Mastodon has officially addressed the death of founding member Brent Hinds in a new 35-minute video nearly a year after the tragedy occurred.

Hinds was part of Mastodon for 25 years before they split in early 2025. He died in a motorcycle crash a few months later in August at the age of 51, and Mastodon mentioned him the very next day during their performance at the Alaska State Fair.

What Did Mastodon Say About Brent Hinds' Death?

In a video uploaded to their YouTube channel today (July 8) titled “The Mastodon in the Room,” the rest of the band openly spoke about the guitarist’s death.

“As we enter a new chapter of Mastodon, we want to do this the right way and talk about Brent. We’ve all seen the clips, headlines, and speculations, but we haven’t told our story in our own words about our 25-year relationship,” the video’s description reads.

“It isn’t easy to talk about Brent; he was our family, someone we all loved wholeheartedly. He was a wild man, our wild man, and that came with some challenges. Both things are true, and we aren’t interested in chasing one truth over the other. Losing him has meant sitting with a type of grief we never expected. No more hugs, no more high fives, no more disagreements, no more making up. That part has been hard; it’s real.”

Brann Dailor opened the video and reflected on his tribute to Hinds last year at the Alaska State Fair.

“I wasn’t ready to address it. I wasn’t ready to talk about it; I didn’t even know what happened,” he admitted. “And to the fans, I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be more for them when that happened because I couldn’t for myself. I’m still unpacking it.”

What Was the Mastodon Video About?

Dailor and bandmates Troy Sanders and Bill Kelliher attended a private screening at the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta, Ga., to watch archived footage taken of Hinds and Mastodon throughout the years “to finally confront the Mastodon in the room.”

The trio shared their reactions and spoke about different memories in the footage as they watched. They seemed especially fond looking back on some of Mastodon’s early years when Hinds was full of excitement about new opportunities they were getting, such as touring with Iron Maiden in the early 2000s.

“All of us really [were] non-stop trying to make each other laugh. I think that that was a big part of the closeness of our relationship early on. We all had a similar sense of humor,” Dailor recalled.

Larry Busacca, Getty Images

The movie covered the highs and lows of Mastodon’s career, including when Hinds wound up in a coma in September 2007 after a drunken altercation led to him being punched in the head, causing brain damage.

“We thought the band was over,” Kelliher said regarding that particular incident.

“I was like, ‘Man he’s crossed the line. He’s gone too far.’ And he was really messed up for a long time… But then there was another side where we got back home and actually went to see him, and he was playing acoustic guitar a lot. He was like, ‘I wrote all these songs’… Then Crack the Skye happened.”

What Did Mastodon Say About Their Split With Brent Hinds?

During the last third of the video, Mastodon members addressed the downward spiral Hinds started to take in his final years with the band. They noted his frequent outbursts onstage and how often he partied at night and slept during the day.

“I could see the disconnect happening and enthusiasm getting less and less; overall camaraderie as a four-piece dwindling. It became quite obvious at that time; the onstage energy would just be hit or miss,” Sanders revealed.

He admitted there were times when he, Dailor, and Kelliher debated putting an end to what was happening but were hesitant because of the “love and magic” they sometimes felt during their performances.

However, during the Hushed and Grim era — their final with Hinds — they felt Hinds’ behavior and struggles with alcohol affected them most. Dailor said he held out longest hoping their bandmate would change.

Eventually, they held a band meeting where Sanders read aloud a letter noting all reasons he was unhappy with their dynamic. He said Hinds eventually realized most issues were directed at him.

“Before I’m halfway through my letter that I’m reading, just like I’m speaking right now, he stands up and walks out of the practice space,” said Sanders. “And that’s the last time I ever saw him again.”

Sanders added that he thought there would be a time when Hinds would have a breakthrough and they would reunite and hug each other — they all believed it would eventually happen — but they never had that chance.

Watch the full video below.

Mastodon Officially Address Brent Hinds’ Death in 35-Minute Video

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