MASTODON drummer BRANN DAILOR has opened up about the profound personal losses that shaped the band's newly completed ninth studio album. In a new interview, Dailor revealed the record carries enormous emotional weight — a grief journal forged during the darkest period in the band's history.
"It was a hard record to make. It was a very emotional time for us...It's all in the music," Dailor said, referencing both the August 2025 death of co-founding guitarist BRENT HINDS and his own mother's recent passing. The album, on which HINDS had contributed material before his death, features new guitarist Nick Johnston — a Canadian virtuoso who stepped in to help complete the record.
Dailor also revealed a deep personal tribute to SOUNDGARDEN frontman CHRIS CORNELL woven into the album's DNA. As a longtime admirer of Cornell's voice and artistry, Dailor channeled his admiration into the music at a moment when loss and legacy became dominant themes.
The album — MASTODON's first since Hushed and Grim (2021) — has been in development for five years, with Dailor noting that "a lot of this stuff...we've been sitting on for two years now." No official title or release date has been announced yet.
"There would be some new music very soon," Dailor confirmed, hinting at an imminent announcement. Built on a foundation of raw grief and musical legacy, MASTODON's ninth album may prove to be their most profound statement yet.