Heavy metal legends Mastodon return later this month with Marrow Deep, an album forged through loss, brotherhood and the determination to keep moving.
Five years is a long time between records, but for Mastodon, the journey to Marrow Deep has been shaped by far more than creative ambition, with the band’s ninth studio album arriving after one of the most difficult periods in its history. Speaking with The AU Review from his home in Atlanta, drummer, vocalist and co-founder Brann Dailor describes Marrow Deep as both a survival story and a reflection of everything the band has endured:
“I think, first and foremost, it says we’re still here and that we’re very much alive, despite going through some tough times.”
Those experiences are woven throughout the record. During our conversation, Dailor reflects on the emotional weight carried by the band while writing the album, including the loss of both his and Bill Kelliher‘s mothers, Troy Sanders losing his home during recent storms, and the grief surrounding the passing of co-founder, friend, and brother Brent Hinds.
“Nobody wanted this album to be about the things that it’s about,” Dailor says. “But that’s not how it worked out. These are the cards we were dealt.”
In a recent YouTube video, the band sat down to talk about the loss of Brent, and their delicate relationship with music, love, and loss.
Behind Marrow Deep
The album title itself emerged from that deeply personal place. For Dailor, Marrow Deep explores the deepest relationships in a person’s life – family and the bonds created through decades of creative partnership. The latter inevitably brings him back to Hinds, his bandmate of more than 25 years.
“Being in a band with somebody, it’s like an elevated friendship,” Dailor explains. “You fall in love with not just the person, but you fall in love with their soul, the way that they play their instrument and what comes out of them.”
There is a tenderness to the way Dailor speaks about Hinds throughout the interview.
“I never didn’t love the guy,” he says. “I just wanted him to be okay and feel better and be happy.”
That sense of brotherhood extends beyond Mastodon. Dailor recalls a call from friend and long-term collaborator, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme following Brent’s death – a conversation that wasn’t about grief at all, but food. The memory remains significant because it represented exactly what Dailor needed in that moment: someone checking in and making sure he was ok. “He’s a good, thoughtful guy – he really is a sweet soul,”
It’s time to take to the stage
The wider heavy music community also played a role in helping the band navigate the past year. Dailor is passionate about challenging misconceptions about metal culture, describing it as one of the most supportive and emotionally open communities he has ever known. “The metal community since I was a little kid has been right where I always wanted to be,” he says. “Some people on the outside look for evil or darkness but it couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s a really tight-knit community of people that love each other.”
Now, with Marrow Deep complete, Mastodon are focused on the future. Dailor says the band feels eager to return to the stage, carrying both the weight of the past and a renewed sense of purpose. “We couldn’t be more excited to start attacking the stage and doing the Mastodon thing,” he says. “We feel really rejuvenated and excited.”
For Australian fans hoping to see the band return soon, that’s encouraging news. And while Marrow Deep may have been born from difficult circumstances, Dailor believes the album ultimately represents resilience rather than despair.
“It’s time to take the stage and try to be alive and triumphant,” he says. “We’re still here.”
Mastodon’s Marrow Deep releases August 28th. Presave/preorder it HERE.
Header credit: William Lacalmontie (supplied)
