MASTODON dropped their new single "Your Ghost Again" on June 2, 2026, via Loma Vista Recordings — marking the band's first release since the departure of co-founding guitarist Brent Hinds in March 2025. The track introduces Nick Johnston as the new six-string voice alongside founding guitarist Bill Kelliher, and features vocals from both Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor.
The song was produced by Patrik Berger and Kurt Ballou, with mixing handled by Andrew Scheps — a combination of production talent that gives the track a muscular yet layered sound, consistent with MASTODON's evolving sonic identity.
Drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor explained the emotional core of the song: "It's those moments when you're in familiar places...you see them out of the corner of your eye, and it makes you sad." The track was written about seeing a ghost of a late friend and former bandmate — a deeply personal subject that runs through the band's history.
"Your Ghost Again" serves as a teaser for MASTODON's upcoming ninth studio album, though the album title and release date have not yet been announced. The band's previous record, "Hushed And Grim" (2021), was a double album widely praised for its emotional ambition and progressive scope.
Alongside the single, MASTODON announced "The Poisonous Weapons Tour" — a 25-date North American run scheduled from September 16 to October 24, 2026. The tour opens in Orlando, FL and closes at Sick New World in Dallas, TX. Support comes from post-black metal heavyweights DEAFHEAVEN and French atmospheric outfit ALCEST — a billing that underscores MASTODON's longtime appreciation for artists who push genre boundaries.
The addition of Nick Johnston represents a significant chapter for a band that has stood as one of heavy music's most respected and intellectually ambitious acts since their 2002 debut "Remission." Johnston brings extensive technical chops and a collaborative spirit — early previews from the recording sessions suggested a seamless fit with the band's demanding musical vocabulary.
For fans of MASTODON, "Your Ghost Again" offers a compelling first glimpse at what promises to be another landmark record in a career full of them.