Brent Hinds, former lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Mastodon, died Wednesday in a motorcycle crash in Atlanta, according to reports by Variety, Billboard and other media outlets.
Hinds, 51, was an Alabama native and a founding member of Mastodon, a iconic band in the metal and hard rock worlds. He left the group in March after 25 years, eight studio albums and several award nominations.
Although Hinds’ split with Mastodon was reportedly not an amicable one — Hinds said he was “kicked out” via comments on Instagram — the band paid tribute to him on Thursday on social media.
“We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief … last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident,“ Mastodon said in an Instagram post. ”We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we’ve shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent’s family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone’s privacy during this difficult time. RIP Brent.”
According to an Atlanta police report cited by Billboard, officers arrived on scene Wednesday around 11:35 p.m. and found a Harley Davidson rider (presumably Hinds) unresponsive after a woman driving a BMW SUV “failed to yield” and hit the motorcyclist while turning left at an intersection. He was later pronounced dead on the scene. An investigation is ongoing, the police report said.
Hinds, born in Helena, grew up in the Birmingham area and studied classical guitar for one year at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. He moved to Georgia in the ‘90s and founded Mastodon with bassist Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher.
With that lineup, the band — known for its thundering blend of stoner, sludge and progressive metal music — released successful albums such as 2004’s “Leviathan,” 2006’s “Blood Mountain,” 2009’s “Crack the Skye,” 2017’s “Emperor of Sand” and more.
“Mastodon have gradually established themselves over the years as arguably the most important metal band of their generation,” Revolver said in a 2017 profile, ”thanks to blisteringly intense live shows and an uncompromising run of albums.”
Mastodon earned six Grammy nominations during Hinds’ tenure with the group, including a 2018 win for Best Metal Performance with “Sultan’s Curse.” The band also received trophies from the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, Metal Storm Awards and Danish Metal Awards.
Hinds had performed with Mastodon in his home state over the years, playing shows at venues such as Furnace Fest and Iron City in Birmingham.
In 2024, Matt Wake of AL.com listed Hinds among the 20 greatest guitarists of all time from Alabama, saying “Hinds is lead guitarist for one of the best metal bands to rise up this century, Mastodon. Hinds’ playing in that Grammy-winning Atlanta band draws from his banjo-playing youth, metal gods like Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and sludge icons The Melvins.”
Nick Johnston signed on with Mastodon in May, filling Hinds’ spot after the band played at the Tool in the Sand festival with guitarist Brent Eller.
Fans and fellow musicians mourned Hinds’ death and celebrated his career with comments on Mastodon’s Thursday Instagram post. “Absolutely heartbreaking. Love and condolences to you all,” said @nickhipa.
“It’s very sad to see how his final days ended, but his legacy will be immortal, and if there’s one thing we should be proud of, it’s that Mastodon never spoke ill of him or his legacy,” said @matorivera. “He will always be part of their history, and regardless of all their problems and conflicts in recent times, they never spoke ill of him or wanted to take advantage of the situation, always respecting his musical legacy. Much respect and condolences to all his friends and family.”
“Rest In Power Brent Hinds,” said @vveedian. “I can’t believe he’s gone. So sad.”
“So sorry for your loss. A one of a kind musician who has marked my life since I was 14 until Im now 35,” said @littleguitars89.
“The soul is energy, and energy is not destroyed, it is transformed … RIP Brent,” said @angel_almeida_s.
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