News
10 October 2026 – Mastodon Announce Vinyl Records Containing Actual Mastodon Fossils and Win the Merchandise Arms Race
By Editorial Team - October 10, 2026
Summary
Mastodon partner with Waxworks Records and University of Georgia to press 170 vinyl copies of Marrow Deep infused with real mastodon tooth fossils.
Key Facts
- Mastodon reveal a limited 170-copy vinyl pressing of Marrow Deep containing real ground mastodon tooth fossils.
- Developed with Waxworks Records and the University of Georgia's geology department.
- Utilizes authentic prehistoric fossils gifted to the band over two decades ago.
- Entities: Mastodon, Marrow Deep, Waxworks Records, University of Georgia, Atlanta
- Tags: mastodon, marrow-deep, progressive-metal, heavy-metal, vinyl, waxworks-records, merchandise
American progressive-metal band Mastodon have announced an extraordinarily unusual limited vinyl edition of their latest album Marrow Deep. The pressing incorporates material derived from actual fossilised mastodon teeth, transforming the band's prehistoric name into something considerably more literal in the world of heavy metal.
The project was developed with Waxworks Records and assistance from the University of Georgia's geology department. According to the musicians, the band received a large collection of fossilised mastodon teeth more than twenty years ago and spent considerable time considering what might eventually be done with them. The answer, apparently, was to grind some of the fossil material into powder and incorporate it into a record.
Only 170 copies of the special edition will be produced, making the release a particularly unusual collector's item. Vinyl enthusiasts have become accustomed to coloured pressings, elaborate packaging and limited editions designed to encourage repeat purchases. Mastodon have now introduced the possibility of prehistoric animal remains entering the equation. Streaming may provide convenience, but it remains difficult to imagine a digital file containing genuine geological material.