parting ways with Mastodon earlier this month, and three of his bands are set to play together next month as he keeps himself busy with life away from the progressive metal giants.

Hinds' Fiend Without A Face project, described on their Bandcamp page as “psychobilly surf music with a little country twist,” played 529 in Atlanta, Georgia on March 21, as the guitarist looks to create some distance between himself and Mastodon. It's been a whirlwind month for all involved.

Mastodon posted an official statement on March 7, announcing the end of Hinds’ 25-year tenure in the band, just days before they were due to perform at the Tool in the Sand festival in the Dominican Republic.

In a surprise move, YouTuber and Mastodon fanatic Ben Eller was drafted in for the show, having been asked to “learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately”. Mastodon had already reassured fans that all 2025 tour dates would be fulfilled.

Eller said he went into the show expecting a backlash, considering Hinds’ deep-rooted history with the Grammy-winning act. That left him “unprepared for the level of positivity and kindness,” he received from the fan base, as Mastodon got its post-Hinds era off to a flyer – save for Eller going “ass-over-teakettle” after an incident with a stage wedge.

Hinds, meanwhile, donned a cowboy hat and a wonderfully beaten-up Telecaster for his new-era-kickstarting show. As footage shows, the performance leans heavily into the country stylings he's slowly introduced into Mastodon's repertoire in recent years with tracks like Jaguar God and The Beast.

Three of his bands – West End Motel, Fiend Without A Face, and Dirty B & The Boys – will join together for a show at The Garden Club in Atlanta, GA on April 18th.

Mastodon’s remaining guitarist, Bill Kelliher, likened their relationship with Hinds to a marriage, saying, “Sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things,” while admitting “It’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us”.

Going off Hinds' immediate schedule, it certainly looks like the talented guitarist is stepping away from metal with his trio of other projects.

Kelliher, meanwhile is unsure on Eller’s future in the band, revealing they will continue looking for the perfect replacement. He's also underscored the vital credentials he's seeking from the next permanent member.

The band have tour dates with Periphery and Coheed & Cambria in May, and have just announced a string of UK and European shows around their appearance at Black Sabbath’s blockbuster farewell show in July.

Whoever steps up to the plate, Kelliher is certain they will be “lightyears ahead of me” when it comes to lead playing. Matching his riff work will be a far taller order.

In recent interviews, Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher had been talking about new music – a subject Brent Hinds hadn’t been covering while, going by his social media posts, he was on his own trip. So perhaps the announcement of Hinds’ departure from the band shouldn’t have been the shock it was for many.

Kelliher, Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor said they and Hinds had “mutually decided to part ways,” adding: “We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter.”

Speaking to Guitar World, Kelliher refuses to be drawn on details, but vowed: “We’re not going anywhere. We’ve been around a while; this is all I really have. I live and breathe it.”

On the subject of a new guitarist, he says the trio were looking for “someone who’s easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play. And they’ve got to have the right stage clothes as well: black t-shirt, tight jeans!”

The band’s attitude is one of “onward and upward,” he continues. “I’ll continue writing, looking forward to new Mastodon material and the Coheed and Cambria tour coming up. I like being out there on the road. Hopefully, people will enjoy all the new music we’re working on. That’s all I can really hope for.”

What’s the status of Mastodon with Brent Hinds’ departure?

“It was 25 long years. Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart and they get interested in other things. It was time to part ways. And we wish nothing but the best for Brent in his endeavors – chasing his dreams and doing what he likes to do. We look forward to a new chapter of Mastodon.”

You pivoted quickly, with YouTuber Ben Eller filling in at your most recent show.

“When we knew what was going down, and we had this show in the Dominican Republic, we had to find someone really quick who we could trust to play the songs.

“Ben and I have been friends for many, many years on the internet. We met at a Mastodon show 20-something years ago when he was a young dude and he was a fan. He showed me an old picture of us loading the van back in the touring van days, when we played Knoxville when he was a young kid, and he’d got a selfie with us!

“I’ve been watching his videos and giving him some tips on certain Mastodon parts that he didn’t quite get. He would hit me up, like, ‘How do you play Falling Torches? It’s kind of muddy in the mix.’ So we’d been sending videos back and forth. To me, he was obviously the first choice to play at least that show.”

How did the band and Ben prepare for the show?

“We had a couple of practices, maybe four. That guy’s got a mind like a trap, man – he remembered all the stuff. He did a terrific job. I mean, no-one can ever replace someone like Brent, who’s a very special guitar player. But I feel like Ben did the best he could, and we were all super-stoked.”

Mastodon has more shows planned, which you’ve said won’t be canceled. Will Ben fill in for those shows and the foreseeable future?

“We have a tour with Coheed and Cambria coming up in May, and we’re going to fulfill that. And we’re going to finish up our new record. I’m not sure what our future is with Ben. Maybe we’ll try a couple of other people out. It’s too early to say.”

Will the new record feature contributions from Brent or is it just you, Brann, and Troy?

“It’ll be the three of us. It’s stuff the three of us have written together.”

The decision to change lineup must have been difficult.

“It’s amazing we made it 25 years with the four of us. Traveling the world, trying to stay the course, having everybody agree – that we managed to do it this long, I feel like that’s a feat in itself. And yeah, you could never replace any of us because it’s the sum of four parts.

“But that doesn’t mean there’s not someone out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction. I think I’ll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make.”

What can you say about the legacy of Mastodon’s first 25 years?

“It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There’s been Grammys, and touring with our heroes like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead and Tool. I cherish all of that.”

What are you looking for in a guitar partner and bandmate?

“You gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Living together in a little bus for fucking months at a time – it’s got to be someone who can do that. There’s more variables than just, ‘Oh, this person is a great guitar player.’

“We’ve got to be able to have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, feel them out and make sure they’re Mastodon material. Like, can they hang, for sure – but it’s got to be someone who has a unique style and is very serious about it.

“I’m as serious as a heart attack about Mastodon. It’s my life. It’s all I really know. I’ve got all my eggs in this basket. So we’re going to keep looking and we’ll find the right person when the time is right and ready.”

Does Brent’s departure mean you’ll be playing more leads and less rhythm guitar?

“We’ll have to see. My lead guitar skills are decent enough – but whoever we get is going to be light years ahead of me. So it depends on the part and the song and if there are certain leads that I write that I want to play.

“If the other guitarist is like, ‘Hey, I wrote this,’ and I like it better than what I wrote, we’ll use his part. I definitely write for the best of the song and what’s best for the band.

“I don’t get my feelings hurt when someone’s like, ‘That riff is not that great.’ It’s like, ‘Okay, I’ll just write another one or change it.’ That goes for leads as well. So, as long as it’s what’s best for the song, it doesn’t matter who plays it. As long as it fits, it’s awesome.”

Have there been any updates to your stable of signature gear?

“ESP just sent me a prototype of a reverse Sparrowhawk. I’m not sure if that’s going into production; they just did a one-off for me for now. Victory Amplification and I are working together on a new Bill Kelliher signature model, which has been going on for a few years now.

“I’m not sure when and if it’s going to come out, but it’s kind of like the Super Kraken MKII. I’m going to have a couple because I use that amp along with my Friedman Butterslax in combination.

“But there’s a couple of tweaks with the Victory that I’d like to see. And I may be doing a guitar pedal – like a distortion pedal, with High Wind Pedal Company.”

Is it exciting to be embarking on a new chapter with Mastodon?

“It’s just one day at a time and getting out there. I don’t look too far into the future, you know? When I do, I get kind of lost and lose sight of today. So I just try to keep my head in the game.”

• Mastodon are on tour starting in May.

Ben Eller has spoken to Guitar World about his surprise live performance with Mastodon, after the esteemed YouTuber was drafted in last minute to replace the outgoing Brent Hinds.

It’s been a frantic week in the Mastodon camp. First, the band announced that founding member Hinds had departed, and two days later, YouTuber Ben Eller was filling his boots during their Tool Live in the Sand set.

Eller was tasked with learning “17 Mastodon songs immediately” as the prog metal outfit committed to seeing out their live dates.

Eller may not be a regular live performer but his work as a Youtuber and Mastodon obsessive, which often sees him dissecting the band’s complex and nuanced guitar work, made him an ideal fit for that show.

His future in the band may be shrouded in uncertainty, but that didn’t stop Eller from enjoying his moment in what could prove to be a significant footnote in the band’s history – even if he was wary about the reaction his inclusion would get.

“A couple of years ago, Bill [Kelliher, guitarist] reached out to me via email, saying how much he enjoyed my channel and the Stuff Mastodon Does video I made,” Eller tells Guitar World of how their friendship first blossomed.

“We've stayed in touch ever since. He's as much of a gear nut and riff chaser as I am, so we're constantly sending each other bands, pedals, amps, and stuff to check out.”

Asked if there was any hesitance in accepting Mastodon’s call for help, he goes on: “I went into this looking at it as one of the coolest things I could ever get to be a part of, but also knowing that the backlash could potentially be brutal, especially given how incredible and important of a player Brent has been for the history of the band.

“I was absolutely unprepared for the level of positivity and kindness I would receive from the fans after the gig,” Eller continues. “I cannot believe how accepting and wonderful they've been; it's overwhelming!”

Even for someone as well-read in the lore of Mastodon as Eller, being gig-ready in record time would have been a tall order for most players. Reflecting on the show, Eller has plenty of fond memories.

“The show was a blast,” he recalls. “The energy from the band and the crowd was incredible. Like any live show, you've gotta be prepared to be surprised, though. We were all having some trouble with interference affecting our in-ear monitors, but the show must go on, even if you can't hear anything.”

Speaking to GW last week, Bill Kelliher remained coy on Eller’s future in Mastodon, and asserted the band will search far and wide to find Hinds’ replacement.

“I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon,” Kelliher noted. “It’s my life. It’s all I really know. I’ve got all my eggs in this basket – and I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking, and who knows? We’ll find the right person when the time is right and ready.”

As things stand, it’s unclear whether Eller will still be in the fold for any of Mastodon's upcoming dates, or if a full-time successor will have been crowned by then. It’s possible that the band could take inspiration from Smashing Pumpkins, whose open audition received 10,000 applications to fill their vacant guitar spot last year.

Kelliher has also reflected on Hinds' exit, saying, “It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams.”

It’s been a rollercoaster week for Mastodon fans. Last Friday, right before the metal stalwart’s set at the Tool in the Sand Festival, it was announced that Brent Hinds had left the band.

Esteemed YouTuber and Mastodon mega-fan Ben Eller was drafted to replace the band’s co-founding guitarist of 25 years to play the gig, but at the time of writing it is still unclear whether Eller’s appointment is temporary or permanent.

In a new interview with Guitar World, Mastodon’s remaining electric guitar player Bill Kelliher stays coy on that particular topic, but he does offer some key insights into what the band will be looking for when it comes to selecting Hinds’ full-time successor.

It sounds simple enough, really: “Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play – and can play well,” he says.

Expanding on his point, Kelliher goes on, “Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it’s got to be someone who can do all that.

“And that’s another variable,” he adds. “Like, ‘Oh, this person is a great guitar player, why don’t you hire them?’ It’s like, ‘Well, they gotta stand the test of time.’ We’ve got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they’re Mastodon material.

“Like, can they hang, for sure, but it’s got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it.”

Ultimately, it sounds as though the search for Hinds’ successor will come down to a few key points: how good they are as a guitar player, how good they are as a person, and how seriously they are ready to commit themselves to the Mastodon way of life.

“I’m as serious as a heart attack with Mastodon,” Kelliher says. “It’s my life. It’s all I really know. I’ve got all my eggs in this basket – and I’m not ready to give it up yet. So, we’re going to keep looking, and who knows? We’ll find the right person when the time is right and ready.”

Whether that will be Eller or someone else, Kelliher remains tight-lipped: “We do have some more shows coming up. We have a tour with Coheed and Cambria coming up in May, which, you know, we’re still going to fulfil that.

“We’re going to finish up our new record; I’m not sure what our future is with Ben or if we’ll try a couple of other people out. Not really sure yet; it’s too early to say.”

Bill Kelliher has opened up on Brent Hinds' surprise departure from Mastodon, after the band's co-founding guitarist announced he would be stepping away from the metal stalwarts after 25 years of service.

The news came just days before the band were set to feature at Tool’s namesake Tool in the Sand festival in the Dominican Republic. In a surprise move, well-respected YouTube guitar educator and long-time Mastodon obsessive Ben Eller was drafted in, having been tasked with learning 17 songs “immediately”.

Now that the dust has settled on a mic drop moment that has sent shockwaves through the metal community, Guitar World caught up with Kelliher – Mastodon's remaining guitar player – to get his response.

Speaking about the legacy of Mastodon’s first 25 years with Hinds, Kelliher said, “It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There’s been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead, and Tool. I cherish all of that.

“Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams.

“You know, it’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us,” Kelliher then confesses. “I mean, it’s like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course, and having everybody agree.

“That we managed to do it this long, I feel like that’s a feat in itself. You could never replace any of us because we [are the] the sum of four parts.”

Yet, sentimentality aside, Kelliher has an eye on the band’s future, both immediate and long-term.

“That doesn’t mean there’s not someone else out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction,” he pivots. “I think I’ll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make. It’s just… it was just time.”

It’s unclear how big of a role Eller will play in the band. Mastodon will hit the road with Periphery and Coheed & Cambria in May, and it is currently unclear if he is in line for those shows or whether a full-time successor will have been appointed by then.

Kelliher remains cryptic for now, adding that “we look forward to a new chapter of Mastodon”.

That next chapter doesn't look to be too far away. Speaking to Guitar World last year, he revealed that writing for the follow-up to 2021’s double album Hushed & Grim is already underway.

Mastodon shocked the guitar world last week when the progressive metal heavyweights announced that founding guitarist Brent Hinds had left the band.

Now the story has taken a fresh turn: the band recruited well-respected YouTube guitarist Ben Eller for their set at the 'Tool in the Sand' festival over the weekend (March 9).

The news of a mutual parting of ways after 25 years came on the eve of the event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with the group reassuring fans that “all 2025 touring plans will remain intact” despite Hinds’ departure.

Considering how important dual guitar parts are to Mastodon’s thick, sludgy sound, questions were raised about whether Bill Kelliher would go it alone for the upcoming shows, or if a replacement was lying in the wings. It turns out Eller was drafted in for the job, with video footage from the event showing him professionally weave through the band’s twisting guitar parts.

It seems there was at least a little coordination involved from the Mastodon camp, seeing as Hinds’ departure was announced just before the show. That apparently gave enough time for Eller to be sworn in, but the timeline seems a tight one.

“Can you learn 17 Mastodon songs immediately?” bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders had told the crowd of Eller’s involvement mid-set; clearly, he didn’t have any time to lose.

The band opened with Pain With an Anchor, with classics like Megalodon, Ghost of Karelia, and Blood & Thunder later featuring.

