The estate of Brend Hinds releases a new statement about the legal issues with Mastodon

Following leaks earlier this month regarding legal action filed by the estate of late Mastodon guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, both parties have now issued formal public statements, as per theprp. The suit centers on disputes over the accounting and financial divestment of Hinds’ business interests with the progressive sludge metal group—a process left unresolved prior to his tragic death in a motorcycle accident on August 20, 2025. Additionally, the complaint alleges that the band continued to improperly profit from Hinds’ image by using his likeness in promotional materials and artwork for “Marrow Deep”, while also taking issue with Mastodon‘s public statements regarding his alleged substance abuse. Following Mastodon‘s official response on September 11, Hinds’ estate has now released their own statement to clarify their position:

Unfortunately, public discussion has largely focused on Mastodon’s inclusion of Brent’s image in artwork for a new album and has sometimes portrayed the lawsuit as an effort by his family to obtain a windfall. That is not what the case is about.

After Brent was excluded from Mastodon, he sought an accounting, valuation, and orderly separation of interests he held in entities owned by the founding members. He passed away before that process was finished…Brent had not yet received compensation for any of his interests.

More specifically, it relates to whether Brent’s exclusion from the band discontinued his, and now his Estate’s, entitlement to share in Mastodon’s merchandising revenue.

The remaining members maintain that Brent did not participate in Mastodon’s new album, yet the band chose to use a recognizable image of him to market that album and did so without the estate’s consent. This illustrates that Brent remains relevant to Mastodon’s brand even after his exclusion and death.

The estate maintains that the band cannot fairly invoke Brent’s identity when it is commercially useful, while simultaneously denying the continuing relevance of his contributions when accounting for his interests.

The lawsuit is not asking for anyone to choose sides or diminish what Brent and his bandmates created together. Nor does it ask the public to judge anyone’s grief or intentions.

According to the complaint filed by Brent Hinds’ estate, Mastodon issued an $80,000 check to settle the late guitarist’s business interests, which the estate refused to cash while demanding a full financial accounting. Hinds was dismissed from the band on March 7, 2025, after which he made several public jabs at his former bandmates on social media, making it clear the split was far from amicable. While Mastodon largely kept quiet during the fallout, they later addressed the circumstances surrounding his exit and celebrated his legacy in their short film “The Mastodon In The Room”.