STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 10: Troy Sanders (L) and Bill Kelliher of Mastadon perform at … [+] Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill on August 10, 2024 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. (Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images)
Following last weeks teaser where Lamb of God and Mastodon alluded to some kind of announcement slated for September 12th, both bands have now officially unveiled their brand new collaborative single, “Floods Of Triton.” This single arrives only weeks after Mastodon and Lamb of God concluded their massive North American co-headlining tour Ashes of Leviathan, which celebrated the 20th anniversaries of both bands’ seminal 2004 records — Mastodon’s Leviathan and Lamb of God’s Ashes of the Wake. Sonically, “Floods Of Triton” harkens back to the 2004 eras of both bands, particularly Mastodon’s Leviathan with the song’s driving dissonant main riff and thunderous epic outro.
However, “Floods of Triton” manages to achieve something far greater than just being an enjoyable collaborative track between two iconic modern metal outfits. The instrumentalists from each band are all easily distinguishable on this new single, whether it’s the trading guitar solos from Mastodon’s Brent Hinds and Lamb of God’s Mark Morton, or Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor delivering his signature hypnotic drum fills throughout the track.
While the vocals delivered by Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe are easily identifiable, the fact that both band’s instrumentalists are so uniquely recognizable shows the extent to which Mastodon and Lamb of God have crafted their own distinctive sonic footprint in the metal genre. Simply put, “Floods Of Triton” is a welcomed surprise and one that highlights each bands’ oneness in the vast metal landscape. Furthermore, “Floods Of Triton” serves as a perfect example of what makes up all great bands — the ability to create a wholly unique sound and one that’s completely distinguishable on its own.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that either Lamb of God or Mastodon have any other collaborative tracks in the works, as “Floods Of Triton” looks to be its own stand alone release and is not promoting a collaborative EP or LP of any sorts. Honestly it’s a shame, hearing how brilliant both band’s sound together a bigger collaborative release would be a refreshing and innovative venture in the current metal scene. It’s also rather strange that Lamb of God and Mastodon decided to release this after their co-headlining tour concluded. Sure, it serves as a nice ‘epilogue’ to a successful tour together, but one can’t help but think this song would have been a fantastic way to promote the tour, and possibly create an opportunity for both bands to jam on stage with each other.
Regardless, “Floods of Triton” is a fantastic surprise from both Mastodon and Lamb of God. And who knows, maybe the release of this track will pave the way for a second leg for the Ashes of Leviathan tour.
