MASTODON have returned with "Your Ghost Again," the lead single from their upcoming ninth studio album, and it carries the full weight of grief without apology. The song marks the band's first new material since the tragic death of co-founding guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds in August 2025, and it does not shy away from that devastating loss.
Hinds co-founded MASTODON in Atlanta in 2000 and spent 25 years helping shape one of progressive metal's most distinctive voices. He parted ways with the group in March 2025 — a split that was publicly contested, with the band citing a mutual decision while Hinds disputed the account. Then, on August 20, 2025, his Harley-Davidson was struck by an SUV at an Atlanta intersection. He was speeding at the time of the accident. His death sent a shockwave through the global metal community.
"Your Ghost Again" was produced by Patrik Berger — best known for his pop collaborations with Taylor Swift and Robyn — and CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou, a pairing that hints at the sonic breadth of the upcoming record. The single features MASTODON's current lineup: founding members drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor, bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders, and guitarist Bill Kelliher, alongside new guitarist Nick Johnston and keyboardist João Nogueira.
Dailor spoke with striking candor about the emotions that shaped the track: "Your mind plays tricks on you, especially soon after someone dies and you're in familiar places where they always were. You just see them." He also revealed that the writing of the album coincided with the death of his mother, compounding the personal grief that runs through the entire record.
Sanders described his contribution as "all about Brent, and for Brent." Kelliher added that the band sought a song that "sounds like MASTODON" for their first public impression after so much turmoil — and "Your Ghost Again" delivers exactly that: the band's signature complex rhythms and layered vocals, now carrying an unmistakable weight of mourning.
The song title captures that liminal state of grief perfectly — the ghost that lingers in familiar places, present in memory long after the physical person is gone. It is MASTODON at their most introspective, filtered through the progressive metal language they have forged over nearly three decades.
The album, their ninth studio effort, is expected later in 2026 via Loma Vista Recordings. No title or release date has been announced yet. Given the emotional depth of what's already been shared, it promises to be among the most powerful records of MASTODON's career.
The band will tour North America in support of the new music on "The Poisonous Weapons Tour," joined by DEAFHEAVEN and ALCEST, beginning September 16 in Orlando, Florida and concluding October 24 in Dallas, Texas.