See Mastodon Roar "March of the Fire Ants" in Atlanta in 2002 | Page 3 | Revolver

See Mastodon Roar "March of the Fire Ants" in Atlanta in 2002

'Remission' standout got ferocious hometown run-through

Today, Mastodon are a progressive rock juggernaut who have performed on some of the world's biggest stages in support of multiple wide-screen, conceptual opuses. But back in 2002, the Atlanta quartet were a gnarled underground metal crew playing basements, touring around in their infamous "fart box" van and kicking and scratching for their spot in the sun.

In May of that year, they released their first full-length, Remission, the follow-up to 2001's sludgy debut EP, Lifesblood. Among its many standouts was the single "March of the Fire Ants," a burly rager that still boasts one of the band's hookiest riffs, as well as some of Brann Dailor's most virtuosic drumming. In December, Mastodon played Atlanta's Masquerade and unleashed said "Fire Ants" on a reverent hometown crowd that had no idea of the heights their local heroes would soon be scaling. Watch above for a thrilling throwback to the band pre-fame and pre-prog, at their heaviest and humblest.