Mastodon drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor has revealed details about the band’s upcoming studio album. The record will mark their first without former member Brent Hinds, as reported by Blabbermouth.
Dailor opened up about the emotional challenges the band faced during the recording process. These included personal loss and lineup changes.
“We’re very excited about it. 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 [Hinds], and then he passed away. It’s been tough,” Dailor said.
The drummer explained that despite the difficulties, the music captures these experiences and emotions.
“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,” he continued.
Dailor clarified that the album contains no musical contributions from the late guitarist regarding Hinds’ involvement in the new material.
“No [there aren’t any musical contributions from Brent Hinds]. 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. [Laughs] I was the one going, ‘Come on, man. Come down. Let’s riff.’ He was a free spirit,” Dailor explained.
He reflected on Hinds’ departure from the band with understanding, despite the frustration it caused.
“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,'” he said.
The upcoming album represents a significant transition for the Atlanta progressive metal band. It marks the end of an era that began with Hinds’ founding role in the group.
Blabbermouth reported that Dailor confirmed on May 10, 2026, that the band’s ninth studio album is finished. The record features touring guitarist Nick Johnston who replaced Hinds following his departure. Hinds left Mastodon in March 2025 and tragically died in a motorcycle accident five months later in August 2025.
The band’s remaining core members have taken on the creative responsibilities for this new chapter. Guitarist Bill Kelliher confirmed that the album features only him, bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders, and drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor, as Metal Injection noted. All material was written by the three remaining founding members. Kelliher has handled some lead guitar parts while the band continues to search for a long-term replacement.
The integration of Nick Johnston into the band’s creative process has brought new energy to Mastodon’s sound. Kelliher clarified that Johnston, who initially joined as a touring guitarist, will feature on the album and has contributed to the writing process, as Loudwire detailed. This collaboration has helped establish a more balanced four-piece dynamic that the band plans to continue developing on future releases.
The album’s completion marks a bittersweet milestone for Mastodon. They move forward without one of their co-founding members while honoring the legacy of their 25-year partnership with Hinds. The record captures both the grief of loss and the determination to continue creating music that has defined the band’s progressive metal sound throughout their career.
