In August 2025, Mastodon co-founder Brett Hinds died in a motorcycle crash at age 51. As the one-year mark of that tragic incident approaches, the band is honoring their late singer-guitarist with the new short film The Mastodon in the Room. It was created as a way for both Mastodon and their fans to process their grief over Hinds’ death, and to clear the air about the ups and downs of their relationship. Watch the video below.
The Mastodon in the Room compiles new interviews, archival concert footage, old behind-the-scenes clips, and more to tell the story of Hinds’ impact on Mastodon’s music and members. In addition to highlighting Hinds’ unquestionable impact on the band’s sound, his bandmates get transparent about his struggles with substance abuse and his departure from the group several months earlier. “We really were coming from a place of love,” co-founding drummer Brann Dailor says in the short film. “Maybe this will be some kind of bottom for him. We had to set some boundaries and take care of our own mental health.”
Last month, Mastodon shared the new song “Your Ghost Again,” which serves as a tribute to Hinds. “When we were in the studio recording, I kept seeing Brent. I’d see him on my right holding the guitar because that’s where he’d usually be,” Dailor added. “You get a little jolt of excitement because you think you’re actually seeing them, but then you remember they’re not here and it takes you down a notch.”
Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with Dailor, bassist Troy Sanders, and guitarist Bill Kelliher. Following the release of their 2002 debut album Remission, Mastodon released seven other studio albums, earned six Grammy nominations, and won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for Emperor of Sand’s “Sultan’s Curse.” Mastodon released their final LP with Hinds, Hushed and Grim, in 2021.
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