A little mystery still lingers around the Mastodon camp and, surprisingly, at the time of writing, Eller’s social channels are suspiciously quiet. So, is Eller a stand-in or Hinds' permanent successor? Mastodon are due to hit the road with Periphery and Coheed & Cambria in May and will also feature at Black Sabbath’s blockbuster farewell show this summer. We likely won't have to wait long to find out.

Eller is perhaps best known for his 'This is Why you Suck at Guitar' video series. Like so many metal guitar players, he first first fell in love with Metallica, before discovering guitar virtuosos à la Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen. He has over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube.

Several of his videos have seen him deep-dive into Mastodon's guitar work and what makes it so brilliant. He previously stated that the band's tectonic plate-shaking Leviathan record “instantly became one of my favorite records of all time” when he first heard it in 2004. As such, his intimate knowledge of the band's material and the dizzying array of nuances therein has made him a shrewd choice, if only in the short term.

“We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared and we wish [Brent Hinds] nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors,” Mastodon's statement read. “We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of Mastodon.”

Speaking to Guitar World last year, Kelliher discussed how his and Hinds’ playing styles oppose one another. Often across the band’s history, that’s proven to be a winner – Kelliher’s precision playing and Hinds’ more erratic, country-inspired stylings bring a lot of flavor to the band’s collective broth.

“We’re opposite sometimes,” he admitted. “When I write songs, I’ll spend months piecing them together, whereas Brent says, ‘Let’s jam and write whatever on the spot in the studio.’

“That sometimes works for me, but I generally want to be organized and try out every possible avenue of where the songs can go.”

Though they’re two very different bands – the former a precision thrash force with a penchant for groove, the latter a Southern-fried psych trip of percussive prog – both shot to prominence in the early ’00s while redefining the American metal landscape. Sure enough, they’ve been prolific vanguards for heavy music ever since.

This summer, they’re looking back to their gloriously pummeling past through the joint Ashes of Leviathan arena tour – a 20th-anniversary celebration of Lamb of God’s powerfully political Ashes of the Wake and Mastodon’s massive-sounding Moby-Dick tribute, Leviathan.

In true happenstance, both now-iconic albums managed to come out the same damn day: August 31, 2004. Lamb’s lead guitarist Mark Morton and Mastodon rhythm riffer Bill Kelliher explain, however, that their careers had been inextricably linked well before then.

It was in 1998, specifically, when Richmond, Virginia’s Burn the Priest – Morton’s proto-Lamb project – happened to crash into producer Steve Austin’s recording studio in Clinton, Massachusetts, to track their venomously grinding self-titled debut. Kelliher, a native of Rochester, New York, had also recently arrived in town to play bass in Austin’s noise-core group, Today Is the Day – which then also featured drummer (and fellow future Mastodonian) Brann Dailor.

Kelliher recalls Austin Enterprises being smooshed into an old building with “an antique store on one side and a fucking donut shop on the other.” Morton recalls Burn the Priest being supremely excited to be there, though the producer’s tiny working space got cozy, to say the least.

“We were all sleeping there because we didn’t have a budget to stay anywhere else,” Morton says of the heavy metal slumber party, both he and Kelliher noting that everyone got chummy over drinks once sessions wrapped for the day.

“I have a great picture of me, Brann and Mikey Brosnan – who had a label called Legion Records, and was putting out the Burn the Priest CD at the time – on the couch the week we were there.”

Kelliher continues: “That was our home. Brann slept on the couch; I slept on a little flip-and-fuck mattress. There was a tiny fridge. No shower. A dingy little bathroom. It was fun at the time… We had no idea what was coming down the pike.”

It’d be a few years before the musicians met again, though they were on each other’s respective radars. Burn the Priest became Lamb of God in 2000, which is when they picked up Morton’s partner in crime, guitarist Willie Adler.

Kelliher caught wind of the name change, recalling seeing that his friends were “catapulting” into greater recognition following the release of 2000’s New American Gospel and 2003’s As the Palaces Burn – impressive, extreme-metal statements that that led to Lamb of God signing with major label Epic ahead of making Ashes of the Wake.

Kelliher was likewise on an incline. He and Dailor wound up in Savannah, Georgia, after leaving Today Is the Day in 2000, and it’s in the Peach State where they linked up with bassist Troy Sanders and wildcard chicken-picker Brent Hinds to form Mastodon.

While the sludge-chunkiness of 2002 debut album Remission set the stage for greatness, Dailor shuttled the band to new heights after proposing they base their progressively twisted sophomore collection around 19th-century American novelist Herman Melville’s most famous epic.

“We were all sitting at the bar in a hotel in Belgium,” Kelliher says of the conversation. “Brann was out of his mind – we’d had a few drinks or whatever – and he was like, ‘Guys… I just read this book, Moby-Dick, and I have all these crazy ideas for our next record.’ People started taking us seriously [once Leviathan came out].”

“I have always looked to Mastodon – and their really unbridled, unrestrained creative ambition – as a source of inspiration,” Morton says in a general tangent.

“I think I can say this… [but] from a distance, it sometimes looks uncomfortable for them, because there’s an identity push-and-pull. ‘Are we a metal band, or are we a doomy band, or are we this artsy Rush band?’ The answer is yes to all of those things. As a fan and as a friend, that sometimes looks a little restless [for them], which I think is good. Because if you’re not restless… then you’re stagnant.”

While set to dip into some summertime nostalgia, Mastodon and Lamb of God won’t be resting on their creative laurels for long. Both acts are in the primordial stages of making their next records (Mastodon last released Hushed and Grim in 2021; Lamb of God’s latest is 2022’s Omens).

Nevertheless, Kelliher and Morton got together with Guitar World to dish on legendary riffs, the sambuca and baloney sandwich days, and how both groups of heavy metal pirates are still journeying toward a great unknown.

Looking back on the era, Bill, do you feel like Mastodon’s songwriting leveled up from Remission to meet Brann’s Moby-Dick concept?

Bill Kelliher: “The first two Mastodon records – Remission is the first full-length, but there was the Lifesblood EP before that – were kind of a mish-mash. Brent and Troy had their songs, me and Brann had our songs, and we kind of put them together. But by Leviathan, I felt like we started locking in together with the songwriting.

“And the songs were getting more complex, more thought-out. We were getting more intricate with the note choices. And then we really felt connected to that Moby-Dick concept. I felt like we were Captain Ahab in search of the white whale.

“I could totally relate to the story. It’s not about capturing the whale; it’s about the thrill of the hunt. And we were a bunch of dirty pirates! Our ship was this giant, stinky white van, and we went port to port to play our music. We were in search of whatever the white whale could be, metaphorically… It could be a success.”

Mark, how do you remember the transition for Lamb of God between As the Palaces Burn and Ashes of the Wake? Since there was only a year between those albums, were the Ashes songs already in the tank?

Mark Morton: “It was really terrifying, because we had just done Palaces, a record that happened naturally. We had time to write those songs in our practice space as ideas popped up.

“We got signed to Epic pretty shortly after Palaces dropped, which was life-changing. Epic doing what they do, they wanted a record. They had just invested in this extreme-metal band, the scene was bubbling up and becoming a thing…”

“So we had to turn around and go right back into writing. I remember being aware of how intense that situation was. It had this cloud of pressure about it. I’d just expended all of these creative ideas on this other album.

“What it taught me, though – and it’s something I hang onto today – is to trust your artistry and wherever that creative flow is coming from. Maybe don’t accept everything as good just because it’s coming to the surface, but when your intuition tells you something is valid, run with that. Don’t be scared to believe in the ideas you have. But I didn’t have the choice of overthinking anything… We had to run with the ideas that were coming. And that wound up becoming Ashes of the Wake.”

These records kick off with all-time bangers from both of you. Mark, Laid to Rest is one of the defining stomps of the Lamb of God catalog. What do you remember about putting it together?

Morton: “I don’t remember so much about putting it together, except that I had this riff rattling around in my head. And it turns out, part of what I was hearing was a song from Testament called Into the Pit, because the riff is remarkably similar. The song structure is very different and goes to different places, so it’s not a direct lift.

“But it makes sense, because Testament was a really huge influence for me. It’s rooted in my love for ’80s Bay Area thrash. I’ve definitely told Eric Peterson a time or two that I probably owe him dinner.”

Bill, Blood and Thunder is the beast that tees off Leviathan; it’s still a big part of your sets. That first percussive riff just pumps you the fuck up.

Kelliher: “That’s our Ace of Spades kind of song that we have to play every night, whether we want to or not. It’s interesting you ask about that riff, though. Brann came up with that. He doesn’t play guitar, and he’s about as good at guitar as I am on drums – which is to say, terrible – but he comes up with a lot of riffs, and puts them into my hands.

“The thing is, he thinks of rhythms differently than I would. He was playing the beat to it [after explaining the riff], but we kept getting off time. He was like, ‘No, dude, it doesn’t go ‘ban-na, ban-na, ban-na’ it goes ‘BANT, ban-na, ban-na.’ That simple little change… It was like learning new math.

“This was jagged, angular and weird, but all of a sudden it clicked. That song just exploded. It got onto Guitar Hero back in the day. It’s the very first song on Leviathan, [but] when we do our live shows it’s usually the last song, because it’s a headbanger and kind of our most popular song.”

What were either of you using on these records, gear-wise?

Kelliher: “I’d had two guitars stolen in 2003 over in Europe, so I had just bought an ’82 Les Paul custom Silverburst, which I still have. I used that for everything, because that’s the only guitar I had. I think Brent only had one guitar, his goldtop Les Paul. We were in Seattle at Studio Litho with [producer] Matt Bayless. For Blood and Thunder, I used my JCM800 2210, dual-channel, which I’d used since I was a kid.

“I also used Brent’s JMP to double the guitars. I had either an old-school BK Butler or Chandler tube driver, like the big wedge box. It’s not like today where I’ve got over 100 guitars, 50 amps, every pedal you can imagine and modelers. When I go into the studio now, it’s like I’m a kid in a candy store. It was much different back then.”

Morton: “I would have used a ’75 Les Paul goldtop that had been routed out for PAFs. I think I had a Seymour Duncan ’59 humbucker in the bridge, which is what I would’ve been using mostly. I also had a Jackson Swee-tone, which is a weird spin on a neck-through. Kind of a Dinky-shaped, two-humbucker thing. I played that for a lot of that era, too. Those would have been the two main guitars.

“Amp-wise, it would have been a Boogie Mark IV, which I still use quite a bit, but [Ashes producer] Machine did a lot of re-amping on that record. Honestly, I’ve never loved the guitar sound on that record. I liked the guitar sound going into Ashes of the Wake, but the guitar sound coming back when it was mixed and mastered…

“I’m still not really a fan of it. It’s just not my sound. It’s kind of sandy and gritty. When I’m dialing in a tone, it’s more reflective of my personality on the guitar. A tighter gain structure. Not as grainy and sharp.”

Bill, did you and Brent catch the white whale on Leviathan, in terms of tone?

Kelliher: “I wasn’t unhappy with the guitar tone on the record. I think it’s fine… I have to agree with Mark, though. A lot of times when I go into the studio where someone else is in control, I’m never happy with how the guitars sound when they come out of the speakers. Like, ‘That’s not my tone. Go put your ear up to the fucking amp.’ I record bands all the time, and I don’t run it through anything except a microphone; that’s when it sounds the best.”

Morton: “The thing to consider is that any competent producer can come in and capture my tone just like I like it, but a producer [has] other agendas to consider. They have to carve out space for the other guitar player or the bass player. There is a science toward making space with frequencies in the mix… sometimes that can stomp on what I might think is the perfect guitar sound.

“Machine wasn’t super familiar with the band, so I think there’s an aspect of trying to get the best overall result in the most efficient timeframe. What inevitably happens is a lot of producers already know how they’re going to wrap the signal paths, because they have a tried-and-true system.

“That winds up changing the personality and the sound [of the band]. I’m not attacking Machine – we went on to work with him again [on 2006’s Sacrament – ed.] and rectified a lot of those issues – but I think a lot of times you’re on a strict schedule, and you’ve got to get this record done. Sometimes that winds up with guitar players like Bill and myself not being thrilled with the tone that wound up printing on the record.”

This might be a good point, Mark, to analyze the tone and feel of several different players on your record. How did you go about putting together Ashes of the Wake’s thrash-strumental title track, which ended up rolling out four distinct solos from you, Willie, Testament’s Alex Skolnick and Megadeth’s Chris Poland?

Morton: “We had kind of gotten away from the New American Gospel style of writing, which was just landscapes of riffs stitched together. By the time we’re at Ashes of the Wake, we’re considering the way a song moves – what’s the chorus; what’s the bridge; how are these things working together – from a succinct, listenability kind of approach. That particular song didn’t have a lot of that going on, though. [Laughs]

“Willie, my partner in the band, definitely has a less conventional approach to songwriting. He’s more like, ‘I don’t care what part it is that happens next.’ There’s a beauty to that, but sometimes it can be difficult to write lyrics to that. So that song had that feel to it – ‘Why don’t we just leave it instrumental?’ Then the idea was to put these solos on it. It was a nod to some of our influences. And having Chris Poland and Alex Skolnick on the same tune is cool!”

Was the idea of going toe-to-toe with your heroes intimidating?

Morton: “Probably! I remember feeling relieved that I got to go last, because then you kind of know what you’re up against. I’m not the most adept lead player. I’m a blues guitarist, really. I got a few licks... I’m pretty sure I worked them all into that solo.”

This is a tour where you’re playing the album front to back, which potentially opens up Ashes of the Wake to getting guest solos from Brent, Bill or even Kerry King, who’s opening a few dates. What’s everyone here thinking about that?

Morton: “It’s an open invitation to those guys, but my guess is they’ll be eating frozen yogurt or watching a movie [during our set].”

Kelliher: “Touring in your 50s, you’re getting on the bus and watching some Netflix.”

Morton: “Yeah!”

Kelliher: “I’m not much of a soloist either. I’ve been in bands where I was the only guitar player. I had to play solos, but I never took any guitar lessons. I grew up on punk rock – Greg Ginn from Black Flag; Dead Kennedys – and they were sloppy. That fit my style. When I solo, it’s simple, bluesy stuff. Less Kerry King. I can get up there and do a Chuck Berry solo in the middle of it, though… sure. [Laughs]”

Hearts Alive is one of Leviathan’s most complex pieces. It’s the weightiest song that the band had put together at that point – at nearly 14 minutes, it’s still the longest song in your catalog. What was it like writing that kind of an epic?

Kelliher: “Brent had found a book called something like 500 Guitar Chords and was learning all these different chords to put together in the opening riff. It was such a departure from a song like Blood and Thunder. They’re on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of songwriting.

“With what Mark was saying earlier about Mastodon, we don’t really fit into one category. 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.”

Brent’s solo on Hearts Alive is also one of Mastodon’s biggest….

