Mastodon have answered the lawsuit filed against them by the estate of Brent Hinds.
"Sadly, a private business dispute with the estate of our dear departed friend Brent Hinds was made public," the band wrote on Instagram. "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."
The complaint was filed September 3 in Fulton County Court in Atlanta. The estate says Hinds still held an ownership interest in Mastodon merchandise and other business ventures after he left the band in March 2025, and that he was notified of his exit by email and never signed a separation agreement before he died. According to the filing, the band sent an $80,000 buyout check that the estate has not cashed, saying it was never given an accounting of how the band arrived at that number.
The suit also alleges the cover art for "Marrow Deep" features a character recognizable as Hinds, used to advertise and sell a record he did not play on, and says the band disclosed details of his private life that they learned in confidence in the documentary "The Mastodon in the Room."
Hinds died in a motorcycle crash in Atlanta on August 20, 2025.
Photo: William Lacalmontie