Nearly a year after the death of former guitarist Brent Hinds, Mastodon have publicly shared their thoughts on the loss of their longtime bandmate in an emotional new 35 minute documentary released on the band’s YouTube channel.
Titled ‘The Mastodon in the Room’, the film marks the first time drummer Brann Dailor, bassist Troy Sanders and guitarist Bill Kelliher have spoken at length about Hinds’ passing, reflecting on their 25 year relationship, the band’s split in early 2025, and the grief that followed.
The documentary opens with a heartfelt statement from the band:
“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 band continues:
“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.”
The Mastodon in the Room
The right time
Dailor also reflected on Mastodon‘s appearance at the Alaska State Fair shortly after Hinds’ death, admitting he wasn’t emotionally prepared to speak publicly at the time (per Loudwire):
“I wasn’t ready to address it. I wasn’t ready to talk about it, I didn’t even know what happened,” he said. “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.”
The documentary follows the trio as they revisit decades of archived footage, celebrating the band’s early years while confronting some of its darkest moments, including Hinds‘ near fatal 2007 head injury.
“We thought the band was over,” Kelliher recalled.
The film also addresses the difficult final years before Hinds’ departure, with the remaining members speaking candidly about deteriorating relationships, inconsistent live performances and the impact of alcohol on the guitarist’s wellbeing.
Sanders acknowledged that the band wrestled with whether to continue, explaining there were moments when the chemistry was still undeniable despite growing tensions.
Rather than focusing on controversy, The Mastodon in the Room serves as a tribute to a founding member whose legacy remains inseparable from one of modern metal’s most influential bands.
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