Kelliher: “I don’t think there was much soloing on Remission. It’s a lot of rhythmic stuff; that’s kind of who we were, you know? I think [Hearts Alive] was a chance for him to open up, let loose, go crazy and show off his skills. And it was epic! He’s always great when he’s laying down his solos. They’re soulful. You can feel them. There are a lot of weird notes that he bends into, and it’s like, ‘Where are you going? Oh, there it is!’ He’s a unique player.”

Looking back at your first big summer tour together, are there any memories that stick out from the Unholy Alliance trip with Slayer in 2006?

Morton: “I’ve always felt a kinship with the Mastodon guys. The camps have always gotten along really well. Maybe Bill has more specific memories… I lost a lot of years starting around that era.”

Kelliher: “I don’t remember a lot of those days either. I used to drink quite heavily, which I stopped doing years ago. I just remember hanging out with the Slayer dudes and drinking a lot of ’buca with Kerry King. Just riding the wave, man, and having a good time with everybody. But honestly, my brain has been fried for so many years that I can’t remember specific things because it was mostly a blackout night every night. It’s much different these days!”

So, we have this Ashes of Leviathan tour celebrating these two monumental albums. What are the defining aspects of these records for you?

Morton: “It was a pivotal record for the band. For me, creatively, it gave me a little bit of confidence. As a songwriter, I was thrown into the fire because of the timing of it all. To see it connect the way it did, I was able to take a breath [afterwards] and say, ‘Alright, cool… now we get to do this again and we can take more time with it.’ We hit a stride around that point that we remained in for some time. In that sense, [Ashes of the Wake] was us reaching altitude.”

How did Leviathan change things for Mastodon, Bill?

Kelliher: “At the time I was in the middle of it, it was just a regular day, going out and playing those songs. But we were very proud of the record. My mom would still be bugging me in 2004, like, ‘You need to go to college, get a degree [and] get a real job.’ I was like, ‘No, mom, it’s cool. I’m in the van and getting baloney sandwiches on 100 bucks a night. I love it. And I’m 30!’

“But when we were in Rolling Stone for Leviathan and they were giving us accolades like, 'There’s much more to these neanderthals than just sludge metal – they read books,’ it gave us some credibility. That really helped us stick out as not just another metal band.

“A song like Hearts Alive was also the gateway into the next record, Blood Mountain. It’s just an upward-and-onward thing. Looking back at Leviathan, that’s really where our career moved up a notch. It’s a defining moment in our history. The best-selling record it seems like, too.”

Beyond this trip, what are the next steps for either band?

Kelliher: “I’ve been writing a shit-ton. If I spend a day and write 10 riffs, maybe one of them is good, and that’s OK! It’s what puts me at peace and keeps me on track. So right now, we’re at the tip of the iceberg [for the next record] – laying all the riffs out, putting them to click tracks and arranging. We’re interviewing producers. We’re talking about collaborations with other people.”

Morton: “There’s nothing to announce at this point. Willie and I write a lot of riffs, and sometimes we’ll bounce stuff off each other to know what the vibe is.

Maybe this is a sign of things to come from Lamb of God and Mastodon, in terms of these paired-up album tours. Blood Sacrament has a nice ring to it, for instance. Maybe this is what you do together every couple of summers…”

Kelliher: “Hey, if it works… why not?”

• See Ashes of Leviathan Tour for dates and ticket details.

The old adage “never meet your heroes” usually rings true. However, for Mastodon's Bill Kelliher, meeting guitar heroes like Metallica's James Hetfield and Slayer's Kerry King were key moments in his career that pushed him to improve his guitar playing. 

“It was funny when I first met Hetfield, who's been an idol of mine. It was in Portugal or some big festival we were doing, and I shook his hand,” Kelliher says on The Rockman Power Hour podcast. “I was like, ‘Thank you for teaching me how to play guitar.’ And he was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ ‘Like, you know what I'm talking about. You paved the way for me.’”

Meeting Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo was another surreal moment for Kelliher. “When I met Kirk and Robert, they were walking around together and they saw me, and they came running over and they're like, ‘Hey, man, what's up? Can we get a picture with you?’ I was like, this is a joke. Like, I should get pictures. Yeah, you guys are Metallica. I'm just fucking Bill from Mastodon. That's awesome. It was wild.”

Rubbing shoulders with his heroes was also important for Kelliher to realize that he needed to take his instrument more seriously. One incident, in particular, served as a true wake-up call. 

“Watching Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman warm up before a show and I'm walking around drinking a beer. ‘What are you guys warming up for? Know your fucking songs,’” he recalls. 

“And then I realized there's something to this. I started practicing guitar way, way fucking more. I was like 'You're a guitar player. You're in this really big fucking band. You should be better, like you should spend your time not drinking and playing more guitar. Get better at your craft.’”

Kelliher has previously spoken about his experiences meeting Metallica and their diligent practice routine. In a 2021 interview with Guitar World, he recalled, “Metallica practiced for three hours a night before playing onstage for another two. Meanwhile, we were sitting around drinking beer and picking our noses!”

Mastodon will be heading out on a co-headline tour with Lamb of God this July. The co-headline tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of the two band's 2004 albums Leviathan and Ashes of The Wake respectively. The tour kicks off on July 19 at Grand Prairie, Texas, with Kerry King supporting on select shows. 

In 2021, Mastadon released its most ambitious record yet, the 86-minute epic Hushed and Grim. At its core was the same depth and power we've come to expect from the supercharged, hard-riffing duo of Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher.

Few rock harder and heavier the the pair, who are often labeled as lead and rhythm respectively. Across the band’s eight-record catalog, which includes the classics Leviathan (2004), Crack the Skye (2009), and Once More 'Round the Sun (2014), Hinds’ leads are surely searing – but it’s Kelliher’s soul-filled approach that’s defined Mastodon most.

“We’re opposite sometimes,” Kelliher tells Guitar World. “When I write songs I’ll spend months piecing them together, whereas Brent says, ‘Let’s jam and write whatever on the spot in the studio.’ That sometimes works for me, but I generally want to be organized and try out every possible avenue of where the songs can go.”

He reports that he’s already working on riffs for the next Mastodon record. “I’m feeling really good about everything because I have a lot of ideas. But my ideas always sound homogenous at first, so I have to trust my instincts that they’ll get to a point where they actually sound different. It’s baby steps right now, especially coming off a grand double album.

“I want to get back to songs more like Pushing the Tides, where the songwriting is very guitar-driven. We don’t do simpler stuff that much; there's a lot of 10 and 15-minute songs in our catalog. And that’s cool – they’re great and I love to play them. But that’s not the trip I’m on now. I’ve been tuning to Drop C a lot, so we’ll see where that takes me.”

Your latest ESP signature guitar, the Silver Sunburst Royal Shiva, dropped ahead of NAMM. What was the inspiration behind it?

“For Crack the Skye back in 2009, I wanted a guitar with nine strings, with three high strings doubled up. Back then, my guitar was by First Act, a custom double cutaway; I really liked the way it sounded and played. I also liked the weight of it, which was maybe 12 or 13 pounds – it was really thick.

“Fast-forward to around 2020 and I was like, ‘Man, I’d like to have a guitar like that, but with only six strings.’ I just wanted something I could play, so I worked with ESP to make one just like it, only with six strings.

“I sent them the First Act guitar, and they sent it to Japan to have all the specs mapped out, aside from the original nine strings. They basically made an exact copy of it, and I love it.

“It’s heavy, thick and unique. It feels great, and the neck is incredible. And it’s heavy; but that’s okay because the weight of a guitar is very important to me. The thicker the better.”

Why do you prefer such heavy guitars?

“I don't know… I don’t trust a light guitar! Well, I shouldn't say that – it’s more that I like a guitar that feels solid. I know I’m getting older, and running around the stage with such heavy guitars isn’t great for my back and shoulders, but I like ‘em heavy.

“I tried SGs and Flying Vs, and they might look cool and sound good, but it’s like playing a piece of Styrofoam.”

One of the prettiest features of the Royal Shiva is the double cutout, which gives you plenty of access.

“I don’t play a lot of stuff up high, but there are definitely some benefits to being able to play up there. And you definitely can with this guitar.”

What sets ESP apart for you?

“I like the fact that fresh out of the box, they’re in tune and intonated well – they’re ready to go right away. Honestly, I never really have to set them up. When ESP sends one to me – which they do often because they’re such a great company – they’re always what I need.

“I was never a big fan of weird, crazy metal-shaped guitars with spikey ends and stuff like that. When I joined up with ESP the first thing I said was, ‘Can I design my own guitar?’ Literally, the first couple of prototypes were on the mark. ESP just makes good products; even the LTDs are fucking great out of the box.”

Are the pickups singular to you?

“Yeah – they’re called Hellbenders, which is derived from an old song. I started working with Mojotone because they’re a small company, not too far from where I live, and had been sending me pickups for years. I always loved them and said, ‘Man, these are sleepers. These are great pickups.’

“So when it came time to move on from my old endorsement and I needed pickups, I called Mojotone, and they sent me a bunch to try out. I liked their Black Magic pickup because of the sharpness and clarity, and I could catch all these attributes with just that one pickup.

“I like pickups with a bit more mid-range and high-end because the Freidman Butterslax amps I use are very bass-heavy. I needed to pick up each string equally. I need that mid-range because even my clean tone has dirt and grit with some sustain.”

Are the Hellbenders custom wound to your specification, or a direct offshoot of the Black Magic series?

“They’re a bit of both. I might have even sent them some other pickups by other companies and said, ‘I like the responsiveness of this.’ But they’ve told me the Hellbenders are specific to me – even though I don’t know all the specifics!

“There’s some alnico and ceramic mumbo jumbo that I don’t fully understand, but my ears tell me they sound great. We went through five or six prototypes before settling on what’s in the Royal Shiva.”

You mentioned your Friedman amps, which were considered while putting together the Royal Shiva. What’s the secret sauce in your current combination of amps, pickups and guitars?

“The secret sauce is clarity. I’m not trying to be a precise player, but I’m always trying to maintain a sense of soul. Growing up, I never took lessons; I listened to bands like The Ramones and Black Flag, which were a little sloppy. All those guys were writing songs, and they weren’t Berklee School of Music guys – they were just playing fucking power chords. They were a little sloppy, kinda like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.

“So when choosing amps to pair with this stuff, I look for crunchy, chewy, soggy and crisp tones. A lot of people use too much distortion and scoop out the mid-range – the older I get, the less distortion I want from my amps.”

So the Hellbenders on the Royal Shiva allow you to drive the amp harder and create distortion through breakup, rather than relying on pedals?

“Yeah, because I use high-gain amps. They’re very tight, with a lot of bottom end. But I’ve also incorporated some Victory VX100 Super Krakens. The mixture gives a wall of sound that has enough bass and low end through the Freidman.

“And then I get a lot of high-end from the Victory. It’s crisp – if you were playing speed metal and speed picking, you’d be able to hear each note. The combination of those two amps gives me a sound that’s unique to me.”

Have you put that setup to work in writing some new riffs for Mastodon’s next record?

“Oh, yeah, definitely. But how it’ll all sound has yet to be determined. It’s always hard to see the forest through the trees, so to speak. Until vocals start happening, it’s just a bunch of big riffs that are weird and off-time. It’s a lot of weird shit that needs to be pieced together, but that’s the process.

“I’ll record a bunch of riffs while on tour and put them on my phone. Once we’re off tour I’ll dump them out and see which ideas can be friends. It’s rare for me to sit down and write an entire song in one sitting.

“What makes Mastodon songs unique is that one riff could be from 12 years ago and paired with a riff I just wrote. Some riffs have to wait years for their time to come out to play. That’s how it's always been.”

Will the Royal Shiva make its recording debut on the next record?

“Definitely. I feel like the thicker the guitar, the better. That guitar is thick, and it resonates better than others. So I’ll use that for sure – but there will be others.

“When tracking I like to use a guitar with a humbucker, like a Les Paul or the ESP, and then I’ll double it with a guitar by ESP, an LTD called the Ron Wood. It has a single coil, bringing the overall guitar tone out to me.”

You're in the early stages of writing, but what’s next for Mastodon?

“Hopefully we’ll be touring at some point in 2024. But for sure, it’s record-writing time, so that’s what I’m focusing on right now. I did a lot of traveling in 2023, so I just want to sit at home, dig in, and write the best record we can write. The goal is always to top the last one.”

• Hushed and Grim is on sale now. Watch the Mastodon website for tour dates.

ESP recently released Bill Kelliher’s latest signature model, the Royal Shiva. The arrival of the LTD iteration of his personal ESP Custom Shop Silverburst had been hotly anticipated both by fans of Mastodon – and fans of unusually thick electric guitars.

Indeed, the guitar itself was teased back in 2021, and while the double-cut Yamaha SG/First Act body shape caught the eye, it was the sheer denseness of the starkly finished guitar that really stole the spotlight: that thing was absolutely huge.

But while we mere mortals would look at that guitar and shudder at the thought of the damage it would do to our backs, Kelliher instead sees it as an essential part of the playing experience.

Now, in an upcoming Guitar World interview, Kelliher takes a deep-dive into his new signature guitar and the origins of the instrument that first inspired it.

That guitar, which itself was based on a 13lbs First Act Custom Double Cutaway nine-string model, was built by ESP back in 2020, and was produced to replicate the First Act’s exacting weight.

“I sent them the guitar, and they sent it to Japan to have all the specs mapped out, aside from the original nine strings,” Kelliher explains. 

“They basically made an exact copy of it, and I love it. It's heavy, thick, and unique. It feels great, and the neck is incredible. And it's heavy, but that's okay because the weight of a guitar is very important to me. The thicker, the better.”

Asked why he operates with this approach, Kelliher responds, “I don't trust a light guitar. Well, I shouldn't say I don't trust it; it's more that I like a guitar that feels solid. I know I'm getting older, and running around the stage with such heavy guitars isn't great for my back and shoulders, but I like 'em heavy. 

“I tried SGs and Flying Vs, and they might look cool and sound good, but it's like playing a piece of Styrofoam.”

Bill Kelliher isn’t the only high-profile riffsmith to favor guitars that err on the heavy side. Tool’s Adam Jones, for example, shares a similar affection for heavy instruments.

However, while Kelliher is happy to add a bit of body thickness to the equation to achieve his desired density, Jones takes a more particular approach towards wood choices.

Indeed, as Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian noted recently, the Silverburst aficionado had Gibson searching for “the heaviest woods” possible while building his Les Paul Custom, due to the fact “he wants the heaviest guitars” the company can “humanly make”.

Visit ESP to find out more about the LTD Royal Shiva.

NAMM 2024: ESP has finally released Bill Kelliher’s latest long-awaited signature guitar in the form of the LTD Royal Shiva.

Early initial sightings of the double-cut Eclipse-style model can be traced back to 2021, when the Mastodon riffmeister gave fans a sneak peek of the wild silverburst-esque six-string during promo for his signature STL ToneHub plugin.

