Mastodon have paid tribute to the late Brent Hinds with a new single called ‘Your Ghost Again’ – listen below.
The blistering track marks the first song from the Atlanta heavy metal band since former guitarist Hinds died in a motorcycle accident last August, aged 51. It also serves as the first preview of the group’s as-yet-untitled next album, which will follow 2021’s ‘Hushed And Grim’.
‘Your Ghost Again’ was written and recorded amid a difficult and chaotic time for Mastodon, and confronts the untimely death of Hinds and the passing of drummer Brann Dailor’s mother.
Reflecting on the themes of loss and grief, Dailor explained: “For me, ‘Your Ghost Again’ is about when you lose somebody that’s close to you that you existed with for most of your life – or your whole life.
“It’s those moments when you’re in those familiar places that you’ve always been with that person, and then, after they’re gone, you see them out of the corner of your eye, and it makes you sad because they’re not there.”
He continued: “When we were in the studio recording, I kept seeing Brent. I’d see him on my right holding the guitar because that’s where he’d usually be.
“It’s the same with my mom: I keep seeing her. And you get a little jolt of excitement because you think you’re actually seeing them, but then you remember they’re not here, and it takes you down a notch.”
Dailor added: “So, it’s these big relationships for me that became the subject matter of the song. I was just singing about what I was seeing, and I was seeing ghosts.”
Produced by Patrik Berger and Kurt Ballou and mixed by Andrew Scheps, ‘Your Ghost Again’ is described as “quintessential Mastodon” as bassist Troy Sanders and Dailor trade vocals over intense and moody guitars courtesy of Bill Kelliher and new guitarist Nick Johnston.
Sanders explained: “My portion of the song, lyrically, is all about Brent, and for Brent. The bridge lyrics are two lines of pure gratitude towards Brent. It’s all the gifts from you, now you can take them back where you must go, meaning you came into my life, you exposed me to things that blew my mind.
“Together we conquered thousands of stages around the world, had magical moments that we can never repeat again, but all the beauty that you brought it still remains, always will, and it’s just a line of gratitude because that’s important that we include Brent.”
The single blends atmospheric, crushing and poignant elements, with Mastodon channelling their grief into a heavy, emotionally-charged track.
Per a press release, ‘Your Ghost Again’ gives fans a taste of what’s to come from the band’s next chapter as they put the finishing touches on their forthcoming full-length record.
Mastodon have also announced a North American tour for this autumn with support from Deafheaven and Alcest. Tickets go on general sale at 10am local time this Friday (June 5). You’ll be able to buy yours here.
The forthcoming headline trek follows the group’s current European festival dates and gigs with Loathe. Next Sunday (June 14), Mastodon will take to the stage at this year’s Download Festival. Other scheduled stops include Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park and Hellfest.
Mastodon’s 2026 North American headline tour dates are:
SEPTEMBER
16 – Hard Rock, Orlando, FL
18 – Asheville Yards, Asheville, NC
19 – Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
20 – Louder Than Life, Louisville, KY
22 – Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA
23 – House Of Blues, Boston, MA
24 – Brooklyn Paramount, Brooklyn, NY
25 – The Anthem, Washington, DC
27 – MTELUS, Montreal, QC
28 – Rebel, Toronto, ON
29 – Buffalo RiverWorks, Buffalo, NY
OCTOBER
01 – Fillmore, Detroit, MI
02 – Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
03 – Palace Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
06 – The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT
07 – Revolution Concert House, Boise, ID
09 – Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
10 – Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
11 – The Sound, San Diego, CA
14 – Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO
16 – Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA
17 – The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
18 – Satellite Music Hall, Memphis, TN
20 – Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH
21 – Piedmont Hall, Greensboro, NC
22 – The Eastern, Atlanta, GA
24 – Sick New World Dallas, Dallas, TX
NME paid tribute to Hinds when “remembering the music legends we lost in 2025”, writing: “The Alabama-born guitarist’s preference for bluegrass and Zeppelin-inspired noodling – he famously hated metal – also became a crucial part of their DNA right up to this year, when Hinds would depart from the group in March.
“The split was disputed – the band stated it was a mutual decision, while Hinds claimed he was ‘kicked out’. The tragedy that would soon follow would quash any hope of reconciliation between some of modern metal’s most creative minds, as Hinds died aged 51 from injuries sustained by a traffic collision.”
Earlier this year, fans reacted to the Grammys omitting Brent Hinds from its ‘In Memoriam’ tribute at the 2026 ceremony.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nme.com ’
