Listeners who revisited Mudvayne’s long-awaited 2025 comeback singles across platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music may have picked up on noticeable differences. Without any formal announcement, the band appear to have quietly replaced the original versions of “Sticks And Stones” and “Hurt People Hurt People” with newly remixed and remastered iterations now live on multiple streaming services.
The two tracks marked Mudvayne’s first new studio material in 16 years, arriving in August and September of last year. Upon release, both songs sparked debate among fans, particularly regarding their sonic presentation. Criticism of the original mix and mastering was widespread enough that some listeners speculated the songs were unfinished demos — a theory that has since been firmly dismissed.
The initial versions of the tracks were mixed by acclaimed producer and engineer Josh Wilbur, whose résumé includes work with Lamb Of God, Korn, and Avenged Sevenfold, among others. The updated mixes, which surfaced online with little fanfare from the band’s camp, were instead handled by Dave Fortman.
Fortman is no stranger to Mudvayne, having previously collaborated with the band on Lost And Found and The New Game, and has also worked extensively with Evanescence means Slipknot. Addressing the situation, a post attributed to Fortman appeared on Reddit yesterday (January 17), offering insight into the decision behind the revised versions.
The post reads:
“The original mixes weren’t demos. They were mixed by Josh Wibur but the band wasn’t happy with the results and the fans were unhappy as well according to feedback I got from their management. They called me to remix them so I took the same approach that I mixed Lost And Found with. Seems to have worked! Glad you guys are digging it. I threw an entirely different spin on the intro and break of ‘Sticks And Stones‘ with added piano notes and strings. Nothing has been rerecorded thats just me laying some ‘tickles’ in there. Enjoy!”
The updated mixes are now accessible across streaming platforms and you can listen to them down below. Mudvayne also appeared to allude to the changes in a recent update, suggesting that the decision to revisit the mixes contributed to a postponement of the planned 7-inch vinyl release.
In that message, the band stated:
“Thank you for ordering the ‘Sticks & Stone/Hurt People Hurt‘ People 7″ vinyl. We understand how much you are looking forward to getting yours and have an update on its status.”
“Due to our desire to make the audio perfect, mastering took longer than planned. In addition, an unanticipated production delay in the vinyl world means the new delivery date is early April 2026.”
“If you want to keep your order, no action is needed. You will get an email once it ships. To cancel, please contact our customer service team for help.”
“Thanks for your support”