At the time, Kelliher confirmed a prototype of some sort was indeed in the works, and shared a few telling details: namely, it would be very, very heavy – up to 13 lbs, specifically.

It would seem the prototype Kelliher was playing around with – with its deep grooves and thick body ergonomics – eventually became a one-off ESP Custom Shop model purpose-built for the man himself, rather than for a wider ESP artist series release.

Speaking in an upcoming interview with Guitar World, Kelliher discussed how that original Royal Shiva was in fact inspired by his nine-string First Act Custom model, which he sent to ESP in order to have a dedicated six-string version built in 2020.

“They basically made an exact copy of it, and I love it,” he revealed of his initial custom model. “It's heavy, thick, and unique. It feels great, and the neck is incredible. And it's heavy, but that's okay because the weight of a guitar is very important to me. The thicker, the better.”

Fast-forward to 2024, and the model has finally been given the wider release it deserves in the form of an LTD version, which is based on that very same ESP Custom Shop model.

That means it has the attention-grabbing double-cut Eclipse-style body, which is composed from mahogany with a maple cap. There’s been no official word on whether the LTD matches the sheer weight of its ESP counterpart, but one thing’s for sure: it certainly looks thick enough to meet the mark.

“I like a guitar that feels solid,” Kelliher admitted in his upcoming GW interview. “I know I'm getting older, and running around the stage with such heavy guitars isn't great for my back and shoulders, but I like 'em heavy.”

As per the Mastodon maestro’s exacting specs, the 25”-scale LTD model also has a three-piece U-shaped mahogany neck, topped with a 12”-radius Macassar ebony fretboard adorned with large mother-of-pearl block inlays. 22 extra jumbo frets and a 43mm bone nut can also be found.

Another notable appointment can be found in the electronic department, which boasts Kelliher’s Mojotone Hell Bender pickups – a set of signature humbuckers that arrived this time last year, and lined up to be among the most versatile metal pickups on the market.

These sonically versatile humbuckers are given extra flexibility thanks to an intuitive control layout that comprises push/pull volume and tone pots. That means both the neck and bridge humbuckers can be coil-split.

Finishing touches include LTD locking tuners, TonePros Locking TOM bridge and Tailpiece, and white body binding. It’s also worth giving that glorious Silver Sunburst finish – which spans the entire body and neck – another shoutout.

The Royal Shiva is available to preorder now for $1,999.

Head over to ESP to find out more.

For all things NAMM 2024, head over to our guide to the latest NAMM 2024 news.

Mastodon’s resident riff architect Bill Kelliher recently linked up with Guitar World and Mojotone to take us through all things electric guitar, from his tone journey, biggest gear mishaps and favorite instruments – and he did so in the most unlikely place.

Because as well as dishing up his six-string wisdom – and showcasing the brute force of his signature Mojotone Hellbender pickups – Kelliher also demonstrated his favorite sweet potato hash recipe.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the video (aside from the superb culinary skills on display) is Kelliher’s admission that his dad “didn’t believe in distortion”, and that he had to formulate his own round-about rig to harness high-gain tones as a young guitarist.

As an aspiring player, Kelliher was first bought a Starforce Kramer Eddie Van Halen copy and then a Traynor combo amp that didn’t have distortion. Naturally, the then-15-year-old asked his dad for something with a little extra oomph.

His requests were met with opposition – as a hi-fi business owner of 35 years, Kelliher Senior wasn’t too fond of the sound-altering effect.

“I was like, ‘Dad, I need distortion,’” Kelliher recalled. “And my dad being in the hi-fi business told me, ‘Well, Billy, us in the hi-fi business are trying to rid the world of distortion. We want a crisp, clear sound coming out of our speakers and our hi-fi gear. He didn’t believe in distortion.”

So, in order to overcome the tonal setback, Kelliher improvised: “I had to figure out how to get distortion,” he explained. “I had an old Sony receiver that was from the late ‘70s, I had two Advent speakers, a turntable, I had this little MXR EQ… 

“I figured out how to plug my guitar into the EQ, into my tape deck, hold down the Record and Play button – so it was in Record mode, so it would pass the signal, but there wasn’t even a tape in there – press the Pause button and run signal through that.

“I got this crazy distorted sound that wasn't unlike Greg Ginn of Black Flag,” Kelliher continued, “and that was my dude that I was looking up to at the time.

“I don't know how I figured out these things but when you’re a kid and you want something, and you have ambition to get it, you make it happen.”

Kelliher doesn't divulge what his father thought of his round-about distortion setup, but we imagine he would have been rather impressed by his son's electrical ingenuity – if not the tones.

To find out about Kelliher's biggest gear mishaps, his remarkable guitar collection, and, erm, how to make Sweet Potato Hash, watch the full conversation in the video above.

And for more info on his signature Hellbender pickups, hit up Mojotone.

NAMM 2023: ESP has dropped a mega-haul of signature guitars at this year’s NAMM, including a new Olympic White take on James Hetfield’s Signature Series Vulture, plus new models for Gary Holt, Bill Kelliher, Stephen Carpenter, Nergal and Javier Reyes.

At the top of this reassuringly large list is James Hetfield’s LTD Signature Series Vulture, which looks resplendent in its new Olympic White finish.

“Metallica fans around the world have seen James onstage playing his ESP Custom Shop version of the Olympic White Vulture,” says Matt Masciandaro, ESP’s president and CEO.

“This is a case where popular demand for a guitar was overwhelming, and we’re glad to finally make it available to ESP players.”

As with the existing black Vulture, it features a mahogany body shaped to emulate the iconic Metallica ‘M’ logo. There’s a three-piece mahogany neck with a Gibson-like set neck construction and 24 3/4" scale-length. You’ll also find a Macassar ebony fretboard with a Vulture inlay at the 12th fret and it comes loaded with a set of Hetfield’s signature EMG JH Het Set active humbuckers. 

Hetfield might pull the focus, but as mentioned, he is by no means the only artist granted the honor of a signature from the ESP umbrella this year. Let’s have a look at the rest… 

LTD Bill Kelliher Vintage Sunburst BK-600 and Sparrowhawk 

The Mastodon man already has three signature LTD guitars out there and now two of them – the BK-600 single-cut and the Sparrowhawk (an offset that borrows a little inspiration from the non-reverse Firebird) are available in this new Vintage Sunburst finish. 

In addition, they have both been overhauled to include a set of Kelliher’s signature Mojotone Hellbender humbuckers – as opposed to the previous Seymour Duncan Distortions.

LTD Gary Holt GH-SV

The thrash legend and Exodus linchpin has a new “very pointy” (his words) signature model, the GH-SV. It uses a neck-thru-body build, though you can’t see that because, as well as being very pointy, it’s very black. 

That finish is accented with a nice blood red trim and red pickup covers over its direct-mount EMG 81/89R active humbuckers. 

The neck has a 24 3/4” scale-length (setting it aside from Nergal’s new HEX Vs, below) and 22 frets ‘extra jumbo’ stainless steel frets. There’s also a double-locking Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo and Grover tuners. 

LTD Signature Series JRV-8

Looking not-unlike an overfed Strat, the JRV-8 is an eight-string take on the classic S-style body shape, built for Animals As Leaders’ guitarist Javier Reyes. It has a 27” baritone scale and uses a bolt-on build, pairing an alder body with a five-piece maple and walnut thin contour neck. 

ESP notes it is a rare example of a production model featuring an official eight-string double-locking Floyd Rose vibrato. 

The HSS pickup layout is also pretty interesting, offering a combination of Fishman’s Fluence Single Width 8 pickups on the middle and neck alongside the guitarist’s own Fluence 8 String Javier Reyes Classic Open Core at the bridge. The Fluence pickups have three selectable voices, so there should be plenty of sonic flexibility on offer here.

LTD Volsung-200

Rancid’s Lars Frederiksen is a man who favors utility in his instruments and his new Volsung-200 shaves off some of the weight and frippery of ESP’s SG-like Viper build. 

It features a straightforward set-neck build, LTD hardware and ESP Designed humbuckers. The only added complexity is that it features an extra volume knob (Viper’s usually only have one shared volume pot), enabling individual control of the pickups’ output.  

LTD HEX-6 / LTD HEX-200

Nergal, frontman of Polish metal giants Behemoth, has two new Vs making their debut at this year’s NAMM. First up, the HEX-6, which has a neck-thru-body build and a 25.5” scale-length. You’ll also find a set of direct-mount Fishman Fluence Modern Humbuckers in there, plus a TonePros Locking TOM bridge. 

The HEX-200 offers a more affordable take on the build, cutting the production costs with a bolt-on neck and using ESP Designed pickups in the place of the Fishman set.

LTD SCT-607 Baritone

Finally, Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter has reprised the black finish for his T-style seven-string guitar. A baritone build, it has a neck-thru-body construction and Carpenter’s Fishman Fluence pickups, plus a TonePros TOM bridge.

So that’s about it on the ESP signature front this year, a typically generous haul – and that’s not even counting Kirk Hammett’s new LTD-KHV guitars, which were announced last month.

For more information on all the brand’s Signature Series gear, head to ESP.

UK guitar amp specialist Victory Amplification has announced two new additions to its Sheriff amp series – both of which appear to have caught the attention of Mastodon’s Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher.

The new Sheriff 25 and VS100 Super Sheriff build on the line’s British rock voicings, replacing the existing Sheriff 22 and Sheriff 44 models.

But more on the specifics later on, because the bigger story appears to be the new models’ endorsement by both Mastodon guitarists.

Kelliher was seemingly confirmed by Andertons boss man Lee Anderton, who shared a photo of Bill next to a stack of Sheriff heads and thanked Victory for setting up an interview.

Hinds, meanwhile, could be spotted over on Victory artist relations Alex Auxier’s Instagram account, accompanied by a VS100 Super Sheriff and the caption, “Something is happening here and I’m so stoked to show you.”

Media agency Newmerica were also tagged in the post – its latest image shows Brent Hinds in a car branded with “Sheriff Hinds County”, so it looks like we can expect another madcap Brent promo video in the near-future.

The Mastodon men’s signing is notable given their previous signature amp releases – Kelliher has long been faithful to his Friedman Butterslax head, while Brent Hinds released his own low-power Orange Terror head. We’re intrigued to see how far the relationship with Victory goes, and whether new signature gear could be in the offing.

Tonally, it makes sense that the pair would make the jump. While the Sheriff features a lower-gain Plexi-esque vintage channel, it also offers a JCM-inspired ’hot rod’ option that is likely to appeal to metal guitarists of all stripes.

As for the new offerings, the Sheriff 25 is available as a 25-watt head ($1,449/£1,199) or 1x12 combo with Celestion G12H anniversary speaker ($2,229/£1,899).

The VS100 Super Sheriff, meanwhile, comes as a head only, and delivers a pair of modes per channel: clean and crunch, as well as gain and more gain.

Two versions of the VS100 will be released: a wooden sleeve model ($2,369/£1,999) and a wide-body wooden head ($2,499/£2,099) to pair with Victory’s 4x12 cabinets.

Other features include a Presence control and Bass Focus switch, as well as a rotary knob for Bass Focus on the amp’s rear.

Naturally, there’s also an onboard FX loop, footswitchable channels and modes, plus bias test points and a wealth of speaker outputs. And as with all of Victory’s gear, the amps are designed and hand-built in the UK.

For more information on the new models, head over to Victory Amps.

While we’re on the subject of Mastodon gear, we’re still waiting on Bill Kelliher’s ESP double-cut Silverburst signature model, although he did release his latest set of signature pickups, the uber-versatile Mojotone Hellbender, last month.

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has teamed up with North Carolina pickup and part manufacturer Mojotone for a new set of signature pickups, the Hellbenders. 

The humbuckers are reportedly named after a “shitty ass car” the guitarist owned prior to his musical success (and also a type of salamander) and are described by the makers as “raw and menacing… with a capacity for the most visceral riffs intertwined with an articulate and open side for lush clean tones.”

This seemingly disparate tonal range is accomplished by some clever design. Firstly, each humbucker uses two different wire gauges, which increase the dynamic range on offer and make for a smoother, more convincingly single-coil style sound when used in a coil-split circuit.

Secondly, there are two different types of magnets used across the set, with the neck unit using Alnico II and the bridge unit using Alnico V, meaning each pickup has a distinctive voice. 

Mojotone has also blended ceramic magnets alongside the Alnico magnets in each unit, which it says creates a tighter attack and a boost in sustain and output when paired with an overdrive.

“Mastodon covers a wide array of sounds and tones,” comments Kelliher. “I needed a pickup that can pull off the gauntlet of tones needed for the band while leaving room to inspire new sounds.”

The Mastodon man already had some history with Mojotone’s Black Magic and Tomahawk pickups and has now has the satisfaction of adding his own set to their catalog.

It’s not Kelliher’s first pickup collaboration though. The Hellbenders will take their place in Kelliher’s rig alongside his two signature Lace humbuckers, the excellently-named Divinator and Dissonant Aggressors. 

The Mojotone Bill Kelliher humbucker set is available now in uncovered black and aged nickel configurations for a price of $261.95. Head to Mojotone for more information.

Over the past two-decades-plus, Mastodon have established themselves as one of the best post-2000 progressive, psychedelic metal bands. Born with an equal love of Melvins, Metallica, Rush and Neurosis, the Atlanta-based quartet have blown minds with their bleak, angular rhythms, abrupt tempo changes, meandering atmospherics and psychotronic imagery. 

And, like the best prog-rockers, Mastodon have crafted multifaceted concept albums that have journeyed through haunting fantasy and sci-fi scenes. They based 2004’s Leviathan on Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. 

Two years later, Blood Mountain addressed the plight of a man stranded in a mountain range inhabited by terrifying creatures. In 2009, they wrote Crack the Skye about the cosmic visions of a comatose mind-traveler. 

And in 2017 they crafted Emperor of Sand around the story of a doomed man fleeing a death sentence in the scorching desert.

“When I do music, I do this thing to escape – pull a Houdini on myself and try not to think about things that are negative as fuck,” says lead guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds, from behind the wheel of a car he’s driving to the airport to pick up his girlfriend. 

“I hate thinking about the horrible things that are going on in the world, and I hate knowing that they’re going on. So we’ve just created another space as an escape for ourselves and our fans.” 

On one level, that’s true. Mastodon’s music is complex and challenging, meandering through an escapist realm of sludgy riffs and atmospheric passages. The band’s eighth studio release, Hushed and Grim, Mastodon’s first double album, is both otherworldly and visceral. It’s also the group’s most musically diverse release to date. 

There are tumbling, trenchant metal cuts (Pain with an Anchor), expansive blues-embellished epics (The Beast), tribal and haunting soundscapes (Dagger), bereaved keyboard-laden songs (Skeleton of Splendor) and angsty, poppy numbers (Teardrinker). 

Yet, as much of a sonic journey as the band’s albums have been, Mastodon’s music has frequently stemmed from pain, helplessness and loss. Crack the Skye surfaced from mental images Hinds had after an assault in 2007 that left him in a coma and close to death; the record also addressed the tragic overdose of drummer Brann Dailor’s sister Skye. 

