Former Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds publicly criticized his ex-bandmates in a sharp social media post earlier today (Wednesday, June 25), calling the group a “sh*t band with horrible humans.”
Hinds, who officially exited Mastodon in March 2025, left the comment under the band’s Instagram post celebrating the 11th anniversary of their 2014 album Once More ‘Round the Sun. In the post, the band shared the album artwork to mark the milestone. A fan commented: “Halloween is definitely my #1 track on this record. Definitely gonna miss B. Hinds though.”
Within minutes, Hinds replied: “I want miss being in a sh*t band with horrible humans.”
Hinds served as Mastodon’s lead guitarist and vocalist since the band’s formation in 2000, playing alongside Troy Sanders, Brann Dailor, and Bill Kelliher. The original lineup remained intact for 25 years, producing eight studio albums, beginning with 2002’s Remission and continuing through 2021’s Hushed and Grim.
When Mastodon announced Hinds‘ departure on March 7, they posted a statement expressing gratitude for his time with the band: “Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, Mastodon and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways. We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared, and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.
We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of Mastodon. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road.”
Despite the recent tensions, Mastodon‘s legacy remains significant. The band has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and received six Grammy nominations, winning “Best Metal Performance” in 2018 for “Sultan’s Curse”. Their most recent release, Hushed and Grim, was a double album recorded at West End Sound, their studio in Atlanta.
Following Hinds’ departure, Mastodon recruited Ben Eller, known for his instructional YouTube videos, to perform at Tool’s Tool In The Sand festival in the Dominican Republic. For the spring 2025 tour, they enlisted Canadian guitarist Nick Johnston, known for his solo work and collaborations with Polyphia, Guthrie Govan, and Periphery.
In a recent interview with Radical Metal, guitarist Bill Kelliher spoke candidly about the challenge of replacing Hinds: “It’s really hard shoes to fill, obviously. Nobody plays like Brent. He’s a very, extremely unique player. So it’s not gonna be an easy task. We’re all hopeful, and we’re gonna figure it out. So that’s really all I have to say about it.”
Kelliher also acknowledged the interpersonal strain within the band and the complexity of maintaining a working relationship for over two decades: “You know, it’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us. I mean, it’s like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course, and having everybody agree. That we managed to do it this long, I feel like that’s a feat in itself. You could never replace any of us because we are the sum of four parts. That doesn’t mean there’s not someone else out there who has stuff to offer in a new direction. I think I’ll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make. It’s just… it was just time.”
