Mastodon has released a new short film titled The Mastodon in the Room. The 36-minute video features the band's surviving founding members discussing their late guitarist and singer Brent Hinds.
The film comes nearly a year after Hinds died in a motorcycle crash in August 2025 at age 51. It includes interviews, archival footage, and reflections from bassist-vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor.
Band members described Hinds as a complicated figure who struggled with addictions and mental health issues. They recalled incidents of tension during tours and recording sessions, including on the Crack the Skye album cycle and in the years leading to his departure several months before his death.
Dailor said in the film, “We really were coming from a place of love.” Sanders added that repeated attempts to address concerns with Hinds proved unsuccessful. The band has since recruited guitarist Nick Johnston and completed its ninth studio album without Hinds.
Last month Mastodon released the song Your Ghost Again as a tribute to Hinds. The new film aims to help the band and fans process the events surrounding his exit and passing.