Side-project! Are there two hyphenated words more thrilling to the human soul? Probably not.

Although having managed to create undoubtedly one of the best albums of the year with The Hunter, the members of Atlanta's Mastodon are no strangers to the side-project, with guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher indulging themselves with the bluegrass leaning West End Motel/Fiend Without a Face and Kevin Sharpe-featuring grindcore outfit Primate respectively. Despite rumours to the contrary, however, Drummer Brann Dailor has confirmed that, for the time being anyway, he will not be joining the side-fun via a reported all-synth band.

Speaking to the Quietus recently Dailor revealed: “I was asked: 'Are you ever going to do any side-projects?' and I just said that that [an all synth band] was something that I'd love to partake in because I couldn't think of any other thirsts that need quenching.

“But Mastodon is all-encompassing and I'm so busy with that that the last thing I'd want to do is go home and have to go practice with something else. I can't believe Bill wants to do that, he's crazy, he's got a wife and kids and he's going to go out on tour with another band!

“If he wants to go out and do that, that's cool, but I like to be at home as much as I can because I know the storm's coming. Come October… see ya! We won't see our families for a long time, and if I can be home then I want to spend every second on my porch grillin' and chillin'!”

Dailor didn't totally rule out involvement in a side-project at some point in the future though, going on to say: “If I ever could, I'd love to play for a really dark, heavy synth band – I think that would be cool. It's not something that's in the works, but it's definitely something I could see myself doing in the future if I was to ever have the chance.

“I'll call up Tony Banks tonight, see what he's up to and see if he wants to do it. Tony Banks and Rick Wakeman, those guys would be good!”

The Hunter: On Ice anyone?

Keep an eye out for our full interview with Mastodon, coming soon.