Mastodon drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor has joined forces with King Ultramega, a collaborative heavy metal and rock supergroup dedicated to honoring the musical legacy of the late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. Together, they have released a moving new rendition of the ballad “Dead Wishes“.
The original version of “Dead Wishes” appeared on Chris Cornell‘s final solo studio album, Higher Truth, which was released in 2015, two years prior to his tragic passing.
For this new cover, released via Reigning Phoenix Music, Brann Dailor delivers an emotive vocal performance while backed by a stellar lineup of veteran musicians. The track features Angel Vivaldi on guitar, session drummer Kenny Aronoff, and keyboardist Frank Mitaritonna. King Ultramega founder and project lead Mark Menghi produced the song, arranged the strings, and recorded the bass tracks.
Mark Menghi explained how the unique collaboration came together, stating (via Revolver): “As I was thinking on who could potentially sing this song, I heard a version of Mastodon covering ‘Stairway to Heaven’ where Brann is singing lead vox and I just thought to myself, ‘Well, he would be interesting on Dead Wishes.’”
Stepping into the shoes of one of rock’s most legendary and recognizable voices was a daunting task for the Mastodon musician. In an official statement, he explained his initial hesitation to take on the project.
“I have to say what an incredible honor to even be asked to try and attempt a cover of one of Chris’ songs,” Brann Dailor shared. “The fact that Mark thought I could even come close to it is beyond flattering, and to be honest, my knee jerk reaction was to say ‘Uh, no thank you, I’m not interested in embarrassing myself if I can help it.’”
However, he ultimately viewed the collaboration as an opportunity to push his boundaries and support a vital charity within the music industry.
“‘Dead Wishes’ was totally out of my wheelhouse so I thought it would be a great challenge and an opportunity to try to honor one of my favorite musicians and vocalists for a great cause,” he added.
All proceeds generated from the new single will directly benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization that provides mental health services, addiction recovery support, and emergency financial assistance to members of the music community.
This latest release is not the first time King Ultramega has teamed up with a member of Mastodon. In 2025, the collective recruited guitarist Bill Kelliher to perform on a cover of Soundgarden‘s “Rusty Cage”, playing alongside Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Alice In Chains vocalist William DuVall. Over the years, the ongoing tribute project has also featured heavy-hitting contributions from artists like former Arch Enemy frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz.
