Mastodon have released “In The Ruins”, a song shaped by Troy Sanders’ experience of Hurricane Helene and the grief surrounding the band’s recent losses, ahead of the August 28 release of *Marrow Deep*.
by Paul Cashmere
Mastodon have released “In The Ruins”, the third advance track from their ninth studio album Marrow Deep, due August 28 through Loma Vista Recordings. Written against the backdrop of Hurricane Helene’s destruction of bassist and vocalist Troy Sanders’ home and a prolonged period of displacement, the song also reflects the wider grief experienced by the band following the death of founding guitarist Brent Hinds and the death of Brann Dailor’s mother, Michele Lawrence.
The song gives Marrow Deep a particularly personal dimension. Hurricane Helene severely flooded Sanders’ family home in 2024, destroying personal possessions and forcing the family to live away from the property for almost two years. That experience unfolded while Mastodon were also dealing with significant changes to their own lives and lineup.
“In The Ruins” takes those circumstances into a song about damage, loss and the process of rebuilding. Rather than treating the events as isolated experiences, the track places personal upheaval within the broader emotional landscape that has shaped Mastodon since their previous studio album, Hushed and Grim, in 2021.
The accompanying animated video was created by animation and visual effects studio Hey Beautiful Jerk. It follows a one-eyed character named Frank through flooded and devastated landscapes, translating the song’s themes into a surreal visual narrative.
The concept itself emerged from an unusual personal experience. Hey Beautiful Jerk said the idea came while its creator was spending 10 hours in an emergency department with a severe eye infection. After speaking with Dailor about the meaning of the song and its connection to the losses experienced by Dailor and Sanders, the phrase “picking up the pieces” provided the starting point for Frank.
Marrow Deep also represents a significant point of transition for Mastodon. It is the first full-length album to feature guitarist Nick Johnston alongside founding members Dailor, Sanders and Bill Kelliher. Keyboardist João Nogueira also makes significant contributions to the recording.
The album’s production involved Patrik Berger and Kurt Ballou, with Andrew Scheps handling the mix. Its guest list extends well beyond the band’s regular lineup. Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme appears on “Snakes For Dinner”, Neil Fallon of Clutch contributes spoken word to “The Three Fates”, and Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe and Converge bassist Nate Newton provide gang vocals on “A Vampire’s Demeanor”.
Converge drummer Ben Koller contributes percussion to “Barbarians Blood”, while Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler plays the introduction to “The Vanishing”, which also features vocals from Gojira’s Joe Duplantier.
The album follows Hushed and Grim, a double album that explored mortality and grief after the death of Mastodon’s longtime manager Nick John. That record produced “Pushing The Tides”, which earned a Grammy nomination and extended the band’s run of success on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.
Mastodon’s catalogue has developed through a series of stylistic shifts since the Atlanta band’s emergence in 2000. Leviathan established the group’s standing in progressive and extreme metal, while Crack The Skye expanded their ambitions into more elaborate songwriting and conceptual territory. The Hunter, Once More ‘Round The Sun and Emperor of Sand subsequently all reached the Billboard 200’s Top 10.
Marrow Deep therefore enters the catalogue at a point when Mastodon’s established identity is being tested by substantial personal and personnel changes. The presence of Johnston marks the first studio album without Hinds, whose death followed his departure from the band. The new material also continues Mastodon’s longstanding practice of incorporating outside musicians without abandoning the core identity of the group.
“In The Ruins” follows “Your Ghost Again” and “Snakes For Dinner” as the album’s third preview. “Your Ghost Again” gained attention during Mastodon’s European touring, while “Snakes For Dinner” introduced Homme’s contribution to the record.
The band will take Marrow Deep on the road with the Poisonous Weapons Tour, a North American run featuring Deafheaven and Alcest. The tour begins in Orlando on September 16 and concludes on October 24 in the Dallas area at Sick New World Dallas.
With Marrow Deep only days from release, “In The Ruins” provides the clearest indication yet of how Mastodon have transformed a period marked by destruction, bereavement and uncertainty into their next chapter.
Marrow Deep Tracklisting
Barbarians Blood
Poisonous Weapons
Your Ghost Again
Snakes For Dinner
Out Like a Lamb
In The Ruins
They’re Coming For You
Golden Spires
Moth And Bone
A Vampire’s Demeanor
The Vanishing
The Three Fates
Tour Dates
September 16, Orlando, House of Blues
September 18, Philadelphia, The Met
September 19, Boston, MGM Music Hall at Fenway
September 21, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Paramount
October 24, Dallas, Sick New World Dallas
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