Mastodon have introduced that their founding guitar participant, Brent Hinds, has left the band after 25 years, however Georgian heavy steel heroes haven’t any plans to name it a day, and are nonetheless promising to fulfil upcoming tour commitments with out their lead guitarist.

In an announcement posted to Instagram, the band wrote, “Pals and followers, after 25 monumental years collectively, Mastodon and Brent Hinds have mutually determined to half methods.”

“We’re deeply happy with and past grateful for the music and historical past we’ve shared,” the assertion continued. “We want him nothing however success and happiness in his future endeavors.”

The excellent news for Mastodon followers is that the band appear to have no intention of calling it a day regardless of dropping one of many key artistic fulcrums of the band for 1 / 4 of a century.

“We’re nonetheless very impressed and excited to indicate up for followers on this subsequent chapter of Mastodon,” the band defined. “As we transfer ahead, all 2025 touring plans will stay intact. We look ahead to seeing you on the highway.”

Mastodon celebrated 20 years of their vastly influential and career-defining album, Leviathan in 2024, and when Guitar.com spoke to rhythm guitarist Invoice Kelliher about that on the tail finish of final 12 months, he revealed that he was onerous at work making new music for Mastodon.

“I’m all the time writing,” Kelliher advised us. “I’m all the time compiling riffs, and songs concepts and monitoring them after which including harmonies, and including all of the elements on prime, and layering. I prefer to make them thick and use completely different guitars and completely different amps, and experiment with completely different tones.”

The Mastodon line-up of Kelliher, Hinds, Brann Dailor (drums) and Troy Sanders (bass) has remained unchanged since unique lead singer Eric Saner left the band in 2000. Their most up-to-date studio album, Hushed and Grim, was launched in 2021.