MASTODON: We Get To Honor BRENT HINDS By Playing His Songs And Keeping His Music Alive
Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher have spoken about performing without founding guitarist Brent Hinds, who left the band and later died, as they prepare to release their first album in five years. In an interview with Germany's Visions magazine, the pair reflected on the emotional difficulty of continuing without him and said they feel it is important to keep playing the songs he helped create, viewing it as a way of honouring his memory and legacy.
The new album, "Marrow Deep", is due out on 28 August via Loma Vista Recordings and follows 2021's "Hushed And Grim". It was made by the remaining founding members, Dailor, Kelliher and bassist Troy Sanders, and draws on themes of loss and fate inspired by Greek mythology. Both musicians described still catching themselves looking for Hinds during shows, but said performing tracks he wrote, such as "Megalodon" and "Crack The Skye", brings a sense of gratitude and keeps his contribution to the band alive.
In short
- Mastodon discuss touring and recording without late guitarist Brent Hinds.
- New album "Marrow Deep" out 28 August via Loma Vista Recordings.
- Band say playing Hinds's songs honours his memory and legacy.
Explained simply
Mastodon are an American heavy metal band formed in Atlanta in 2000. Drummer Brann Dailor, guitarist Bill Kelliher and bassist Troy Sanders are founding members; guitarist Brent Hinds was also a founder and helped write many of the band’s songs before leaving.
Hinds later died, leaving the band to perform without a musician whose playing and songwriting had shaped its work. The songs he helped create remain part of Mastodon’s live set, so continuing to play them connects the band’s present performances with its earlier music.
The band’s latest album follows a five-year gap and explores loss and fate through ideas drawn from Greek mythology. Its release comes as the surviving members reflect on how to carry on together while recognising Hinds’s lasting contribution.