Mastodon Guitarist Brent Hinds Dies at 51 in Atlanta Motorcycle Crash
By Kai Montgomery: Look, I don’t *want* to be the one to say it, but here we are—another talent gone too soon. And no, before you ask, this isn’t some dramatic Hollywood saga—it’s real life, and it’s tragic.
Brent Hinds, co-founder of the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon, has died following a motorcycle crash in Atlanta. He was 51. According to reports from Atlanta News First, the incident occurred late Wednesday night near the city’s downtown area when a BMW SUV failed to yield while turning at an intersection, colliding with Hinds’ Harley-Davidson. Emergency responders arrived on scene but were unable to revive him; he was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival.
The Atlanta Police Department released a statement confirming the accident details, noting that officers found Hinds unresponsive at the scene. The female driver of the SUV remained on site during the investigation. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office has since officially confirmed his death, though the full report is still pending as authorities continue their inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Hinds, born William Brent Hinds in Pelham, Alabama, was a founding member of Mastodon, which he helped launch in Atlanta back in 2000 alongside bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. Known for his distinctive vocal style and virtuosic guitar work, Hinds played a pivotal role in shaping the band’s signature sound—a blend of progressive metal, sludge rock, and conceptual storytelling.
Mastodon rose to prominence with albums like “Remission” (2002), “Leviathan” (2004), and later “Emperor of Sand” (2017) and “Hushed and Grim” (2021). Their music earned critical acclaim and a fiercely loyal fanbase, cementing them as one of modern metal’s most influential acts. But earlier this year, Hinds abruptly left the group under what initially seemed like mutual terms. In March, the band posted a joint statement saying they had “mutually decided to part ways,” thanking him for the years of collaboration and wishing him well.
However, just weeks before his death, Hinds hinted at a different narrative. In the comments section of a Mastodon Instagram post, he claimed he had been “kicked out of the band for embarrassing them for being who I am.” He also criticized his former bandmates’ live vocal performances, adding further fuel to the fire of speculation around his departure.
Fans have taken to social media to mourn his passing, calling him a legend, a kind soul, and an irreplaceable musical force. Tributes poured in from fellow musicians, longtime supporters, and even casual listeners who recognized the impact of his work both onstage and in the studio.
As investigations into the crash continue, the music world reels from the loss of a man whose creativity knew no bounds. Whether or not tensions existed between him and his former bandmates, one thing remains clear: Brent Hinds left behind a legacy that will echo through the annals of metal history.
Did anyone expect a different outcome? No? Thought so.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Atlanta News First, Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, Pitchfork, Instagram
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