Mastodon Selected as Zune's April Ignition Artist

Grammy-nominated metal band Mastodon have been named Microsoft's Zune Ignition artist for the month of April. As part of the Ignition program, Mastodon will release a series of exclusive features on Zune Marketplace, Zune.net, MSN and Xbox LIVE surrounding the release of their latest album Crack The Skye. The exclusive features include an album download with exclusive track "Divinations (Live)"starting March 31, an editorial track-by-track "Breakdown" of the album by the band (available April 7), a playlist created by the band (April 14), free track "Divinations (album version)"on April 21, and a free video on April 28. In addition, Xbox and MSN have a "Crack The Skye" webisode available for streaming.

Download the exclusive Mastadon media here.

Crack The Skye, which was released March 24 2009 on Reprise Records, is Mastodon's fourth studio album, and has already received critical acclaim. The album entered the Billboard Top 200 Charts at #11 and sold 41, 395 copies in its first week.

Mastodon are Bill Kelliher (guitars), Brann Dailor (drums, vocals, percussion), Brent Hinds(lead guitar, vocals, and banjo) and Troy Sanders (bass, vocals, and bass synth). The band formed in Atlanta in 2000 and has been recording and touring since. Mastodonis currently on tour throughout the US, and will begin a European tour in June.

Check out Mastodon's profile on the Zune Social here. To download the Zune software, visit http://www.zune.net/