Mastodon

American sludge metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, Mastodon was formed in 1999 around bassist and backing vocalist Troy Sanders (who became official vocalist when Eric Saner left the band in 2001), guitarist and backing vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer and backing vocalist Brann Dailor. The band's first releases were on the independent Relapse Records label, specializing in death metal and post-hardcore, with two albums, Remission in 2002 and Leviathan in 2004, preceded by two EPs in 2001 and followed by a third in 2003. All these releases went relatively unnoticed, and it was only when Mastodon signed with Warner (via the Reprise Records label) that a real turning point was reached, with the band's music now benefiting from greater media exposure. The Blood Mountain album, aided by a guest appearance on a track by Josh Homme (lead singer of Queens of the Stone Age), reaches #32 in the US, a ranking further improved by the following albums, Crack the Skye (#11 in 2009), The Hunter (#10 in 2011) and Once More 'Round the Sun (#6 in 2014). Mastodon continues to expand its discography with Emperor of Sand (No. 7 in 2017) and Hushed and Grim, No. 20 in 2021. After being ousted from the band in poor conditions, singer Brent Hinds died in a car accident on August 20, 2025, at the age of 51.