If you weren’t aware, Mastodon’s seventh album, Emperor of Sand, is out today. Last week, the band were in New York City to do press for the album, and while on rock station Q104.3 for an interview, got to see the vinyl version of the album for the first time. It’s pretty awesome to watch Bill Kelliher and Troy Sanders unwrap the album and look at it’s artwork as an actual package for the first time. While Mastodon aren’t about to get played on New York’s classic rock station outside from their “Out of the Box” specialty show anytime soon, it’s still great to see them get some airtime. Also, if you’re reading this Q104.3, you should play more Mastodon. Scroll down to see the full video.

In other Mastodon news, cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne, who we’ve written about before for his covers of Lamb of God and Opeth songs, has turned in a very nice rendition of “Blood and Thunder.” Isolating Brann Dailor’s drum track from Leviathan with many track of cello, it makes Apocalyptica look like a bunch of wusses. The well-shot video makes things even heavier.

Here’s Jonathan Clarke’s full interview with Mastodon: