Mastodon have released a short film, The Mastodon in the Room, honouring their late co-founder and singer-guitarist Brent Hinds, who died in a motorcycle crash in August 2025 at the age of 51. Arriving as the first anniversary of his death approaches, the film was made to help the band and their fans process their grief and to address the complicated relationship between Hinds and his bandmates in his final period with the group.

The film brings together new interviews, archival concert footage and behind-the-scenes clips to chart Hinds's impact on the band, while his bandmates speak candidly about his struggles with substance abuse and his departure from the group several months before his death. Drummer Brann Dailor speaks of setting boundaries "from a place of love" and of sensing Hinds's presence in the studio. Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 alongside Dailor, bassist Troy Sanders and guitarist Bill Kelliher; the band went on to release eight studio albums, earn six Grammy nominations and win Best Metal Performance in 2018 for "Sultan's Curse". Last month the band shared a tribute song, "Your Ghost Again", and their final album with Hinds was 2021's Hushed and Grim.