Burnt By The Sun Return With Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher Joining On Guitar

Mathcore veterans Burnt By The Sun have officially ended their 15-year hiatus, confirming their return today, June 05th, alongside the surprise addition of Bill Kelliher of Mastodon.

The New Jersey-born heavy outfit—known for early 2000s releases Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution, The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good, and Heart of Darkness—reveal that their revival brings back the band’s core lineup of vocalist Mike Olender, guitarist John Adubato, bassist Ted Patterson, and drummer Dave Witte.

According to the band, the reunion began taking shape in late 2025 when the members came together at the funeral of Patterson’s father, a moment that helped reconnect the group both personally and creatively.

“Talking over text and everything is great, but all of us sitting down, talking, rehashing old memories… really moved it forward for us,” said Patterson.

Adding a major new dimension to the lineup is longtime friend Bill Kelliher, who joins as a second guitarist. According to vocalist Mike Olender, Kelliher’s connection to the band runs back to their earliest days in the New Jersey underground.

“Bill is a longtime friend, and our early years mirrored Mastodon’s… Bill was actually part of that initial creative spark that led to BBTS getting formed.”

Olender also noted that Kelliher previously collaborated with Adubato in early writing sessions that helped shape some of the band’s earliest material.

While no release date or touring plans have been announced, the group says the reunion is being approached without pressure or deadlines, with both live appearances and new material expected when the timing aligns.

Bassist Ted Patterson summed up the return simply:

“I’m getting another chance to make some noise with some of the best people in my life.”

For now, Burnt By The Sun’s comeback is officially underway—with a familiar core and a new heavy-hitting addition helping shape what comes next.

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