The title track of 2011’s The Hunter is an homage to Hinds’ brother, Brad, who died of a heart attack in 2010 while hunting. Mastodon’s 2017 record Emperor of Sand confronted the hopelessness and fear of mortality that was driven home after bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders’ wife was stricken with cancer (she has been in remission for years) and guitarist Bill Kelliher’s mother died of the disease. 

Tragically, the time Kelliher spent writing Hushed and Grim was also filled with misfortune and pain. Between the time the band finished Emperor of Sand and started working on the new album, their longtime manager Nick John died of pancreatic cancer, tour manager Bob Dallas passed away from an undisclosed illness and Kelliher’s wife was stricken with a rare disease (amyloidosis) and had to undergo intensive treatment. 

“I’ve realized that everything we do is from the heart, and a lot of it all stems from real pain and emotion from the death of loved ones and the sickness of friends and family, Kelliher says. 

“For some reason, we’ve been pulling our best stuff out of the most depressing emotional wreckage that happens in everyone’s lives. But I feel like our fans can connect with that.

“Everyone can connect with pain and suffering and losing someone. In a big way, Mastodon is the elephant in the room. We gravitate toward the sadness of life and write about it, and our fans gravitate toward that. And I think being able to relate to the kind of real-life sadness in our music gives them comfort.” 

The band’s deft combination of genuine melancholy and cathartic fantasy make Mastodon’s music too authentic and emotionally expressive to ever sound life self-indulgent prog-rock. 

Hinds and Kelliher are gifted guitarists, but neither is driven by a desire to show off. Their playing is more of an unveiling of their personalities. Hinds can be socially awkward and gets verbally tongue-tied, so he expresses himself through his multi-textural, variegated playing. And Kelliher is a chill dude who vents frustration and anger through artistic riffs and sheer volume. 

Though both players are unique and capable of reaching stratospheric heights, they don’t play for themselves. They play for the songs, and if that means deferring to their bandmates’ ideas, they have enough confidence in their musical and compositional skills to step down and let someone else shine. 

This is especially true for Kelliher, who has become Mastodon’s primary songwriter but who often gets overlooked since he’s not one of the band’s three singers (Hinds, Sanders and Dailor). 

“Brent’s the quote-unquote lead guitarist, and he sings, so of course he gets all the attention,” says Kelliher with a shrug. “And he’s a wild man, which makes him, even more, the center of attention. So I mean, whatever. I don’t mind standing in the back and not getting all the accolades. It’s fine with me. Everyone in my band knows who does what, and I’m totally cool with my role. And I love what we do.” 

A few days before Mastodon’s first dates to support Hushed and Grim, Hinds and Kelliher openly discuss the effects of writing in Covid-mandated isolation, their reservations about making a double album, the way their notably different guitar styles mesh – and the creative inspiration of suffering.

The songs on Hushed and Grim are eclectic and developed, ranging from rumbling and riffy to serene and almost delicate. Did you make an effort to create an album more sonically diverse than those on Emperor of Sand? 

Hinds: “Nah, man. I just like to do lots of things. I play in different bands aside from Mastodon and they’re all different. I never want to repeat myself, so I wasn’t thinking of that last album at all when we did this. 

“For this record, we wrote at home because we were bored and there wasn’t much going on because we were in lockdown. So you’re stuck at home all the time with yourself and your thoughts. So this was more of an internal exploration for me. 

“You look inward to the inward journey, and I would play so much guitar that it would just sweat blood and guitar all day long and I would come up with all sorts of different stuff, and it all found its place here and there.”

Kelliher: “I’m always playing and writing anyway. I’ve got volumes of voice notes and Pro Tools sessions of me just riffing out. When we got off the Emperor of Sand touring cycle two years ago, I was almost welcoming Covid because it was like, ‘Okay, well, now we have a bunch of time off and we don’t have anything on the horizon. It’s time to take a well-needed rest from all the touring on the last record and write the next record.’

“And we were well prepared. We already had skeletons for a lot of the songs. And I was totally cool with going into my studio in my basement and trying all kinds of stuff to make some new songs. So, I wrote a bunch of the new album and Troy wrote some songs, which was a first, and Brent wrote two.”

Did you start writing with the intent of putting out a double album? 

Kelliher: “We wrote about 25 songs, but 10 weren’t completely finished. So we went in with the 15 that were closest to being done. We were going to record 12 and use 10 for the record. We planned to do a rough demo of everything and pick out which 12 were the best. But we wound up recording all 15. We’ve never been a double-album kind of band. 

“We’ve always joked that doing a double album is a curse, and how you don’t want to do a double album or else your band is going to fall apart. But unless you progress and try things differently each time, what‘s the point? 

“And I just felt like every song is fucking awesome. At one point we thought of putting 10 songs on the album and doing a five-song EP later, but the songs all sounded like they needed to be together. They were in the same vibe and they’re all related, like brothers and sisters. So we just said, ‘No, we can just split up the family. Let’s do a double album.’”

Hinds: “I would prefer this more just to be an album instead of a double album. I would have cut some stuff out, but whatever. It is what it is. We’ve got all this time on our hands and Troy broke his songwriting cherry on this and wrote four really nice songs that showed a lot of growth and pushed the boundaries into a double album.”

Brent, how do your songs differ from Bill's? 

Hinds: “A lot of times my stuff is really long. I like to sprawl out in a song. I think living in the city and being cramped around people causes these unconscious decisions for my songwriting. The only case scenario that I have to really spread out is in a song. Having the kind of sound I have, when I play and get into it, I get kinda lost, and before I know it 13 or 15 minutes have passed.”

You have a rockabilly side project (Fiend Without a Face) and you’re a big fan of country music. Do you think you bring those influences into Mastodon? 

Hinds: “I’m not a metal guitarist. Sometimes I stumble upon a metal riff and I’ve been influenced by [post metal] bands like Isis. I get it where I can fit it, but I’m an oddball when it comes to the metal scene. I love country. My favorite country singer/songwriter is Johnny Paycheck and my favorite guitar-playing country artist is Jerry Reed. 

“So I try to incorporate some country licks here and there. And sometimes I’m clever enough to find out where they can go in a tasteful manner. I had been working on the first riff of Peace and Tranquility for a while because it was a departure outside of what I normally write. 

“I was listening to Animals As Leaders and I got inspired by them to write that first bit. And then all the other stuff fell into place after I had my medicine.”

Bill, have you always been a metal player? 

Kelliher: “I don’t know. I grew up on a lot of punk rock, and when I’m writing songs, I usually take the punk or garage rock formula – verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, solo, end. 

“I always loved the Ramones and bands that wrote a sick riff and then they’d go away from it before they’d bring it back around again. That’s been my formula for a while. With this new record, I did delve into some new territory. 

“Sickle and Peace has some Stanley Jordan-type guitar playing. It was almost an accident. I was playing in that style and Brann went, ‘What is that?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know. I’m just messing around.’ He said, ‘That sounded cool,’ and he started humming what I had been playing, and then I wrote it from that.”

Do you and Brann frequently work on songs together? 

Kelliher: “We work really well together. When he and I get together down in my studio at my house, I feel like I shine because he brings out the best riffs in me. Just like with Emperor of Sand, we spent a lot of time building the foundation of Hushed and Grim. 

“I’d start playing something and a lot of times, if I got stuck, he’d start humming something that would go with what I did, and the two parts would fit together really well.”

Can you write with the whole band or is it easier to work when it’s just you and Brann? 

Kelliher: “It was really hard to do that because of Covid, but it’s tough when you get all four guys in the room and we try to agree on one thing. For me, the writing process is a lot easier when I get together with Brann and we just spitball ideas and say, ‘This is cool for now as a placeholder. Maybe we’ll change something later.’ 

“And then later I’ll put everything under a microscope and over-analyze every riff and every part of the song and change things that need to be changed. But that’s what makes it great.”

Do you work on a song until it’s done and then move onto the next one? 

Kelliher: “I never just write one song all at once. Everything happens in pieces. I’ll write a song or a riff and then another riff. And then sometimes the song has to go on the back burner for a couple months until I can come up with something that jives with what I’ve already done.”

Did you mess around with a bunch of different gear? 

Kelliher: “There were a couple main guitars that I favored a lot. I used my ESP Sparrowhawk a lot. And I used my Friedman Butterslax [100-watt, three-channel amplifier head] and a Marshall JCM800. 

“And we used old-school analog pedals. I had a Friedman BE-OD Deluxe [overdrive] and an MXR Sugar Drive pedal I really like.”

Hinds: “I just use what I got – Gibson Flying V, Les Paul, SG and my signature V. And I got Marshall JMPs and my Diezel 12-gauge [cabinets]. My friend let me borrow his '50s Fender tiny 30-watt combo amps, and I played most of the guitar solos on those. 

“We had two of them slaved together, which sounded cool. And I used some KHDK pedals, but I came out with my own pedal company, Dirty B Hinds, and I’m using the Mastodrive and all these pedals I’m designing with my friends.”

As guitarists, you two have such different playing styles, which is part of why the music sounds so innovative. Is it ever hard to figure out who should play what? 

Hinds: “We just play what we write. For this album, I didn’t go for sheer aggression because I don’t think I stumbled across too many heavy metal riffs that were really angry. Bill is the master of the metal riffs and he provides the heavy. 

“But heavy stuff comes from the heart, and when you’re all tuned down to D and are running through a fucking Marshall stack, all of a sudden everything’s heavy, even though your point might be to bring on some melancholy shit or some really delicate stuff. 

“It’s all about the tonality of the instrument sometimes. So we each do our parts separately and then show them to each other ’cause we’re not a jam band. We’re more like choreographed acrobatics.”

Kelliher: “Normally I’ll write the rhythm and the harmonies ’cause I’m really into harmonies. And if it’s my song, I’ll write the lead and I’ll tell Brent, ‘Hey, this is what I did for that. Can you play it?’ Nine times out of 10, he’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ 

“But once in a while, he’ll hear something in what I’m showing him and he’ll come up with his own interpretation. And sometimes he’ll do something that will totally surprise me. Like, I’ll put a bridge in there and I assume he’ll play a solo over that. Then he’ll come in the next day and play his part and when I come back in, I’m blown away when I listen back because he put the solo somewhere entirely different, like over a midsection, which I thought would be instrumental. 

“I’ll be like, ‘Whoa, wow! I wouldn’t have put it there, but that’s cool. That sounds killer.’ When it works, it’s a very cool thing to hear because it shines a whole new ray of light on the song.”

Brent, is it exciting for you to see what Bill does with your songs? 

Hinds: “I don’t know. I mean, sometimes you get up on the horse and you can ride pretty well. Then other times the horse is faster and it’s hard to stay there. You’ve just got to keep yourself in practice and keep trying to ride it until you get something you like.”

Kelliher: “When Brent writes stuff – and I’ve told him this before – it’s like he’s writing as if he was the only guitar player in the band because it’s just wild. So I’m trying to learn it and trying to play it over and over. I’m like, ‘Dude, this is really hard.’ 

“He’ll go, ‘Oh no, it’s not hard. Your stuff is hard.’ I’m like, ‘Well, your stuff is hard because it’s almost like you’re playing a guitar solo the whole time.’”

Do you discuss how you can complement his unorthodox playing? 

Kelliher: “It’s very hard for him to teach me stuff and tell me what he’s doing. He doesn’t have any patience for sitting down and showing me what to do. When he plays, I have to video record his exact finger positions on my phone. And then I’ll learn it.”

“But it changes a lot, too. I’ll work really hard and learn something one way and then by the next practice he’s changed it, which he can do. It’s his riff until we record it.”

What if you can’t figure out what he’s doing? 

Kelliher: “That happens a lot. There’s a song on [2006’s] Blood Mountain, Capillarian Crest, and when it gets to the midsection he’s playing completely crazy stuff. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not even going to try to play that because I’m going to give myself an aneurysm if I try to learn it.’ 

“And then I got to the point where he was doing something really complicated and I went, ‘Okay, I’m never going to play something exactly like you because we’re different kinds of guitar players.’ So we play the same parts in different ways. I’ll try to lock into what he’s doing and do something underneath it that makes the part more interesting. That usually works out well.”

Your longtime manager – and your tour manager – died between the release of Emperor of Sand and the completion of Hushed and Grim. And Bill, you said your wife was diagnosed with a rare disease. Mastodon have been through so much loss and pain over the years. Does the music help you get through it? 

Kelliher: “When I’m writing songs, I’m thinking about those people and dredging up the emotions I feel from missing them. That comes from a real place, and people know that and they can feel that and connect to it. 

“I recently got a message from a guy who said, ‘I lost my wife to cancer two years ago. She loved your music, and thank you for all that you do and for your music.’ It’s fucking sad, but we’re a real band and we write songs about real subject matter. And it seems like every record gets deeper into that world.”

You visit that world, for sure, but the music seems like it takes the listener to another place that’s almost otherworldly and majestic, so the melancholy that’s in the music and the messages about mortality resound in an epic way. 

Kelliher: “I agree, and I just feel that with every year that passes and the more writing that we do, the better we get at it and the more we’re able to show that range of emotion. And now we can go from this crazy riff into the super-sad riff, or an evil, evil riff and it all works. 

“That’s a natural evolution that comes from being together so long. It’s funny because there are fans out there that go, ‘Oh, [2002’s] Remission is your best album,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. I’m glad you like it, but I was just learning how to write a song back then. We were just spitballing. Now, we know what we’re doing.’

“I’ll try a riff and right away I’ll know, ‘Nah, it doesn’t work for us.’ That’s why Brann and I write so much together because we can actually spitball with each other and go somewhere without spinning our wheels.”

Hinds: “It’s not just sadness. I mean, there’s hurt and anger that have afflicted us through our lives. And the only way we can deal with it is to have these songs that go out to our fallen brothers and sisters and are dedicated to our friendship with the people that aren’t lucky enough to still be here with us. 

“But, for me, I think there’s a lot of anxiety in there, too. I feel like the road is dangerous and home is not, but we usually have to tour all the time. I used to have constant anxiety about getting in a bus accident or a plane crash. And then big crowds of people give me anxiety. 

“So I’ve lived with anxiety for 20 years and I was hooked on [the anxiety Benzodiazepine] Xanax for 15 years and I had to wean myself off of it a little bit at a time ‘cause it was compromising my breathing. 

“Of course, I was partying on it and it’s really bad to do that. I was never prescribed things so I was buying from people on the streets all the time. One time I couldn’t get it and I had two seizures. 

“So, I finally weaned myself off. It took years, but recently I discovered that you need to be anxious and fucking deal with it and that keeps you on your toes and motivated to keep doing shit. Now I try to feed off the anxiety and play guitar.”

Bill, can you talk about what happened with your wife, who is in remission from her condition? 

