No discussion of Mastodon can ignore the sense of renewal running through the band’s latest release, Marrow Deep. Following the departure and tragic passing of longtime guitarist Brent Hinds, and with Nick Johnston stepping into the role, the Atlanta metal titans found themselves entering unfamiliar territory.
Hinds’ departure in early 2025 represented the biggest personnel change in Mastodon’s history. After 25 years together, the remaining members faced a decision that would ultimately shape the band’s next chapter.
“We knew the change had to happen,” says bassist Troy Sanders. “But we had absolutely no idea what the future looked like.
“We were prepared to do whatever it took. If that meant auditioning 500 people or spending months looking for the right person, then that’s what we were going to do. Finding the right fit was that important.”
Instead, the search barely had a chance to begin. Nick Johnston was the first person the band invited to Atlanta – not to audition, but simply to hang out.
“Our drummer Brann had met Nick years ago and always thought he was a great guy and an incredible player. So before we even talked about music, we just asked him to come and hang for a couple of days.
“At this point in our career, being a good human being is every bit as important as being a great musician. We wanted to know whether we’d actually enjoy spending time together.”
As fate would have it, the timing couldn’t have been more surreal.
“The day Nick arrived was the morning Brann’s mother passed away. Nick knocked on the door after flying into Atlanta, and we had to tell him straight away, ‘Hey… really nice to meet you, but Brann’s mom died this morning.’
“Nick immediately said, ‘I’ll turn around. I’ve got a friend nearby. I don’t need to be here.’ But we told him, ‘No, come in. Stay with us.’ Looking back, I think that told us everything we needed to know about his character.”
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“When we finally got around to playing together, he walked in and said, ‘I know about 20 of your songs. Which ones do you want to play?’ We were like… ‘Wait, what?’ He’d already done all the homework because he’d been a fan for years.
“Nick said, ‘I’m not here to fill Brent’s shoes. I want to help write the future of Mastodon.’ That was exactly what we wanted to hear. At that point it was basically, ‘You’re in.’”
The band immediately hit the road, first touring North America with Coheed and Cambria before tackling a full European festival run. Another summer of overseas shows followed.
“Those have honestly been the three best tours of our career. The camaraderie, the energy, the appreciation – we all feel renewed. It doesn’t happen very often that something this significant changes, and somehow everything just clicks.”
That renewed confidence carried directly into the recording sessions for the new album. Rather than treating Johnston as a hired hand, he was encouraged to become a genuine creative partner.
“If we’d hit a section where something wasn’t working, Nick would jump in with ideas straight away. He wasn’t trying to dominate anything. He just genuinely wanted to make the songs better.
“He’d throw ideas into the room whenever he had them, but he’s equally happy if somebody says, ‘Actually, I think we should try something else.’ There’s no ego attached to it.”
For Sanders, adding another songwriter has subtly shifted the band’s musical vocabulary without sacrificing its identity.
“It naturally evolves the sound because another creative voice is involved, but it still sounds completely authentic. It never felt forced.”
Despite being one of modern metal’s most acclaimed outfits, Sanders insists Mastodon’s greatest strength remains its willingness to challenge one another.
“If somebody tells me I’m overplaying something, my response is usually, ‘Okay… what would make it better?’ I’m never precious about it.
“There are times where someone might say, ‘That vocal isn’t quite there,’ or, ‘That bass part could probably be simpler.’ You’ve got to be willing to hear that.
“If everybody’s trying to protect their own territory, you spend more time arguing than making music. We’re way beyond that.”
As anticipation builds around the new record, Sanders has deliberately stopped measuring success by sales figures or chart positions. Instead, he sees two distinct milestones.
“The first success is simply finishing the album and putting it out into the world. We’ve been living with some of these riffs for nearly two years. We finished recording almost a year ago, and now it’s finally being released.
“Of course we hope people love it. But we never expect anybody to love it. We’ve never written records to win over old fans, attract younger fans or chase a different audience. We write albums that satisfy the five of us first.
“If we’re hugging each other at the end of the process because we genuinely love what we’ve created, then hopefully enough people will connect with it, too. But that can’t be the reason you make it.”
His second measure of success is far simpler.
“It’s spending the next few years travelling the world and playing these songs live. When you walk onstage every night and feel that connection with thousands of people… that’s when you remember you’ve got the coolest job on Earth.”
