MASTODON have unveiled their new single, “Your Ghost Again,” marking the band’s first new music since the departure and tragic death of founding guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds in 2025.
Released on June 2, the song was produced by Patrik Berger, known for his work with Taylor Swift and Robyn, alongside CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou. According to the Atlanta metal veterans, the track serves as a heartfelt tribute to their longtime bandmate and friend.
The emotional weight of the song is reflected in both its lyrics and inspiration. Drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor explained how memories of Hinds continued to surface while the band worked in familiar surroundings.
He said (via Kerrang!): “‘Your Ghost Again’ is about being in those familiar places you used to be with people, which for us is in the studio,” comments drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor. I just kept seeing [Hinds] out of the corner of my eye, where he would normally be with his guitar.
“It’s about that: your mind plays tricks on you, especially so soon after someone dies and you’re in the places where they always were. You just see them.”
Bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders also revealed that his contribution to the song was written specifically with Hinds in mind, describing it as an expression of gratitude for the experiences they shared throughout their decades together in the band.
“My portion of the song, lyrically, is all about Brent, and for Brent,” Troy said. “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.”
For guitarist Bill Kelliher, choosing “Your Ghost Again” as the first glimpse of MASTODON‘s next chapter felt like a natural decision. He noted that the song captures the essence of the band’s sound while addressing themes that have become deeply personal over the past year.
“We wanted to pick a song that sounds like MASTODON, and that has all the things in there, because it’s the first impression of what people are gonna hear,” he explained. “It speaks about things that have just happened and people passing. I could go deep but I don’t want to because a lot of that shit’s personal.”
Hinds tragically died on August 20, 2025, at the age of 51, following a motorcycle collision with a BMW SUV in Atlanta. According to police reports, he was estimated to be traveling between 63 and 68 mph—roughly twice the speed limit—when the accident occurred. Officers found him alive at the scene with injuries to his head, arms, and torso, but he later succumbed to his injuries at Grady Memorial Hospital.
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