Kelliher: “It was crazy. She was getting tired all the time and her heart was beating out of control. Then, in the middle of the night she wakes me up and she goes, ‘I think I’m having a heart attack.’ 

“She was going into AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) [which often causes palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue]. We took her to the emergency room. The doctors gave her some medicine to slow her heart back down. Then they X-rayed her heart and saw her heart walls are really thick and there was some protein buildup that turned out to be amyloidosis, which is this crazy, rare disease that has a high mortality rate. 

“We looked it up online and saw that patients have an average of six months to live from the moment of diagnosis. And we were like, ‘You’re fucking kidding me!’ She’s 48. She’s normal. She eats very healthy and takes care of herself. So what the fuck? We went through the Mayo Clinic and she did chemotherapy for a year, which was fucking horrible.”

This happened while you were writing and recording Hushed and Grim? 

Kelliher: “Yes, and there’s nothing you can do except watch your wife suffer and try to soothe her. In the back of my mind, I was always thinking, ‘Fuck, man, if don’t know what I’ll do if I lose her. I’d be completely lost in this existence without her. How am I gonna raise my kids without my wife around?’ 

“But she had the chemo and now she’s doing really well. But you just never know how life can sneak up on you. You think you’re healthy one minute and the next minute you’ve got this crazy rare disease. And now, every little ache or pain – or if she gets tired – we’re like, ‘Oh man, is the disease coming back?’ And that’s fuckin’ scary.”

How were you able to focus and create when your wife was ill? Was it cathartic to work when she was resting?

Kelliher: “I think it has become that way. When my mom was dying in hospice I was by her bedside with my laptop and a guitar. I was overdubbing a lot of the stuff in the Emperor of Sand demos. And this time, I was just on this writing binge. I don’t know if it was cathartic because I was still extremely sad that she was so sick, but it brought out this fire in me to write and write and write.”

Brendan O’Brien produced your last album, Emperor of Sand, as well as Crack the Skye. This time, you worked with David Bottrill, who has produced albums for Tool and Peter Gabriel. 

Hinds: “We’re really good friends with the Tool guys. We told them we were looking for a producer and they worked with him before and had a great experience. They were like, ‘This guy is the man!’ 

Kelliher: “Honestly, we were pretty happy with the way Crack the Skye turned out and Emperor of Sand, so we were ready to work with Brendan O’Brien again. He’s a great guy and a great producer. 

“But Warner Bros. wanted us to talk to some other people who wanted to work with us. Dave Bottrill was one of them, and he was very proactive. We got on a Zoom call with him and immediately he was like, ‘All right, I’ve listened to all your demos and I’ve got some ideas.’ 

“He had a million notes and specific suggestions for every song. That impressed us. And he’s a very intelligent guy, very pleasant to work with, and he knew how to circumvent any problems in a way that would keep everybody happy, which is what we needed.”

Were there any particular talents or techniques that David used to make Hushed and Grim better? 

Kelliher: “There were a couple songs where David had this idea of playing five guitar tracks of the same thing, but adjusting the tuning from A-440 to 442, 445, 446. Every one of them was just a little bit out of tune and created this wall of clean guitar with this natural chorus effect on it. That was very cool. 

Hinds: “We tend to go fast a lot. We don’t really know how to slow down. So David helped us out with that. Also, there were times when a song would be really long and it would be in the same key for too long. So he would suggest changing keys and doing more of a classic turnaround – go into another two chords to get back to your starting chord. It was very intelligent stuff. 

“When it was all over with, I was definitely... Dave is a new friend of mine now. I love Brendan to death, but I’m glad we went with someone else to get a different perspective on the music. I’m glad I can call David a friend, too.”

• Hushed and Grim is out now via Reprise Records.

Since signing with ESP Guitars in 2016, Bill Kelliher has been mostly sighted playing his signature BK-600 and Sparrowhawk designs, but it turns out the Mastodon riff machine has an affinity for another, more unlikely, model in the Japanese company’s catalog: Ron Wood’s signature ESP.

In a new interview with Total Guitar’s Amit Sharma, Kelliher explains how the Tele-esque electric guitar ended up handling many of the clean tones on blockbuster new album Hushed and Grim.

“One of my secret weapons in the studio is a Ron Wood ESP,” he explains. “It’s a Telecaster with a humbucker and it’s the best-sounding Tele ever, so warm and still twangy. I used that a lot because I knew any time I needed that sound, it would always work better than anything else.”

The Ron Wood model is one of the more traditional offerings in ESP’s lineup, built for the Rolling Stones guitarist, and featuring ESP own-design humbucker and single-coil pickups.

Other models Kelliher employed throughout the making of the record include his ESP Sparrowhawks – now featuring new Mojotone Hellbender pickups – and a black 2007 Gibson Les Paul.

Elsewhere in the interview, the guitarist dished out more info on the mystery ESP double-cut that appeared in a promo for his signature STL ToneHub Pack last month.

“There’s an ESP called the Royal Shiva which hasn’t come out yet but it’s pretty much an exact replica of my First Act nine-string,” he reveals. “It’s super-thick at the neck and weighs about 13 pounds... It’s the fuckin’ heaviest guitar ever! I’ve been playing it live and it was in the studio, with a set of my Hellbender pickups.”

Head to Magazines Direct to pick up a copy of the latest issue of Total Guitar, which features the full interview with Kelliher, as well as a rundown of the 50 greatest Beatles guitar songs, Santana and Trivium interviews, plus tabs of songs by Free, Biffy Clyro, Extreme and Passenger.

A legion of the guitar world’s biggest stars have penned touching letters of tribute to Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews, who celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday (December 6).

Included in the list of individuals who sent letters to Matthews – who founded the ground-breaking pedal company back in 1968 – were John Frusciante, Jack White and Emily Wolfe, as well as Noel Gallagher, Vernon Reid and Adrian Belew.

Electric guitar icon Peter Frampton also sent Matthews a letter wishing the pedal pioneer a happy birthday, as did Bill Kelliher, Guthrie Govan, Yvette Young, John McLaughlin and more.

In his own letter, Frusciante reflected upon the time he met Matthews at NAMM, writing, “Dear Mike, you’ve been making my favorite effects as long as I’ve been playing guitar.

“I don’t know if you remember, but when I was 14 I was an Adrian Belew fanatic and I hung out with you at NAMM, and we talked for quite a while,” he continued. “You answered questions I had about Adrian and your effects, and you made a very big impression on me.

“I would always speak of you with the utmost reverence. I never stopped using your stuff. Thanks for being you!”

King Crimson guitarist and EHX champion Belew was equally praising in his letter, saying, “Your accomplishments are so very meaningful and legendary. I would never have become the musician I am without you. You truly changed my life.”

“Thank you for making music what it is today,” wrote Emily Wolfe. “The Big Muff is such a go-to sound for me, along with so many artists. We truly owe you the world for changing music as we know it and giving us artists a way to create the sounds we hear in our head.”

In his own letter, Kelliher revealed his three favorite Electro-Harmonix pedals – “the Ravish Sitar, Pitch Fork and, of course, the Holy Grail” – while Gallagher joked, “Thanks for making our shit sound better than it actually is!”

Matthews, founder and CEO of Electro-Harmonix, is the brains behind some of the most iconic effects pedals in music history, including old-school classics such as the Memory Man delay and Big Muff Pi – favored by David Gilmour, Billy Corgan, Carlos Santana and J Mascis.

Other modern day EHX favorites include the John Mayer-favored Q-Tron+, which was recently joined in the brand's envelope filter range by the downsized Q-Tron Nano.

To browse the entire collection of letters, head on down to Electro-Harmonix.

Prog metal fans the world over have likely given Mastodon's new album Hushed and Grim at least a few spins, but the Atlanta quartet brought the fresh material to the masses earlier this week with a performance of Teardrinker on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Appearing on Tuesday's episode of the talkshow, the band treated the studio audience to a dual electric guitar-laden heavy metal masterclass, with highlights including a dizzying solo from guitarist Brent Hinds and even a bass solo from Troy Sanders.

Footage from the performance has now been posted online – watch it below.

While Bill Kelliher opts for his signature ESP Sparrowhawk, Brent Hinds can also be seen wielding an unidentifiable model from the Japanese company.

Hinds' guitar sports a double-cut shape, with a matt black finish, two humbuckers and, unusually, what looks to be a Jazzmaster-style floating tremolo – all of which has us pondering: is Brent Hinds ESP's next signature artist?

It's not the band's first ESP signature model tease this month, either; Bill Kelliher used demos for his STL ToneHub Pack as an opportunity to debut his own new Silverburst double-cut from the company.

The band's Seth Myers performance comes hot on the heels of the news that Mastodon have been nominated for a Grammy. They are up for the Best Metal Performance award for their track Pushing the Tides, and are up against the stellar competition of Deftones, Dream Theater, Gojira and Rob Zombie.

Mastodon's new album Hushed and Grim arrived last month via Reprise Records. Described by the band as their “most ambitious body of work to date”, the record – which follows 2017's Emperor of Sand – comprises 15 tracks and clocks in at almost an hour and a half.

Speaking to Talking Metal earlier this year, guitarist Bill Kelliher explained that they went into the process of creating the album “with open minds”, and as a result produced their “fullest‑, biggest-sounding record” so far.

Despite the four-year gap between official studio releases, Mastodon also released another album, Medium Rarities – a collection of cover tunes, soundtrack contributions, instrumentals, B-sides and live recordings – in 2020.

In a Guitar World interview earlier this year, Kelliher paid tribute to Metallica as they celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Black Album. He recalled touring with the metal giants on a series of dates supporting their 2008 album, Death Magnetic, and shared insight into their grueling work ethic.

“They really work for it,” he said. “They had a mobile practice room, like a shipping container, that went everywhere with them. And every day they would open it up three hours before the gig with Pro Tools set up and everything mic'd up.

“I’m not kidding, they would play for three fucking hours before they played on stage for another two fucking hours. I think it was called the 'Tuning and Attitude' room. They’d be playing different songs every night so they’d be jamming through different setlists while we were sitting around drinking beer and picking our noses!”

Mastodon dropped their grandest album yet, Hushed and Grim, last month, and Bill Kelliher has followed up with a signature STL ToneHub Pack, replicating its gargantuan guitar sounds – but there’s another piece of gear that’s been catching guitarists’ eyes.

In a promo video for the plugin, Kelliher can be seen playing a double-cut Silverburst ESP Eclipse, one quite unlike anything else in the company’s current catalog and closer in design to a Yamaha SG2000 or First Act custom offering.

The mystery axe hasn’t escaped Kelliher fans, who quickly filled the video’s comment section with requests for ESP to give the guitar an official release.

ESP has made double-cut Eclipse models before – including a 2012 model for Kirk Hammett – but previous designs either had flat tops or more traditional contours: certainly nothing approaching those deep grooves between the horns, as seen on Kelliher’s model.

As it turns out, the rhythm man acknowledged the guitar’s existence in a new interview with UK retailer GuitarGuitar.

“I have a new prototype ESP which is like a double cutaway Silverburst, which is probably about this thick [demonstrates a substantial size with fingers] – I’m not even exaggerating,” he revealed.

“It weighs about 12-13 lbs, which in comparison, this ESP [Sparrowhawk] is probably about 7lbs. it’s very heavy. [laughs] I’ve been using it live and I’m like, ‘Man! I thought Explorers were heavy!’ It just sounds amazing. I think it has Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups in it.”

Should the model receive a release, it would be Kelliher’s third signature design since signing with ESP in 2016, following the BK-600 Eclipse single-cut and Firebird-esque Sparrowhawk.

Kelliher’s STL ToneHub Pack (and the actual subject of the video) looks pretty hot, too, with tones captured during the sessions for Hushed and Grim, and spanning Mastodon’s career.

Modeled amps include all three channels from Bill’s signature Friedman Butterslax, his trademark Marshall JCM800, as well as Fender Deluxe and Vibrolux combos.

The package costs $39 for existing STL ToneHub users, and is also available as a Kemper Pack for $49.

For more info on Bill’s ToneHub Pack, head to STL Tones. For more on that double-cut, however, stay tuned…

As part of Guitar World's cover story celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Black Album, we spoke to some key players whose lives had been changed by Metallica’s self-titled 1991 opus.

One of those musicians was Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher, then just 20 years old and already a fully fledged ‘Tallica fan when the metal masters released album number five.

As he explains, their stylistic shift from longer, almost progressive orchestrations to something more sonically direct and urgent took a little while to process at first. It was, after all, a new side to Metallica – with bigger hooks and stronger melodies to counterpoint their signature thrash aggression, and shorter songs compared with its predecessors.

It didn’t take long, however, for Kelliher to realize the true greatness encased in its 12 genre-defining tracks, which saw the four horsemen taking cues from bands like Soundgarden in search of “the ultimate bouncy riff” and consequently pervading the mainstream in ways that heavy metal had never dared to before.

Nearly two decades later, Mastodon would be invited to support their heroes on the World Magnetic tour – learning a thing or two, as we find out, along the way…  

There are many big guitar moments on The Black Album. Which would you say is your personal favorite?

“The thing about the The Black Album is that there are so many fucking awesome riffs on it. When I first heard it, I was a bit, not disappointed, but because of the cleaner singing I was kinda like, ‘Whatever!’ But later I went back to listen to it and was like, ‘Holy fuck!’ That record is so good. It’s an absolute crusher. I could name any song or any riff as a defining moment. 

“The Sad But True riff is perfect, for example. I actually learned it on guitar pretty recently because it sounds so simple yet sounds so big with the palm muting. It’s a real chugga-chugga record, every song has lots of that going on… which I love.”

Some riffs can be so addictive to play.

“Honestly, once I learned that one, I just couldn’t stop playing it. It’s such a satisfying riff. And that’s why we’re guitar players, right?! It’s fun playing other people’s music. It makes you feel good. I totally understand why cover bands have a lot of fun doing what they do.”

Stylistically, it’s interesting how Metallica went for a less symphonic and more simplified kind of aggression on album number five… 

“They went from writing 10-minute opuses to this. If you listen to ...And Justice For All, there’s so much technical wizardry and so many tempo changes. There was a lot of math going on with that album. But that one was almost pushing the boundaries too far out there – the crowds will have thought it was cool but also found it a bit harder to process, with a lot of instrumentals. I’ve noticed it too in Mastodon…”

How do you mean?

“When we play songs that are like 15 minutes long people sometimes have long faces. They’re stood there, it’s all cool and fun, but maybe it could start getting boring.

“On this album, Metallica chose to shorten the songs and go straight to the point. They’d get to the chorus quicker, which is more of a rock and roll or pop kind of approach, going from verse to chorus to verse to chorus to solo to chorus. I like to write songs like that myself – it’s a classic formula! 

“Hetfield really went out on a limb when he started actually singing. I know he was inspired by Chris Isaak a lot on this record. He hadn’t sung like that before and they were nervous the fans were going to turn the other cheek. To me, that’s a huge growth spurt and turning point. And we’ve kinda done the same thing with Mastodon…”

Which songs do you think exemplify that transition the most, would you say?

