Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Mastodon has further discussed the death of their former bandmate, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, and how it affected their upcoming new album, “Marrow Deep,” in a new cover story published on Kerrang!, as per theprp. The band is also delving into other elements that influenced that record, such as the death of drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor’s mother a few months before Hinds’s, as well as the fresh inspiration brought forth by the band’s newest members, pianist André Nogueira and guitarist Nick Johnston. The band discussed Hinds’ death in public, which happened months after they broke up with him due to a growing rift caused by his excessive partying. They used a short documentary called “The Mastodon in the Room” to address that.
The band revealed the details of their first album without Hinds, “Marrow Deep,” on July 12th. Josh Homme, the mainstay of Queens of the Stone Age, once again collaborated with Mastodon on the recently released “Snakes For Dinner,” but it turns out that he is by no means the only guest on this record. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, a heavy metal godfather, is among the many heavy hitters who have contributed their skills. After playing at last year’s “Back To The Beginning” sendoff for Sabbath and the tragically deceased Ozzy Osbourne, the band got in touch with Butler, a personal favourite of Brann Dailor’s late mother. Kerrang was informed by Dailor of his mother’s respect for Geezer.
She was always like, ‘He writes the lyrics! She would absolutely love the song. It’s still a pinch-me moment on the record. He could have just hit an open A, and I would have still been like, ‘FEATURING GEEZER BUTLER ON THE OPEN A!’ (laughs).
Troy Sanders stated instead:
“We’d just played the ‘Back to the Beginning‘ show and I thought, ‘What’s the worst that can happen if we ask Geezer to guest on our album? He could say no?’ We knew he was aware of us because he’d mentioned Mastodon in his autobiography as a band he enjoyed listening to. That blew our minds.
Sanders claims that after that, the band sent Geezer several songs to see if any of them personally spoke to him.
“We wanted him to hear where the record was going and see if anything inspired him, and he sent back this incredible bass solo that became the introduction to a song called ‘The Vanishing‘. It’s a very Sabbath-inspired track. It’s definitely the bass highlight of the album. And I’m completely happy saying that.
However, Sanders continued saying that they still haven’t had a proper face-to-face with the metal legend.
Everything went through management. We’ve never actually met face to face. At the Sabbath show at Villa Park, it was a madhouse in the Sabbath area, so the idea of trying to go back there just didn’t feel right. We’re hoping to finally meet when we’re touring the States later this year because he’ll be near one of our days off. If we can actually sit down together, that’ll complete the whole circle.
Tracklist:
Mastodon already discussed how they learned about Hinds’ death from a motorbike accident on 20 August 2025, in their previously mentioned conversation with Kerrang!. Raisa, Hinds’ ex-wife, called to inform him of the catastrophe.
I was like, ‘He’s either fucking really gone off the rails and he’s in jail, or he’s killed somebody… Or he’s dead,’ And it was the latter. – Bill Kelliher
In the midst of Hinds’s deteriorating drug misuse, Sanders addressed Kerrang! about the growing rifts that caused the band to reluctantly fire Hinds.
He was going through very, very difficult times. I don’t mean to cheapen it, but with his unhinged love of life and free spirit, he was one of two people in my life where I always felt I would get ‘the phone call’ and be very saddened, but not surprised. I hope that doesn’t sound cold.
Kelliher added:
I tried to talk to Brent, like, ‘Dude, just be appreciative that you’re doing what you love.’ He was such a tortured soul, tortured artist, he couldn’t see the light. He wanted to fight everything all the time. To me, that’s addictive behaviour, because when you’re fucked-up all the time, you feel like shit, and then you always have people like, ‘You’re the best! Fuck everybody else, take these drugs, drink this booze, get up there and fucking shred.’ It gets in your head. We were not yes men – that’s why he stopped hanging around with us as a band, because we were telling him, ‘No, you can’t do that!’ like a kid. But he was a rebel in every way.
