Just five months after parting ways with the popular heavy metal band after 25 years, Mastodon co-founder William Brent Hinds has died in an Atlanta motorcycle collision. He was 51 years old.
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According to Atlanta police, the driver of a BMW failed to yield while making a turn at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard Wednesday (Aug. 20) night, striking the Harley-Davidson that Hinds was riding. Officers responded to the scene at about 11:35 p.m., where medical officials pronounced the progressive metal legend dead. The Fulton County medical examiner’s office later confirmed Hinds’ death.
A post on Hinds’ official Instagram account confirmed his death, while simultaneously announcing the cancellation of an Aug. 30 masterclass the Alabama-born musician was scheduled to give on Aug. 30. “Your reservations will be refunded at the point of purchase,” the post read.
Mourning their longtime guitarist in a Thursday (Aug. 21) Facebook post, Brent Hinds’ former Mastodon bandmates described feeling “unfathomable sadness and grief.”
“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,” the post read. “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.”
Brent Hinds Left Mastodon in 2025
Leaving behind his hometown of Helena, Alabama, to pursue a music career in Atlanta, Brent Hinds met Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders. In 2000, the two formed the band after meeting drummer Brann Dailor and rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher at a concert “in their friend’s basement.”
During the last quarter of a century, Mastodon released eight studio albums, including 2014’s Once More ‘Round the Sun. The album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. Four years later, the 2017 song “Sultan’s Curse” earned Mastodon its first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
Hinds remained an integral part of the band until March 2025, when Mastodon announced a mutual decision to part ways. The former Fiend Without a Face guitarist later disputed this characterization, lashing out at his ex-bandmates on social media just two weeks before his death.
Featured image by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images
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