Brent Hinds recently parted ways with Mastodon after a 25 year tenure. The Atlanta-based sludge metal formation made the announcement last week on March 7, confirming Hinds' exit as a vocalist and guitarist.

The news led to a ton of speculation, especially given Hinds' previous remarks expressing dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the band. While the announcement was unexpected for many, some saw it coming, and Hinds has not yet released an official statement himself. A recent cryptic post shared on his Instagram may suggest that the split was not entirely harmonious.

The setlist for the festival included several tracks, with notable performances such as "Ember City," "Ghost Of Karelia," and "All The Heavy Lifting," which had not been played for several years.

Despite the change, Mastodon chugged on at the final show of the inaugural Tool Live In The Sand festival in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic this weekend. Reports indicated that musician and YouTuber Ben Eller, who is known for his "Stuff Mastodon Does" video series, looks to have stepped in to fill Hinds' position. Eller was reportedly seen on stage during the soundcheck and went on to perform with the band, though it's unclear whether the arrangement is a temporary situation or will become permanent.

Moral of the story? Go cover your favorite bands on YouTube, because you never know...

The shows setlist:

“Pain With An Anchor”
“Crystal Skull”
“Black Tongue”
“I Am Ahab”
“Megalodon”
“Ember City”
“Tread Lightly”
“Ghost Of Karelia”
“The Motherload”
“The Crux”
“Pushing The Tides”
“More Than I Could Chew”
“All The Heavy Lifting”
“Spectrelight”
“Mother Puncher”
“Steambreather”
“Blood And Thunder”

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