MASTODON Issues Statement On Lawsuit Filed By BRENT HINDS's Estate: 'We Strongly Deny Allegations Of Ill Intent On Our Part'

The surviving members of MASTODON have commented on the lawsuit filed against the Atlanta metal band by estate of the late former MASTODON member Brent Hinds, claiming the guitarist is still owed money for his share in the group.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the lawsuit, which was filed in Fulton County Court on September 3, claims that Brent had never been bought out of his share of MASTODON and its related businesses before his death. The estate is also accusing MASTODON of using Brent's likeness after his death to promote the group's recently released album "Marrow Deep".

Earlier today (Friday, September 11),MASTODON released the following statement via social media: "Sadly, a private business dispute with the estate of our dear departed friend Brent Hinds was made public.

"We strongly deny allegations of ill intent on our part and intend to vigorously defend what we believe is a meritless lawsuit.

"We don't intend to speak publicly on this going forward, as we feel this wouldn’t honor Brent's memory or the legacy of his musical gifts."

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the estate of late MASTODON guitarist Brent Hinds has filed a lawsuit against the surviving members of the band claiming that he had never been bought out of his share of MASTODON and its related businesses before his death. The estate is also accusing MASTODON of using Brent's likeness after his death to promote the group's recently released album "Marrow Deep".

In the civil complaint, which was filed in Fulton County Court on September 3, the estate reveals MASTODON wrote the estate a check for $80,000 as a buyout of Hinds's portion of the band after sending him a document summarizing the terms of their separation. However, Hinds never signed that agreement and the estate has held off on cashing the check until a full accounting to be done that will determine the actual number Hinds's estate is owed for his share in the MASTODON companies.

Despite the fact that Hinds did not contribute musically to "Marrow Deep", the album cover, which was inspired by the Three Fates who control the thread of human destiny, includes the face of Brent as well as that of Michele Jeanne Lawrence, mother of MASTODON drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor, who also passed away in 2025. The faces are subtly hidden beneath Atropos — the Fate associated with cutting the thread of life.

In the lawsuit, the estate takes issue with the fact that Brent's face appears on an album which he did not contribute to, writing: "Defendants selected and placed a recognizable image of Brent on the album cover of 'Marrow Deep' and disseminated that cover to advertise, market, distribute, and sell physical albums, digital downloads and streams, merchandise, and related goods or services."

The lawsuit also criticizes Dailor, MASTODON bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders and guitarist Bill Kelliher for revealing personal information about Brent, including implying that his struggles with substance abuse led to his exit from the group, in the recently released documentary titled "The Mastodon In The Room". In the emotional 35-minute feature, Dailor, Sanders and Kelliher addressed Hinds's passing directly, saying they wanted fans to hear their story after seeing the speculation and headlines surrounding his death.

While the lawsuit does not directly address the substance abuse allegations, it calls out Dailor, Sanders and Kelliher for disclosing "details about [Hinds's] private life that they learned in confidence — details he chose to keep private while he was alive."

In March 2025, MASTODON revealed that the band and Hinds had "mutually decided to part ways" after "25 monumental years together."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside Sanders, Dailor and Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's 2021 LP "Hushed And Grim".

Hinds later claimed he had been ejected from MASTODON and called his former bandmates "horrible humans" in a social media post.

Brent was reportedly riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle late on August 20, 2025 when he was hit by an SUV turning left and failing to yield at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, less than two miles from downtown Atlanta, according to Atlanta police.

Hinds was found unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash around 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced dead by medical workers.

According to a crash report, investigators found that Hinds was at fault for the accident because he was speeding. Relying on video of the intersection, investigators calculated that the musician was going between 63 and 68 mph, which is roughly twice the speed limit at the crash site, the report said.

Photo: William Lacalmontie