Review: Iconic rock act performs first Bay Area show since guitarist died

So much has happened since Mastodon had last performed in Northern California.

For one thing, the Atlanta outfit — which absolutely deserves to be ranked among the top 5 metal acts in the world today — is finally back with a new album, “Marrow Deep.” It marks the group’s first offering in five years, ending — in a very big way — a streak of studio silence that began after the release of 2021’s “Hushed and Grim.”

“Marrow Deep” serves as an introduction to the band’s new quintet lineup, which now includes guitarist Nick Johnston and keyboardist João Nogueira. The latter has been working in the extended Mastodon camp for a number of years, but now — as an official member –can really flex his prog-rock keyboard chops in a way that further strengthens that aspect of the band’s music.

Even more notable is that this is Mastodon’s first record without original lead guitarist Brent Hinds, who also greatly factored in the band’s multi-vocalist approach. Hinds, an amazing talent, parted ways with the band early last year — and, judging by the comments he made, not on the best terms. Five months later, Hinds was killed in a traffic collision while riding his motorcycle.

Hinds was 51.

All of those factors sat as cards on the table as the 2026 Mastodon — which still also features the longtime core of drummer-vocalist Brann Dailor, guitarist Bill Kelliher and bassist-vocalist Troy Sanders — visited the Fox Theater in Oakland on Friday night (Oct. 9).

Yet, fans would quickly find out during this 18-song set that at least one thing definitely has not changed for the band over the past couple of turbulent years:

Mastodon can still rock with the best of the business.

Opening the set with a fiery “Barbarians Blood,” one of five songs from “Marrow Deep” to make the setlist, Mastodon operated not like a band with a proven track record and a well-established fanbase, but rather one that was trying to prove its worth and merit all over again. The five players charged at each and every song like it was a second chance at greatness, knowing how fortunate they are to still be around and playing for passionate fans.

That’s the same vibe one gets throughout “Marrow Deep” — undoubtedly one of the most overall powerful albums of 2026 — a work filled with the grief, disbelief and anger felt over losing Hinds (as well as Dailor’s mother earlier that same year). The music is direct, urgent and to the point, coming across as metal that is poignantly — and, at times, uncomfortably — heavy.

Hinds presence was definitely missed — but I was somewhat surprised that translated more in the vocal department than on the guitar side. Credit that to new addition Johnston, who shared such amazing chemistry with fellow fret man Kelliher (especially on a superb take on “March of the Fire Ants”) and delivered countless fine leads throughout the night.

Nogueira, who just recently joined the fold as an official member but has worked with group since “Hushed and Grim,” also made his presence felt in sizable ways. He constantly dressed up the band’s regular brand of thunder in excitingly colorful ways, adding bits of texture and emotion, but also stepped to the forefront to deliver leads that occasionally reminded me of Styx, ELP and other prog-rock champs.

The group continued to crush its way through the numbers, each of which offered up new musical wrinkles — a touch of experimental jazz here, a little ’90s alt-rock there, some thrash, some sludge — to the sturdy metal base. And, make no mistake, the group was having a blast doing it.

“I don’t know if you can see the smiles,” Sanders said after a particularly powerful “Crystal Skull.” “But the five of us are having the time of our lives right now.”

Five would become six once guitarist John Baizley, of fellow Georgia metal band Baroness, joined the fray during the second half of the show and added even more fret power to the likes of 13. “Curl of the Burl,” “Oblivion,” “The Czar” and “Sultan’s Curse.”

The group’s performance was enhanced by a wild collection of nightmarish/comic book graphics shown a huge video screen in back of the stage as well as a powerfully dramatic light show. The only other “special effect” came with the appearance of Cysquatch, a giant furry creature that takes its name from the 2006 “Blood Mountain” song “Circle of Cysquatch” and looks somewhat like Sulley from “Monsters, Inc.”

Mastodon appeared to be hitting its peak by the time it reached “Colony of Birchmen,” but then somehow managed to reach an even higher level with the ferocious “Blood and Thunder” that closed out the show.

“Best night of the tour,” Sanders remarked to the crowd. “We mean it.

“You guys have not forgotten how to have fun.”

Setlist:

1. “Barbarians Blood”
2. “March of the Fire Ants”
3. “Crystal Skull”
4. “Black Tongue”
5. “Megalodon”
6. “In the Ruins”
7. “More Than I Could Chew”
8. “Your Ghost Again”
9. “Mother Puncher”
10. “Steambreather”
11. “Poisonous Weapons”
12. “Snakes for Dinner”
13. “Curl of the Burl”
14. “Oblivion”
15. “The Czar”
16. “Sultan’s Curse”
17. “Colony of Birchmen”
18. “Blood and Thunder”