Mastodon have announced the shock departure of guitarist Brent Hinds.
Guitarist Hinds' exit marks the first line-up change in the Atlanta, Georgia band's history.
In a short statement posted on their social media channels, the band say: "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."
Hinds was not present last night, March 6, when his bandmates Bill Kelliher, Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House in Brooklyn, New York, for a talk titled, 'Metal, Melville, and the Metropolitan Opera: Mastodon’s Leviathan meets Heggie’s Moby-Dick'. The trio got together with opera composer Jake Heggie to discuss Moby-Dick as a source of mutual inspiration, 20 years on from the release of their Moby-Dick themed concept album Leviathan.
Mastodon are scheduled to tour the US with Coheed and Cambria in May and June, and later this year are set to play Bloodstock festival in the UK, below headliners Gojira on August 10.
There is no news yet as to who will replace Hinds in the quartet.
As well as Gojira and Mastodon, Bloodstock 2025 will feature Friday night headliner Trivium and Saturday night headliner Machine Head, plus Emperor, Ministry, Fear Factory, Lacuna Coil, Orange Goblin, Creeper, Heriot, Kublai Khan, the Black Dahlia Murder, Static-X, 3 Inches Of Blood, Obituary, Paleface Swiss, Warbringer, August Burns Red and more.
