Review by Raphaël on September 22, 2026.

Mastodon must be one of the most consistent bands, at least for me, having a near perfect discography. They have this special ability to transform grief into something beautiful and timeless. "Crack The Skye" is meant as a homage to Brann's sister, Skye Dailor, who died by suicide at age 14 and a lot of the riffs were written by Brent when he was recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

The sudden death of Brent Hinds in august 2025 was a massive shock and even for fans, there was a time of uncertainty. When the band finally talked about the "mastodon in the room" and we learned more, it added a layer of tragedy. Just before the accident, they tried to tell him it wasn't working anymore, his drinking was impeding the good functioning of the band, and it was the last time they saw him. But despite this unbelievable tragedy, I had absolute faith that once again, they would create something beautiful out of this and well, they did it again.

"Barbarians Blood" opens with excellent drums and a simple but crushing riff with Troy's powerful voice, it's reminiscent of "Once More 'Round The Sun" era, which is an excellent start! And already on the first song we get a taste of what newcomer João Nogueira brings to the band with a keyboard solo. The album's first single, "Your Ghost Again", is a powerful tribute to Brent, and Brann's mother (who also passed away) that brings the heavy prog we all come for with the dual heavy soft approach with Troy sounding devastatingly heavy while Brann brings melody and a psychedelic atmosphere. Lyrically filled with raw emotions:" I saw your ghost again, Visions of a future, Non-existent, (I saw) I saw your ghost again, Followed by crushing, Feelings of regret" And the riff at the end is Mastodon sounding heavier than they did in a while! "Snakes For Dinner" is a more traditional sounding single with a verse chorus structure making it more accessible. This is a particularly strong chorus with Brann's melodic, catchy and epic voice. I did not like Troy's soft voice on "In The Ruins", at first, but after a few listen, I got used to it and the second part of the song is great, it gets heavier and Troy's performance is both heavy and emotional.

The second part of "Marrow Deep" is more experimental, letting their creative side shine with a lot of guests. "A Vampire's Demeanor" features the added powerful voice of Nate Newton and Randy Blythe, but they only add an extra oomph to Troy's already heavy performance, never overpowering him. It's a great subtle use of both voices. The solo on this one (and everywhere in fact) would make Brent proud! "The Vanishing" opens with a delicious bass section, courtesy of the legendary Geezer Butler himself! A great slow and groovy drumbeat follows with Brann's voice filtered through something like a Leslie rotating speaker (don't quote me on this) giving an extra psychedelic feel. You can also hear the distant chant of Joe Duplantier in the background adding a touch to the powerful drums and epic solo. The album ends with the longest song, as is customary for Mastodon, and what truly stands out on "The Three Fates" is the prog elements are boosted to the max! With a section straight out of prog rock era Opeth, with a superb back and forth on guitars and keys.

"Marrow Deep" is the proof that Mastodon is an unstoppable force, a grief processing machine if you will. They have been a part of my life since 2009 and their music has helped me during my darkest moments but also, during the bests! I saw them in Montréal and have a video of them opening the show with "The Last Baron"! One of the highlights of my life! Anyway, back to "Marrow Deep", it's a beautiful tribute to Brent, showing the best parts of Mastodon while injecting new elements to the sound showing their experimental muscle. As a longtime fan this album just feels good, it's a cathartic experience that puts a healing balm on the wound that is the departure of Brent!

Rating: 9 out of 10