Atlanta metal outfit Mastodon have officially announced their new album, Emperor of Sand, the follow-up to their 2014 effort Once More ‘Round the Sun. The new record is due out on March 31 via Reprise Records. "Emperor Of Sand" was recorded at The Quarry Recording Studio in Kennesaw, just outside MASTODON's hometown of Atlanta, with producer Brendan O'Brien (PEARL JAM, NEIL YOUNG, AC/DC, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE), who first worked with MASTODON on their seminal 2009 album "Crack The Skye". Since the release of their previous album, members of Mastodon have kept plenty busy with side projects and supergroups like Giraffe Tongue Orchestra and Gone is Gone, the latter of which just stopped by the Paste Studio earlier this month. The typically stunning "Emperor Of Sand" album artwork was created by Alan Brown, a.k.a. Medusawolf, who is also responsible for the inside gatefold images. "Emperor Of Sand" finds MASTODON returning to a deeply imaginative and complex conceptual storyline that ponders the nature of time. Threading together the myth of a man sentenced to death in a majestically malevolent desert, the band conjures the grains of a musical and lyrical odyssey slipping quickly through a cosmic hourglass. Mastodon shared this message with fans early this morning: "Hello everyone on the world wide web, we have some fun and exciting news to share with you and we just can’t wait any longer. So we broke out the balloons to celebrate our new studio album ‘Emperor of Sand’ is indeed coming March 31! 11 Brand New Songs, how cool is that?! " “Emperor of Sand is like the grim reaper,”says Dailor. “Sand represents time. If you or anyone you know has ever received a terminal diagnosis, the first thought is about time. Invariably, you ask, ‘How much time is left?'” “We’re reflecting on mortality,” adds Troy Sanders. “To that end, the album ties into our entire discography. It’s 17 years in the making, but it’s also a direct reaction to the last two years. We tend to draw inspiration from very real things in our lives.” As of this posting, Mastodon fans have been top-loading “Sultan’s Curse” with unanimous praise on YouTube. With over 4,100 likes and just 12 dislikes, “Sultan’s Curse” has a 99.99% approval rating. Who wouldn’t kill for praise like that?! What you need to know about this album is that it's being produced by the same guy who produced 2009's "Crack the Skye" - which would be the one and only Brendan O'Brien - and that the guitars were recorded INSIDE the Moon. Over the course of MASTODON's career, the band members have fearlessly continued to push themselves towards greater creative heights on their recorded output. Each studio album has united an ever-expanding worldwide legion of fans who have come to expect the unexpected twists and turns that have elevated MASTODON to become one of the most respected and influential creative forces in rock music. MASTODON kicks off a spring U.S. headline tour in support of "Emperor Of Sand" on April 14 in Missoula, Montana, with support from EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and RUSSIAN CIRCLES. The tour also includes stops at several festivals, including the Carolina Rebellion on May 5. Each pair of tickets purchased online for MASTODON (excluding festival dates and the May 6 Philadelphia show) includes a choice of a physical or digital copy of "Emperor Of Sand". Ticket purchasers will receive instructions via e-mail on how to redeem the album on March 31. Tickets are on sale now.