Loudwire recently called up Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor at home in Atlanta -- or "Hotlanta," as he calls it -- and we used the opportunity to ask him to gauge reaction to the band's new opus, 'The Hunter,' which dropped last week. Dailor definitely believes that the feedback Mastodon have received from fans this time around has varied from past releases -- which doesn't surprise him in the slightest.

"I expected there to be a different reaction. It's a pretty different record, it definitely doesn't cater to your average metalhead, you know?" says Dailor, who insists Mastodon don't ever think about how listeners will handle stylistic changes in the band's sound. Does that mean they weren't trying to be less metal on 'The Hunter?'

"We just write the music, it comes out and takes on a life of its own as we start going," he explains. "We could talk all day about, 'We want to make a heavy record, man. It's gonna f---ing be old-school metal.' But then we start playing and its starts just doing its own thing and I feel like we owe it to the music itself to just sort of let it be what it is."

Despite not being geared toward metalheads, 'The Hunter' is earning generally rave reviews across the board, from critics and fans alike. There's one song in particular, though, that Dailor says is getting on quite a few people's nerves. The tune, 'The Creature Lives,' is a slowed-down, psychedelic jam that kinda sounds like early Pink Floyd on Xanax. It also happens to be the first Mastodon song that Dailor composed and handled the vocals all by himself.

"I really like the fact that it's totally divided the fan base," he says of 'Creature Lives.' "Some people are like, 'I love that song,' and some people are like, 'I totally f---ing hate that song, it's the worst piece of s--t I've ever heard.' As far as songs that people hate that we've done, I think that's the most extreme reaction that we've had. There are some people that just hate it so much, it's pretty funny."

Be sure to tune in to Loudwire on Tuesday for our complete interview with Brann Dailor. In the meantime, read our review of 'The Hunter' and enter below to win a Mastodon prize pack including a signed drum head and an copy of 'The Hunter' autographed by all members of the band.

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