Brent Hinds, co-founder and former lead guitarist of the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon, died Wednesday night in a motorcycle crash in Atlanta. He was 51.
The collision occurred at approximately 11:35 p.m. on August 20, 2025, at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard in Atlanta, according to police reports. Hinds was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound when a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a left turn, resulting in the fatal collision.
Officers arrived at the scene to find Hinds unresponsive. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The female driver of the BMW SUV remained at the scene following the accident. The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed Hinds’ death, ruling the cause as multiple blunt force injuries. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
Mastodon’s surviving members expressed their grief in a statement posted to Instagram on Friday. The band said they were “in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief” following the loss of their former bandmate.
The remaining band members described Hinds as a creative force with whom they had shared numerous triumphs and milestones throughout their career. They indicated their hearts were with Hinds’ family, friends, and fans during this difficult time, requesting privacy as they process the loss.
Born William Brent Hinds in Pelham, Alabama, in 1974, the musician relocated to Atlanta in the 1990s. He co-founded Mastodon in 2000 alongside bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. The Atlanta-based band quickly gained recognition in the heavy metal community for their distinctive sound that combined progressive rock, alternative, and grunge elements.
Throughout his tenure with Mastodon, Hinds served as lead guitarist and shared vocal and songwriting duties with his bandmates. The band released their debut album “Remission” in 2002, followed by critically acclaimed records including “Leviathan” in 2004, “The Hunter” in 2011, “One More ‘Round the Sun” in 2014, and “Emperor of Sand” in 2017.
Mastodon achieved significant commercial success during Hinds’ time with the group, with nine albums charting on the Billboard 200. Three of their releases reached the top 10, while “One More ‘Round the Sun” and “Emperor of Sand” both peaked at number one on the Top Rock Albums chart.
The band earned six Grammy nominations throughout their career, winning the award for Best Metal Performance in 2018 for their song “Sultan’s Curse” from the album “Emperor of Sand.” Beyond their musical achievements, Hinds and his bandmates made brief television appearances as wildlings in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” during the show’s fifth season.
Hinds departed Mastodon in March 2025 after 25 years with the group. The band initially announced the split as a mutual decision, stating they were proud of their shared musical history and wished Hinds success in his future endeavors. However, Hinds later disputed this characterization of his departure.
In August 2025, just weeks before his death, Hinds posted comments on social media claiming he had been removed from the band rather than leaving voluntarily. He stated that his former bandmates had kicked him out for embarrassing them and criticized their live performances.
Despite Mastodon’s heavy metal classification, Hinds never considered himself strictly a metal guitarist. He had studied classical guitar and expressed appreciation for country music and psychedelic rock. In a 2009 interview, Hinds revealed that his father required him to learn banjo before purchasing him a guitar, which introduced him to hillbilly music before he focused on developing his guitar skills.
Beyond Mastodon, Hinds participated in various musical projects including the surfabilly band Fiend Without a Face, classic rock acts The Blood Vessels, West End Motel, Four Hour Fogger, The Last of the Blue Eyed Devils, Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, and Legend of the Seagullmen.
Fellow musicians paid tribute to Hinds following news of his death. Queens of the Stone Age expressed their condolences on social media, while Alice in Chains vocalist William DuVall described feeling devastated by the loss. Mastodon was scheduled to perform at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer on Friday evening, with the show expected to proceed as planned despite the tragedy.
