Mastodon drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor has confirmed that the band’s highly anticipated ninth studio album is officially finished. The upcoming record marks a major turning point for the Atlanta-based progressive metal group, as it is their first project since the departure and subsequent passing of co-founding guitarist Brent Hinds.
The new material follows a period of significant personal and professional loss for the band. Brent Hinds parted ways with Mastodon in March 2025 after 25 years with the group and tragically died in a motorcycle accident just five months later. In a recent interview with Blabbermouth, Brann Dailor described the recording process as a deeply taxing experience.
“We’re very excited about it,” Brann Dailor stated. “It was a hard record to make. It was a very emotional time for us. I lost my mom, we went through all this turmoil with Brent, and then he passed away. It’s been tough. It’s all in the music, it’s all in the songs, and I’m excited to release it and get it out there into the world because we’ve been sitting on it for a while. A lot of this stuff, at least the skeletons of what this album is, we’ve been sitting on for two years now. A lot was going on.”
Despite his long history with the band, the new album features no musical contributions from Brent Hinds. Brann Dailor clarified that the record consists entirely of new compositions written during a period when the guitarist had become distant from the group’s creative sessions.
“No. It’s all new stuff. Toward the end, unfortunately, it was hard to get him to come down to the [practice] space. He was interested in doing other stuff, which was fine. It was a confusing time. I was the one going, ‘Come on, man. Come down. Let’s riff.’ He was a free spirit. He wanted to ride his motorcycle around and go do this and that. He was wherever the wind took him. Unfortunately, it was not down to the practice space to work on riffs. It was a little bit frustrating. I was okay with it. I was like, ‘Hey man, everyone can do whatever they want to do in their life. If you’re unhappy and not wanting to be here doing whatever, figure out what does make you happy and do that,'” Dailor explained.
The loss of Brent Hinds on August 20, 2025, sent shockwaves through the metal community. According to Atlanta police, the guitarist was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he was involved in a collision with an SUV. While the incident initially appeared to be a failure to yield by the other driver, investigators later determined that Hinds was at fault.
Crash reports indicated that the musician was traveling at nearly twice the legal speed limit at the time of the accident. Video evidence from the intersection suggested his speed was between 63 and 68 mph in a zone with a significantly lower limit. He was pronounced dead at the scene by medical responders.
The departure of Brent Hinds in March 2025 ended a legendary lineup that had remained unchanged since the band’s formation in 2000. For over two decades, Brent Hinds, Brann Dailor, bassist Troy Sanders, and guitarist Bill Kelliher released eight studio albums, beginning with 2002’s Remission and ending with 2021’s Hushed And Grim.
Following the split, Mastodon briefly utilized Ben Eller for live performances before bringing Canadian guitarist Nick Johnston into the fold. Nick Johnston, known for his extensive solo work and collaborations with acts like Polyphia and Periphery, is confirmed to have performed on the newly finished studio album. This upcoming release will serve as the first recorded evidence of Mastodon’s new musical direction as they navigate the next chapter of their career.
