Genres: Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal, Heavy Psych
The Musiquarium’s Marrow Deep Review Score: 8 out of 10
As Mastodon’s first album without guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds (following his exodus from the band and his untimely death), Marrow Deep finds the band in the midst of a transition, after years of inner-band turbulence and a series of weaker albums that found the band somewhat going through the motions and sacrificing their identity by commercializing their sound. Where their last album, the dull Hushed and Grim, was the band at their least-inspired, Marrow Deep has the band sounding as reinvigorated as ever, with the addition of Hinds’ replacement Nick Johnston and keyboardist João Nogueira adding plenty of dimension to the band’s sound.
Opening track Barbarians Blood instantly has more energy and urgency than most of the tracks from their previous album. Lead single Your Ghost Again is crushingly heavy, but also has a memorable chorus that doesn’t feel like it tries to hard — it was also written by the band’s two new members, who the band have clearly been wise in putting their faith into. Out Like a Lamb has some of that Deftones-like dreaminess to it.
Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme makes a reappearance, 20 years after having been on Colony of Birchmen from 2006’s Blood Mountain, on the excellent single, Snakes for Dinner (also a Johnston-Nogueira co-write). In the Ruins is more ballad-like, but still carried by a relentless doominess throughout. João Nogueira gets to shine on the keyboard-laced, Moth & Bone. The Vanishing is reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan, which feels all the more deliberate when you discover that Geezer Butler plays bass on the track.
Marrow Deep is Mastodon’s most memorable and essential album since 2009’s Crack the Skye, offering a satisfactory palate cleanser after a string of rather forgettable albums — it might not top anything from their run of albums from 2004-2009, but it’s definitely the closest they’ve come since. Rest in peace, Brent Hinds and welcome back, Mastodon.
For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Mastodon on Discogs.
Back to the master 2026 Album Reviews Guide or the Mastodon Album Reviews page.
Written by Brett Nippard
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