Mastodon are near the end of a European tour during a record-breaking heatwave when they video-call from outside a Bordeaux venue. Bassist Troy Sanders describes the experience as “31 days of musical bliss”. Drummer Brann Dailor, beside him, shares the high spirits despite the anguish of the past 18 months.
Loss of a Bandmate and a Mother
In February 2025, Dailor's mother, Michele Lawrence, died aged 69. The next month, the band parted ways with co-founding guitarist Brent Hinds after 25 years. Hinds publicly insulted his former bandmates, calling them a “shit band with horrible humans”. He then died in a motorcycle accident at age 51.
Mastodon have won a Grammy and achieved three Top 10 albums. Hinds, a hard-partying maverick, brought a country twang from his Alabama upbringing. Dailor says, “what we had sounded original and different.” The band opened for Black Sabbath's farewell show last year.
New Album Marrow Deep
The upcoming ninth studio album, Marrow Deep, is thematically centered on these losses. Dailor says his relationships with Hinds and his mother were “the deepest you can get with a person.” Lead single Your Ghost Again examines the complex relationship with Hinds, while Out Like a Lamb is for Lawrence, who died in her sleep after years of illness.
Dailor likens both to Keith Richards: figures who lived longer than expected. Hinds, a former heroin addict, partied heavily while his bandmates settled down. Dailor says, “If any of us did half the stuff that Brent pulled off, we’d all have been dead years ago.”
Hinds' Legacy and Behavior
Sanders recalls Hinds could “find beauty in a lot of things.” Dailor says Hinds loved “the honest things. He was the real deal.” Hinds masterminded much of 2009's Crack the Skye after a coma from a brawl. Despite success, his involvement waned. He once said, “I fucking hate heavy metal.” Dailor counters, “Brent said a lot of things that he probably didn’t mean. He liked to talk some shit and stir the pot.”
The split remains mysterious; Dailor dismisses a rumour that Hinds punched him, noting Hinds texted to deny it. They stayed in contact: Hinds would say, “Hey, I still love you, buddy.” But Dailor needed time. After Hinds' death, Dailor says, “I was devastated. All the shit-talking – I didn’t think about any of that.”
Looking Forward
Marrow Deep is dedicated to Lawrence and Hinds but also celebrates the present. It introduces new guitarist Nick Johnston and full-time keyboardist João Nogueira. Guest spots include Gojira's Joe Duplantier, Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, and Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler. The album contains some of their most technical music since the 2000s.
A sample from film River's Edge with Dennis Hopper yelling “And I felt so fucking alive!” appears on track Poisonous Weapons. Dailor explains, “Seeing Brent in his casket makes you want to feel fucking alive. We’re still here, so we better get to it.” Marrow Deep is released 28 August on Loma Vista.
