Ex-MASTODON guitarist Brent Hinds has blasted his former bandmates as a “shit” group “with horrible humans”.
Hinds, who exited MASTODON in March, made his comments in a social media post earlier today (Wednesday, June 25).
After MASTODON shared the artwork of the band’s 2014 album “Once More ‘Round The Sun” to commemorate the LP’s 11th anniversary, one fan chimed in: “‘Halloween’ is definitely my #1 track on this record. Definitely gonna miss B. Hinds though”. Within minutes, Brent himself replied below MASTODON‘s original post, writing via his verified Instagram account: “I want [sic] miss being in a shit band with horrible humans”.
Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and guitarist Bill Kelliher.
MASTODON‘s lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002’s “Remission” until the band’s latest LP, 2021’s “Hushed And Grim”.
When MASTODON announced Brent‘s departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: “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.”
MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a “Best Metal Performance” Grammy for “Sultan’s Curse” in 2018.
MASTODON‘s latest album, “Hushed And Grim”, was a double LP recorded at the band’s Atlanta studio, West End Sound.
MASTODON and COHEED AND CAMBRIA recently completed “The Infinite Arc” tour with special guests PERIPHERY. Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the 20-city trek kicked off on May 10 in Salem, Virginia, spanning the East Coast and Midwest before wrapping up in Waukee, Iowa on June 8.
Brent played his first show since exiting MASTODON on March 21 with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia.
MASTODON recruited Ben Eller, a guitarist known for his popular YouTube channel, to step in for Hinds when the band played at TOOL‘s “Tool In The Sand” festival in the Dominican Republic in March. For MASTODON‘s spring 2025 tour, the band enlisted Canadian musician Nick Johnston. Johnston has six solo records under his belt, and has also worked with POLYPHIA, Guthrie Govan, PERIPHERY and many others.
In a recent interview with Radical Metal, Kelliher stated about MASTODON‘s search for a permanent replacement for 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.”
In a separate interview with Guitar World magazine, Kelliher stated about what he and his bandmates are looking for in a replacement for Hinds: “Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play — and can play well. Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it’s got to be someone who can do all that. And that’s another variable. Like, ‘Oh, this person is a great guitar player. Why don’t you hire them?’ It’s like, ‘Well, they gotta stand the test of time.’ We’ve got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they’re MASTODON material. Like, can they hang, for sure, but it’s got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it.”
Kelliher previously told Guitar World about Hinds‘s exit: “What can you say about the legacy of MASTODON‘s first 25 years with Brent? It’s been a fun, wild fucking ride, that’s for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There’s been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD and TOOL. I cherish all of that.
“Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things,” he explained. “We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams.”
Touching upon the musical and personal chemistry between MASTODON‘s longtime members, Bill said: “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] the sum of four parts. That doesn’t mean there’s not someone else out there that 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.”
Image credit: Pics from the pit