“Show Yourself is a super poppy tune and I’m sure some of our hardcore fans will have turned their heads thinking we sold out. But we didn’t. That’s just a song that felt cool to us so we put it on a record. 

Similarly, when I first heard Enter Sandman I thought, ‘What is this?!’ It sounded like a radio song and I was a little bummed out. But it changed their career and metal music in general. They were huge anyway but after that they were massive. 

“Now they’re this huge machine and The Black Album solidified that – it made them bigger and better, with even more fans and more accolades. 

“For me, it was their last really good record, but that’s a whole different story. They were one of my main influences while learning guitar. I always looked up to James Hetfield for his rhythm tones and songwriting abilities. It hit me in a personal place, and perfect timing for me at the end of my teens. The other thing that drew me to The Black Album is that they started to mess around with tunings…”

You’ve certainly experimented a great deal with different tunings in Mastodon, too… 

“Exactly. There were about three different tunings on the record. I remember trying to learn the songs and not knowing much about that stuff. It felt odd that their low strings didn’t sound the same. And of course later I figured out that tuning down is what gave their tones a heavier sound. 

“It’s another thing that makes The Black Album special – going from standard to half or a whole step down. Back then things like that kept us guitar players on our toes, you’d start wondering what the hell that band are doing to sound like that. And it taught me a lot… and, like you said, I started doing it myself later down the line in Mastodon!”

You’ve played a fair few Explorers over the years – would it be fair to say James Hetfield inspired those choices?

“Whenever I think of Hetfield, I see him with a white Explorer with ‘Eet Fuk’ written on it [laughs]. That’s the embodiment of Metallica’s sound in a guitar and yeah, it’s a sound I love. Obviously they had the Flying Vs on Kirk’s side too, but I’m more of a rhythm guy, so I always think more of Hetfield’s rhythm stuff. 

“Even the clean tones were great. If you listen to their earlier records… it is what it is. That’s what they had to work with to record Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning. You can tell for the clean tones they were just turning the distortion box off, going into the clean channel of a JCM800 or Boogie. 

“They didn’t really focus on the clean tones as much. It just sounded raw. Then they started getting better production on Master of Puppets. By the time they got to The Black Album everything sounded great – from the guitars to the vocals to the drums. It’s really in-your-face and yet still very nice and separated. It’s also the first record they made playing live together and then adding to it later.”

You were picked to support them on a sizable chunk of the Death Magnetic tour dates. What do you remember most about those experiences?

“They really work for it. They had a mobile practice room, like a shipping container, that went everywhere with them. And every day they would open it up three hours before the gig with Pro Tools set up and everything mic’d up. 

“I’m not kidding, they would play for three fucking hours before they played on stage for another two fucking hours. I think it was called the 'Tuning and Attitude' room. They’d be playing different songs every night so they’d be jamming through different setlists while we were sitting around drinking beer and picking our noses [laughs].”

It’s all well and good being the biggest metal band in the world, but maybe that kind of work ethic is what helped them stay at the top…

“I felt like we could learn a lot from those guys before the tour and we did. They’d practice even though they didn’t have to… because they’re fucking Metallica, they can do what they want. So that was pretty cool to see. And they’re also the nicest guys in the world, always super-friendly to us. 

“We played in the round on that tour which was very difficult for us, because we were not used to it. And for a lot of those shows our in-ear monitors went to shit and we’d hired some new techs. It ended up feeling like we couldn’t hear anything at all night after night, while trying to work this round stage as people were walking in to see Metallica wondering, ‘Who the fuck are these clowns?!’”

• The remastered 30th Anniversary Black Album is out now via Blackened Recordings.

Since their formation in 1999, Mastodon's sound has been defined by heavy guitar riffs. And while it may be easy to attribute the heaviness of said riffs to the tones dialed in by guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher, the secrets apparently lie more in composition.

As Kelliher explains in a new interview with Line 6, “It’s not the gain from your pickups or pedals or your amp that makes your riff heavy – it’s the riff. The riff has got to be heavy. 

“Many of the heaviest riffs ever recorded aren’t all that distorted,” he continues. “Think about Black Sabbath or Soundgarden; their amps weren’t super overdriven all the time. Some guitarists just go, ‘Oh, I’m going to add like five distortion pedals and get the sickest crazy gain levels,’ but they’d be better off just focusing on writing truly heavy riffs.”

He goes on: “At some point the more gain you add the muddier the sound gets, especially when you are doubling guitars on a recording. 

“I’ll usually record a track that’s pretty chunky and heavy, then another one with less distortion, so that when the two are combined there’s still a lot of definition. I’m a pretty articulate player and I want every note I play to cut through and be heard.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, the guitarist explains the evolution of his picking technique.

“When I first started playing guitar, I was very much a downstroke player because I grew up learning how to play songs by watching and listening to my favorite bands, like the Ramones, punk-rock style,” he explains. “I never took any lessons. 

“There’s a percussive feel to that because you’re hitting the low string first and you’re hearing the same chord played over and over because repetition is what punk and heavy rock are all about. 

“Later in my career I learned about alternate picking and double picking. I learned by playing along with people, and some of those people were playing really fast. When I asked them how they did it, they showed me how to use down/up/down strokes, so I learned to do that. But when it comes to playing the classics, it’s a down-picking world.”

For the full interview, in which Kelliher waxes lyrical on his approach to gear – and even offers a free Helix preset – head over to Line 6.

While the return of live music is no longer a pipe dream, The Kings of Quarantine are committed to continuing their lockdown heroics, and have assembled yet another mind-boggling array of guest collaborators and electric guitar heroes for a new remote cover.

This time round, project founders Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine are joined by Mastodon's Bill Kelliher, Faith No More’s Billy Gould and Mike Bordin, Mix Master Mike of Beastie Boys, Derrick Green of Sepultura and Popaganda’s Ron English for a crushing cover of Public Enemy’s She Watch Channel Zero.

Doug ‘SA’ Martinez of 311, Cypress Hill rapper Sen Dog and H2O vocalist Toby Morse were also drafted onboard to offer their musical services.

Highlights from the high-octane cover include Gould’s pumping bass guitar lines and Sen Dog's effortless lyrical flow, as well as Jardine and Kelliher’s delicious display of riotous riffs, oversized hooks and oh-so sweet harmonic interplay. 

The latest offering from the pandemic supergroup was released in collaboration with the Roadie Relief fund, in an effort to raise awareness for all of the industry workers who have been impacted by the lack of live music.

Of the new release, Rockman said, “We hope to not only put a smile on people’s faces, but also help the touring staff that have been severely affected by the pandemic.”

Their cover of She Watch Channel Zero is available from The Kings of Quarantine Bandcamp page for $1, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the relief fund.

Head over to Roadie Relief to donate to the cause.

This isn't Kelliher's first collaboration with The Kings of Quarantine – he recently joined the group for a virtual cover of Jane’s Addiction’s Mountain Song.

With touring a no-go, 2020 saw the industry's biggest names take part in some killer quarantine jam sessions. From a stomping Run-DMC medley with members of Anthrax, Volbeat and Suicidal Tendencies to Metallica's acoustic reimagining of ...And Justice for All's Blackened, musicians the world over showed that it'll take a lot more than some pesky virus to dull their creative spark.

The latest quarantine jam sees Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine, founders of The Kings of Quarantine and brains behind Roadie Relief – an organization set up to financially help out-of-work tour crews – enlist the help of Limp Bizkit's Wes Borland and Mastodon's Bill Kelliher for a cover of Jane's Addiction's Mountain Song.

This one gives new meaning to the term 'star-studded', with In Flames drummer Tanner Wayne, The Used's Bert McCracken, Filter's Richard Patrick, Veruca Salt's Louise Post and 311 bassist P-Nut also appearing.

But perhaps the most notable guest appearance is that of McCracken's daughter Cleo, who serves as her father's mascot, offering some sweet air guitar shreddage.

The cover is now available for $1 on Bandcamp, and 100 percent of the profits will go directly to Roadie Relief. To make a donation, head to organization's GoFundMe page.

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante has masterminded an astonishing run of all-star playthroughs during the lockdown period, including covers of Rush’s Freewill and a monster Run-DMC medley – now, for his latest effort, he’s recruited a few famous friends to perform the Soundgarden classic Rusty Cage.

Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher handles guitar duties on the track, while William DuVall has the unenviable task of tackling Chris Cornell’s vocals, as Benante and Metal Allegiance’s Mark Menghi bring the rhythmic thunder underneath.

The result is an impressively faithful cover, right down to Kelliher’s crunchy tone and that cheeky pre-verb on the vocals. No wonder it got the seal of approval from Soundgarden’s own Kim Thayil, who appears at the start of the video to give it his blessing.

Also, we can’t help but notice that Kelliher is playing a Gibson Les Paul, rather than his usual ESP signature model, in the clip – it could just be for tonal reasons, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

DuVall, of course, is no stranger to covering Soundgarden, as Alice in Chains performed Hunted Down and Boot Camp in tribute to Cornell back in 2018.

“I was a Soundgarden fan as soon as I heard Hunted Down,” Benante says in the video’s description. “I then heard the Fopp EP on which they had covered an Ohio Players song… and I was hooked.

“I saw them numerous times from 1988-89 to playing festivals with them a few years ago. I always thought they had ‘it’: they were tight but loose, up and down, in and out of tune, heavy and soft, always unique.

“We are celebrating the music they created with this version of Rusty Cage. When Bill, Mark, William and I decided to jam this one out it was because it moved us when we first heard it and dammit, it still does!”

With incredible covers of AC/DC’s Riff Raff,  Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill and Rush’s Anthem, among many others, Two Minutes to Late Night, the self-proclaimed “world’s only heavy-metal themed talk show,” has already made it clear that they fully own the quarantine video jam.

Now TMTLN have once again topped themselves, this time with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s groovy 1977 jam You Make Loving Fun, highlighted by some serious shredding from former Megadeth electric guitar player Marty Friedman on a Fender Made in Japan Modern Series Telecaster.

The cover is rounded out by an all-star cast including Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher, Lucifer’s Johanna Sadonis , Nicke Andersson (Lucifer, the Hellacopters, Entombed), Nick Jost (Baroness, Norse Torso), Stephen Brodsky (Mutoid Man, Cave In, Old Man Gloom), Emily Panic (a.k.a. Hard Melissa) and TMTLN’s Jordan Olds (a.k.a. Gwarsenio Hall).

In a statement accompanying the video, Two Minutes to Late Night wrote: “Ooh ooh witchy womxn! We covered your mom's favorite Fleetwood Mac Song and frankly our's too. Also, Marty Friedman lives in Japan plus Johanna and Nicke live in Sweden so there are all kinds of international spookiness in this video.”

You can check it out above.

When it comes to the art of the quarantine video jam, no one has killed it these past few months quite like Two Minutes to Late Night, who have slayed us with insane covers of AC/DC’s Riff Raff and Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill.

But the self-proclaimed “world’s only heavy metal-themed talk show” may have topped themselves with their newest video, a crazy-awesome take on Rush’s Anthem, featuring Tool’s Danny Carey on drums, Primus’s Les Claypool on bass and an electric guitar trio consisting of Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher, Mutoid Man’s Stephen Brodsky and TMTLN co-creator Jordan Olds (a k a “Gwarsenio Hall”).

On vocals, meanwhile, is Coheed and Cambria frontman and avowed Rush fanatic Claudio Sanchez, who handles Geddy Lee’s helium-range vocals with ease.

Needless to say, the jam is awesome. What’s more, all the artists involved are donating their fees for the video to the Cancer Research Institute.

For more on Two Minutes to Late Night, head over to their official YouTube channel.

We were thoroughly slayed by the recent cover of AC/DC’s Riff Raff from Two Minutes to Late Night, “the world's only heavy metal-themed talk show,” which brought together members of Clutch, Cave In, Converge and Carcass.

Now Two Minutes to Late Night is back with a similarly impressive, if decidedly more moody, cover: Kate Bush’s 1985 classic Running Up That Hill, featuring vocalist Emma Ruth Rundle, Mastodon electric guitar player Bill Kelliher, YOB bassist Aaron Rieseberg, Old Man Gloom drummer Santos Montano and Two Minutes to Late Night’s Jordan Olds.

In a message posted alongside the video, TMTLN wrote: “Hello friends, we decided to release this video on schedule even though our country is in turmoil because we wanted to honor the hard work of our guest musicians and to give our fans a respite from the horrors of the fascist police state.”

The troupe also asks that “in lieu of donating to our Patreon, we ask you to consider making a donation to the protestor bail funds for your local city [which are listed on the YouTube page].

“Please take a moment to acknowledge our many friends who cannot enjoy any kind of video right now. Black Lives Matter. Rest in power George Floyd and the many other victims of systemic oppression.”

For more on Two Minutes to Late Night, check out their official YouTube channel.

Mastodon have been celebrating the 10th anniversary of their fourth album, 2009’s Crack the Skye, all year with new merch, a vinyl picture disc of the record and a co-headlining tour with Coheed and Cambria on which they’re playing the full track list.

Additionally, they’ve been releasing weekly episodes chronicling the making of the record. Above, check out the fourth episode, which focuses on guitar playing and gear.

Regarding how he approached his leads on the record, Brent Hinds says, “Here’s how I’ll write guitar solos: I don’t. I just put my brain on autopilot and pick up the guitar and say ‘Play this song.’ ”

Remarks Bill Kelliher, “I always try to harmonize…not everything, but anything that’s single notes or whatever, I feel like, ‘I’m gonna harmonize the crap out of that.’ ”

They also delve deep into the “immense” arsenal of guitars and amps they had to work with on the record, which included Leslie speakers, vintage Strats and Teles, a purple Marshall JMP and a JCM 800 reissue that was, according to Kelliher, “100 watts of pure fuckin’ metal.”

Says Hinds, “The gear is definitely why I get out of bed in the morning.”

Time seems to be on Mastodon’s side. Together now for 17 years without a single blip in their lineup, the Atlanta-based alt-metal four-piece is still as tight personally as they are musically.

“It’s our job to stay together,” says singer-guitarist Brent Hinds. “And we’re not married to one another, so that makes it easier.”

He lets out a throaty laugh, then elaborates on the band’s lasting chemistry: “I think what helps the most is being adults and respecting each other’s personal space. Plus, we’ve got the same goal, which was to be in an awesome band that takes over the world. My bank account says we’re not quite there yet, but we’re working at it.”

Co-guitarist Bill Kelliher affirms that the task of staying together has been the band’s biggest shared goal since their first rehearsal.

“We all felt it right away,” he states. “We said, ‘That’s it. No one is allowed to quit unless we all quit.’ A lot of bands break up for silly reasons. One member decides to hang out with his wife, or he doesn’t want to be on tour so much, and then things fall apart. But we made that pact: No one can leave unless we all leave. That’s how we do it.”

