On Thursday 19 January, bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders of Mastodon announced via Belgian radio station Studio Brussel that the band will hit the road in North America with Opeth and Ghost, starting in April. Elaborating on the band’s schedule, Sanders commented that the band will complete this tour, take a break, then head over to Europe just in time for the summer festival season.
This package tour was first circulated on the internet through rumors, and proved to be true after Sander’s radio announcement. Recently, Mastodon was nominated for the 54th annual Grammy Awards for the single “Curl of the Burl” from the album “The Hunter” released in 2011. Mastodon first formed in 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia and recorded a demo and 7 inch picture disc released through Reptilian Records before signing with Relapse Records and releasing the EP “Lifesblood” in 2001 and their first full-length album “Remission” in 2002. After their second album, “Leviathan,” received critical acclaim, the band was then opening for the likes of Slayer and Iron Maiden on various North American and European tours.
Opeth will be joining the tour in support of their recent album “Heritage,” released in 2011. The album sold 19,000 copies in its first week in the US, putting them at number 19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.
This will be the second touring cycle for Ghost in North America, having played at 2011’s installment of Maryland Deathfest as well as playing their first US tour which started on 18 January, 2012.
