It’s a great day to be alive, boys and girls! Mastodon just unleashed “Sultan’s Curse,” the first single from their seventh studio album, Emperor of Sand.

Time and time again, Mastodon continue to crush it in the studio. “Sultan’s Curse” continues the Georgia metallers’ legacy of near-unparalleled consistency; delivering beefy riffs, wildly inventive drumming and diverse vocal attacks. Bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Brent Hinds and drummer Brann Dailor all contribute some of the most solid vocal work of their respective careers on “Sultan’s Curse,” proving that Mastodon still haven’t hit their ceiling.

Mastodon shared this message with fans early this morning (Jan. 27):

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?! Pre-order and get one of those tunes “Sultan’s Curse” immediately. Visit Mastodonrocks.com for more album info including a some fun bundles to choose from.

"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?!

Listen to “Sultan’s Curse” in the player above and get excited for Emperor of Sand to drop March 31!

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