Hear First Song From Mastodon ATDI QOTSA Supergroup Gone Is Gone

Last week, singer-bassist Troy Sanders (Mastodon), drummer Tony Hajjar (At the Drive-In), guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age) and guitarist-keyboardist Mike Zarin announced the formation of experimental new band Gone Is Gone. The quartet have now detailed their self-titled debut EP, an eight-track set out July 8th via Rise Records. 

The band debuted the full version of sludgy lead single "Violescent" on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. The powerhouse track finds Sanders bellowing over the tandem distortion of Van Leeuwen and Zarin, anchored by Hajjar's nimble drumming.

Gone Is Gone originated during Hajjar and Zarin's joint sessions for various movie trailer and film scores. In 2012, they decided to flesh out a composition with a full band line-up and recruited Queens of the Stone Age's Van Leeuwen and Mastodon's Sanders. The quartet ended up with 20 songs, enough for a planned LP and additional material set aside for scoring work. 

Sanders and Hajjar spoke to Rolling Stone about their evolution and the creative mindset behind the project. 

"The thought behind this band is to combine what most of us know from many years of being in touring/recording entities and our love of scoring," Hajjar said. "Mike and I have had the privilege of being part of some amazing movie trailer campaigns and scored the game Splinter Cell: Blacklist together as well. Our goal is to be able to do more of this within this project … The goal is to be able to compose remotely, if needed, on film, trailers, or on anything else that comes up ... It feels good to know that all this music will see the light of day soon."

"The timing is like a mother's instinct," Sanders said. "We know it is now as this band was conceived a few years ago, and we have been holding onto this music far too long. The gestation period has to end. Doctor's orders, we must birth this band into the world now!"

The band will make their live debut April 27th at Los Angeles' Dragonfly. 

Gone Is Gone – Gone Is Gone Track List

1. "Violescent"
2. "Starlight"
3. "Stolen From Me"
4. "Character"
5. "One Divided"
6. "Praying From the Danger"
7. "Recede and Enter"
8. "This Chapter"