Mourning is not a new subject for Mastodon. In their twenty-five years, loss has permeated their discography — from Crack the Skye to Hushed and Grim. Their tenth album, “Marrow Deep”, was born out of their heaviest loss: the death of guitarist and co-vocalist Brent Hinds in 2025, shortly after their falling out with him.
Country: USA (Georgia)
Genre: Progressive Sludge / Stoner Metal
For fans of: Baroness, Opeth, The Ocean, Elder
Now at their side is guitarist Nick Johnston, called to fill the enormous gap, and João Nogueira, fully integrated on keyboards — the first lineup change since their 2002 debut. And yet, from the rumble of the opening “Barbarians Blood”, it seems the engine behind their sound — guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor — is working at full tilt.
What it achieves
The album contains some of the band’s heaviest moments since Blood Mountain: “Poisonous Weapons” and “Snakes for Dinner” bring back the chaotic, muddy riffs of the early days, while “Golden Spires” and the punk-tinged “A Vampire’s Demeanor” recall the strength of that era. Nogueira’s synths, once discreet elements, here become a central characteristic: they fill the sonic gaps with melancholy and decisively broaden their palette. Johnston, for his part, does not try to imitate Hinds — he tears through with technical yet emotional lines on “Out Like a Lamb” and “A Vampire’s Demeanor”.
On vocals, Troy Sanders and Dailor now share a greater load, with the one’s hoarse growl and the other’s clean highs dressing the mourning with hints of hope — as on “Moth and Bone”, where they declare that despite the loss they “have not been defeated yet”. The moments of mourning cut deep, with the chorus of “Snakes for Dinner” the most powerful.
Where it loses
Despite the strong opening, the album fails to hold interest throughout its 65 minutes. The momentum starts to drop from “Out Like a Lamb” and does not fully recover. The slow acoustic verses of “Golden Spires”, “A Vampire’s Demeanor” and “Moth and Bone” are almost indistinguishable from each other and, because they are clustered together, they tire. The repeated cry of “The Jackal!” on “They’re Coming For You” becomes annoying. The guest appearances — Josh Homme, Neil Fallon (Clutch), Geezer Butler — instead of adding, take away from the overall impact.
Overall, “Marrow Deep” is easily their most progressive album since Crack the Skye, although it lacks cohesion. Despite the long runtime and the many flaws, it remains a triumphant statement from a band that endures in the fog of mourning — even if it will struggle to compete with their classics.
