Just as they embark on a multi-date run in Europe with Slayer on the Unholy Alliance Tour - Chapter III, the ATL's heaviest, Mastodon, toss us another couple of bones for the gnawing in the form of the title and tracklisting of their forthcoming album, due out in early '09.

All y'all that thought you had Mastodon's next album on lockdown when you heard all those rumors floating around about the Rasputin theme might be a bit misled by the new title, Crack the Skye, which sounds more ye olde englishe than czarist Russia. My guess is that it's a reference to the Bruce Springsteen poem "Love Cycle" ("See the lion tamer crack the sky / With the tip of his lash") - Crack the Skye producer Brendan O'Brien produced the last few Springsteen albums, in addition to his work with Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Limp Bizkit.

No worries though know-it-alls, your fragile illusion of omnipotence is upheld by the behind-the-Iron-Curtain heavy tracklisting:

1. Oblivion
2. Divinations
3.  Quintessence
4.  The Czar
   (I) Usurper                        
   (II)  Escape
   (III) Martyr
   (IV) Spiral
5. Ghost of Karelia
6. Crack The Skye
7. The Last Baron       

Also announced are a first batch of European dates that will find Mastodon opening for Metallica:

06.14  Helsinki, FIN: Hartwall Arena    
06.15   Helsinki, FIN: Hartwall Arena   
06.17   Oslo, NOR: Spektrum   
06.22   Milan, ITA: Datch Forum   
06.24   Rome, ITA: Palalottomatica   
07.13   Madrid, Spain: Palacio de Deportes   
07.16   Zurich, SWITZ: Hallenstadion   
07.20  Copenhagen, DEN: Copenhagen Forum   
07.22   Copenhagen, DEN: Copenhagen Forum   
07.23   Copenhagen, DEN: Copenhagen Forum   
07.27   Copenhagen, DEN: Copenhagen Forum