The subject of time informs Mastodon’s eighth album, Emperor of Sand, on which the group (which also includes singer-bassist Troy Sanders and singer-drummer Brann Dailor) explores a narrative that tackles life’s ticking clock. Mortality was briefly addressed on 2011’s The Hunter (the title song was a tribute to Hinds’ brother, who was killed in a hunting accident), but here it’s the focal point, and once again, the band channeled real-life heartbreak (the cancer-related death of Kelliher’s mother last year, along with two recent cancer diagnoses within the Mastodon family) into art.

Responding to such tragedy, Dailor constructed a thread concerning a sultan wandering the desert who’s been handed a death sentence by the grim reaper, i.e. the “Emperor of Sand.” While it might not be labeled the feel-good record of the year, Emperor of Sand contains some of Mastodon’s most ambitious and musically rich performances yet.

Below, you can read an excerpt of our Mastodon interview from the May 2017 issue of Guitar World. For the complete story, plus a feature on Mastodon's pedalboards, pick up the new issue at newsstands or the Guitar World Online Store.

Brent, last year you told Guitar World that the new album would be a double, the first disc being one that you wrote and the other one written by the other guys. What led to it being a single disc?
BRENT HINDS The double album is coming. The records just aren’t going to come out at the same time because that’s the death of any band. This one’s Emperor of Sand, and then Cold Dark Place comes out on Record Store Day in June. I was just trying to play clever; that way I can get people to purchase two albums instead of one.

Speaking of albums, you guys are still big advocates of the full-length format. For a lot of artists, albums are going the way of the dodo bird.
HINDS Not with us, man. Not me. I’ve been making albums since I was 14 or 15, and I’m still making them at 43. There’s no way I could quit making albums. Even if they didn’t exist, I'd be that guy holding on and making them exist.

BILL KELLIHER We’re holding on to albums like the balding guy with the comb-over who’s clinging to his youth. [laughs] But it’s true: We’re all older guys, and we grew up listening to records and vinyl. You have these sessions where you sit down and grab your bong and put on your record. You don’t just listen to one song in the middle. You listen to side one from beginning to end, and then you flip the record over and listen to the other side. That’s what we’re all about.

Can you elaborate a bit on the concept of Emperor of Sand?
HINDS The concept means there’s only one certainty in life, and that certainty is we’re all gonna die.

KELLIHER For us, and for me certainly, each concept record comes from a personal place. When I first started writing this record, I got a phone call that my mom had a seizure. My dad passed away 20 years ago, so I always made sure I was super-close to my mom. The seizure happened right when we got back from touring. She was diagnosed with brain cancer—glioblastoma. I knew it was a death sentence, so I was thinking, How much time do we have?

HINDS These events in our lives kept unfolding. [Troy Sanders’ wife] Jez had breast cancer, Bill’s mom’s had brain cancer, and now Brann’s mom has lung cancer. These very horrific and unfortunate events unfold in your life kind of enter the music. When you sit around and discuss a concept record, it’s like you’re really having a conversation about your family.

So it all becomes a form of therapy…
KELLIHER I set up in my mom’s house to be with her, and I had my guitar. I would play and write—it was a distraction I needed. I built a studio in my home, and I got a drum set, so I started doing demos. I was just working away and trying to come up with riffs and stuff, trying to make the best record I could.

And then things started happening with Brann’s mom. He would come over and we’d have coffee, and it was like, “How’s your mom doing?” “You know, how’s your mom doing?” We would talk about life and death and what it really meant. We kind of put it all into a concept. Brann started talking about the “Emperor of Sand,” the one who controls your destiny. I was thinking of sand moving through the hourglass. My mom didn’t get to do all the things she wanted to do, so you know… You can’t waste your time. Don’t let it slip away from you.

On that note, Brendan O’Brien doesn’t waste time in the studio, does he?
KELLIHER No, he doesn’t. He works quickly and he has great ideas. We felt awesome about Crack the Skye. We loved it; it was great. We worked with some other guys—Nick Raskulinecz is so cool; he’s like a big cheerleader—but we were trilled to get with Brendan again.

HINDS We did this whole album in a month. I love that. Some guys take so long ’cause they smoke pot or they have ADHD or something.

KELLIHER Brendan turns a one-dimensional picture into a three-dimensional painting. You know what I mean? He makes the record sound like it has shading in the corners, and you can see around things. I can see these things flying by in my head. Brendan adds keyboards and Mellotrons. He gives things a soundtrack kind of feel.

Let’s get into some of the songs. Singling out riffs is kind of silly, because there’s so many great ones, but “Sultan’s Curse” is a real doozy.
KELLIHER And you know, I’ve had that riff hanging around for probably six years.

Six years? And it’s never wound up in a song until now?
KELLIHER It didn’t have any friends. It was just a lone wolf. So I had that riff, and then I had the last riff, and then I had the bridge. But it needed time to come together. The riff was fucking awesome, but I just couldn’t get the verses or the chorus. But you know, you can’t force things. Even if you have a sick riff, you need the rest. That one took time to take shape, but it turned into a great song to start the album with.

Brent, you’ve described “Show Yourself” as being “outside the box” for Mastodon. Why is that?
HINDS ’Cause it’s such a happy song. It’s simple and it gets right to the point. You don’t have to sit around waiting for something to happen. Other songs take you on more of a journey. This one…you’re kind of right there.

KELLIHER It’s more of an oasis in the middle of a dense forest of music. It’s like, “Okay, we’ve got a nice, straight-ahead rocker.” To me, that’s the cool thing about Mastodon: We don’t have to stick to anybody’s idea of what we should sound like. People try to tell us all day long, “You guys need to write another Remission!” But we play what feels fucking cool at the time.

For the complete story, plus a feature on Mastodon's pedalboards, pick up the new issue at newsstands or the Guitar World Online Store.

ESP Guitars' new Bill Kelliher Signature Series models are available now.

The ESP Bill Kelliher and LTD BK-600EC models are single-cutaway designs that employ a mahogany body with a traditional full thickness and no waist cut. The three-piece mahogany neck is joined to the body with set-thru construction at 24.75” scale for smooth and comfortable fast access to the upper frets.

The guitars feature an ebony fingerboard with pearloid “ESP Flag” inlays and 22 frets, as well as binding on the body, neck and headstock.

The Bill Kelliher models are powered by two of Kelliher’s signature Lace Sensor “Dissonant Aggressor" pickups, a sonically versatile humbucker set with excellent dynamic response, sustain and tone. The guitars also feature locking tuners and a TonePros locking bridge. Kelliher’s new signature guitars also feature a distinctive Military Green Sunburst Satin finish.

“We are beyond proud to have a guitarist who is as universally respected as Bill in our artist roster,” says Chris Cannella, ESP's director of artist relations. “Mastodon is a consistent favorite among fellow musicians and fans, crossing multiple genres of metal with an appeal that’s like no other band. Bill is a great representative of an ideal ESP player. We’re completely stoked to have him on board.”

To find out more, visit ESPguitars.com.

ESP Guitars announced that acclaimed guitarist Bill Kelliher of Atlanta-based metal band Mastodon has joined the company’s family of endorsed artists.

The company also announced the introduction of two Signature Series models for Kelliher: the ESP Bill Kelliher and the LTD BK-600EC. Both models will be available later this year.

“We are beyond proud to have a guitarist who is as universally respected as Bill in our artist roster,” says Chris Cannella, ESP director of artist relations. “Mastodon is a consistent favorite among fellow musicians and fans, crossing multiple genres of metal with an appeal that’s like no other band. Bill is a great representative of an ideal ESP player. We’re completely stoked to have him onboard.”

The ESP Bill Kelliher and LTD BK-600EC are single-cutaway designs that employ a mahogany body with a traditional full thickness, and no waist cut. The three-piece mahogany neck is joined to the body with set-thru construction at 24.75” scale for smooth and comfortable fast access to the upper frets. The guitars feature an ebony fingerboard with pearloid “ESP Flag” inlays and 22 frets, as well as binding on the body, neck, and headstock.

The new models are powered by two of Kelliher’s own signature Lace Sensor “Dissonant Aggressor“ pickups, a sonically versatile humbucker set with excellent dynamic response, sustain and tone. The guitars also feature locking tuners and a TonePros locking bridge. Kelliher’s new signature guitars are being created with a distinctive Military Green Sunburst Satin finish.

LTD BK-600EC photos:

More information on the new Bill Kelliher ESP and LTD Signature Series guitars will be available soon at espguitars.com.

ESP Guitars has announced that guitarist Bill Kelliher of Mastodon has joined the company’s family of endorsed artists. ESP also announced the introduction of two Signature Series models for Kelliher: the ESP Bill Kelliher and the LTD BK-600EC. Both will be available later this year. Visitors to ESP’s booth at Summer NAMM later this month will be able to see the BK-600 in person at Booth 1231 Hall D.

“We are beyond proud to have a guitarist who is as universally respected as Bill in our artist roster,” says Chris Cannella, ESP director of artist relations. “Mastodon is a consistent favorite among fellow musicians and fans, crossing multiple genres of metal with an appeal that’s like no other band. Bill is a great representative of an ideal ESP player. We’re completely stoked to have him onboard.”

The new ESP Bill Kelliher and LTD BK-600EC are single-cutaway designs that employ a mahogany body with a traditional full thickness, and no waist cut. The three-piece mahogany neck is joined to the body with set-thru construction at 24.75” scale for smooth and comfortable fast access to the upper frets. The guitars feature an ebony fingerboard with pearloid “ESP Flag” inlays and 22 frets, as well as binding on the body, neck, and headstock.

The new Bill Kelliher models are powered by two of Kelliher’s own signature Lace Sensor “Dissonant Aggressor“ pickups, a sonically versatile humbucker set with excellent dynamic response, sustain and tone. The guitars also feature locking tuners and a TonePros locking bridge. Kelliher’s new signature guitars are being created with a distinctive Military Green Sunburst Satin finish.

More information on the new Bill Kelliher ESP and LTD Signature Series guitars will be available soon via the ESP Guitars website at espguitars.com.

Lace Music Products has announced the Dissonant Aggressors Signature humbucker pickup series.

After choosing Lace pickups for his successful Gibson “Golden Axe” Explorer, Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has developed his own signature humbucker, the Dissonant Aggressors.

Kelliher and Jeff Lace have created pickups that are specific to Kelliher's requirements and aren't based on any other pickup.

Dissonant Aggressors perfectly capture the unique power and passion Kelliher brings to his music. These humbuckers have been designed to have increased dynamic response, sustain and articulation that cuts through all that it encounters. Unbalanced coils in the neck and bridge pickups yield a much more dynamic top end without being too "boomy."

The patented Lace design provides enhanced classic HB tone with the extra bonus of “ultra quiet” single coil tone while in split mode.

Another requirement for Kelliher’s new Signature pickup was that they achieve his signature tone and passion without the need for batteries. These humbuckers are passive in design and will never fail either on or off the stage while depending on a battery to enhance his pure Kelliher tone.

Lace’s unique patented monolithic magnet fields which sample a much greater section of string movement are the key to his desire.

The Dissonant Aggressors are available now. They can be ordered as a set or neck or bridge positions. Finishes are available in chrome, gold and black powder coat. All of the colors feature Kelliher’s signature logo.

Suggested Retail for the Dissonant Aggressors: Set # 32371 $195, Neck # 32372 $105, Bridge # 32373 $105.

For more information: Visit lacemusic.com..

Lace Music has announced that Gibson's new Bill Kelliher Golden Axe Explorer guitar is fitted with Lace Nitro Hemi pickups dressed in gold-plated finish.

Kelliher, one of the guitarists for Mastodon, has been a Lace endorser for some time. It is fitting that his new Signature Gibson Explorer guitar uses some of his favorite pickups.

Finished with gold-plated covers to match the rest of his Gibson, these pickups were specially built for this run of Golden Axe guitars.

Lace Nitro-Hemi pickups were designed for rock and heavy metal players. It is a serious modern humbucker that can be split for single-coil tones. Bold and aggressive, it will take you from zero to metal in a heartbeat.

Built with Barium Ferrite magnets and using patented Lace Sensor design, this passive high-output pickup has the thump of a fat humbucker with the sparkly bell like top end found in single-coil pickups, proving sweet harmonic overtones that jump off every note for increased sonic depth.

Nitro Hemi pickups are designed for zero noise and exceptional tone in the split-coil mode. As one of Kelliher’s requirements for Mastodon and more, these pickups deliver the tone and looks Kelliher sought for the guitar.

Technical Specs:

• Neck: Resistance 15.8Ω, Peak Frequency 2750 Hz, Inductance 4.6 henries
• Bridge: Resistance 19.0Ω, Peak Frequency 2600 Hz, Inductance 4.6 henries

For more information, visit Lace at lacemusic.com or Gibson at gibson.com.

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher discusses his early years.

What first inspired you to start playing guitar?

When I was growing up, my dad had a really good collection of records, which included everything from jazz to the Beatles. And through those records, I got into bands such as Boston, Van Halen and all the classic rock stuff.

Then around 1985 I saw Van Halen play, and it blew me away. Around the same time, I also heard U2’s War album and The Edge made me go, “What’s he playing, and how?” So I wanted to be like Eddie Van Halen and The Edge.

What was your first guitar?

When I was 15, my dad finally bought me a guitar. It cost him about $100, and it was this Eddie Van Halen Strat copy called a Starforce. It was red with white stripes and had a whammy bar. It was a really great guitar, and I wish I still had it, but I sold it back in the day to pay my rent.

What was the first song you learned?

It was “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2, and I learned the whole thing. After that I learned the riff to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” and when I learned that, I couldn’t believe how much of a growth spurt I had. It gave me a sense of self-achievement, and it inspired me.

Do you remember your first gig?

A month after I got my first guitar, I formed my first band, Krinkle Pig. We mainly played Ramones, Sex Pistols and Black Flag covers, and all sorts of East Bay early punk.

Our first gig was at a talent show I had organized at my high school. I remember feeling good about finally being up onstage with a guitar in my hand and having people watching us and enjoying themselves. It made me feel like a rock star.

Ever had an embarrassing onstage moment?

It was on a tour we did with DragonForce, Slipknot and Disturbed. We were going on before DragonForce, and they had all these platforms onstage that they jumped around on. I was moving around while I was playing.

At one point in the middle of a song, I stepped backward, and suddenly this drum riser on wheels came jumping out. I tripped on it and fell over.

What is your favorite piece of gear?

It’s an old Marshall JCM800 2210 head. I have had it retubed with 6550s. I never bring it out on tour anymore, as I don’t want anything to happen to it. It just stays in our practice space and goes in the studio, and that’s about it.

Got any advice for young players?

Make sure you practice and play to a metronome. Also, don’t take everything too seriously: have fun with writing music, and don’t let your feelings get hurt if your bandmates don’t like something you wrote. It’s really not worth it to fight with someone over a riff. Just write a new one.