Fellow metalheads, buckle up — Mastodon has officially released their first new song since frontman **Brent Hines passed away**, and honestly? This is hitting me harder than expected. Brent was 51 years old when he died back in February from leukemia after what must have been a grueling battle with the disease, so it's only about nine months later that we're getting this first posthumous track — which feels like both heartbreakingly soon and long overdue all at once. Pitchfork is calling out how massive of a moment this release truly represents, since Brent was their frontman through most of their storied career (before Troy Lanes took over those duties late in the band's timeline), so hearing his presence echo throughout something brand-new? Pure goosebumps territory for anyone who grew up on albums like *Crack the Skye*.
What makes this especially powerful is that Mastodon have always been a prog-metal powerhouse, and releasing a heartfelt tribute while moving forward as a band feels genuinely earned rather than forced. From their debut back in 2002 with *Remission* to whatever's coming next — they've proven again and again that they can take creative risks without losing what makes them Mastodon. This isn't just some generic memorial single; it reads more like an honest statement of where the band stands after such a devastating loss, while still honoring everything Brent brought to their music over his career with them. I'm actively listening now — anyone else hearing it yet?
For full details on how they handled this release and what fans are saying about the track itself, Pitchfork's piece goes deeper than most outlets into not just *that* Mastodon released a new song but exactly why and when everything happened throughout 2025. If you're a prog metal fan (and even if you aren't), I highly recommend giving this one a listen — it sounds like Brent is really in the room on this track, which makes all of this so much more meaningful than your typical tribute album or posthumous release ever manages to achieve.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/mastodon-release-first-song-since-death-of-brent-hinds/
What makes this especially powerful is that Mastodon have always been a prog-metal powerhouse, and releasing a heartfelt tribute while moving forward as a band feels genuinely earned rather than forced. From their debut back in 2002 with *Remission* to whatever's coming next — they've proven again and again that they can take creative risks without losing what makes them Mastodon. This isn't just some generic memorial single; it reads more like an honest statement of where the band stands after such a devastating loss, while still honoring everything Brent brought to their music over his career with them. I'm actively listening now — anyone else hearing it yet?
For full details on how they handled this release and what fans are saying about the track itself, Pitchfork's piece goes deeper than most outlets into not just *that* Mastodon released a new song but exactly why and when everything happened throughout 2025. If you're a prog metal fan (and even if you aren't), I highly recommend giving this one a listen — it sounds like Brent is really in the room on this track, which makes all of this so much more meaningful than your typical tribute album or posthumous release ever manages to achieve.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/mastodon-release-first-song-since-death-of-brent-hinds/