News
Brent Hinds, Co-Founder of Mastodon, Dies at 51 After Atlanta Motorcycle Crash
Brent Hinds, the influential guitarist, singer and songwriter who helped shape Mastodon’s genre-blending sound, has died following a motorcycle crash in Atlanta. He was 51. Authorities said Hinds was riding a Harley-Davidson late Wednesday when a BMW SUV failed to yield while turning, causing a fatal collision; the Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed his death. Mastodon mourned their former bandmate in a statement, calling the loss “unfathomable.”
What happened on Wednesday night in Atlanta?
Police responded around 11:35 p.m. to the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, where officers found an unresponsive motorcyclist who was later identified as Brent Hinds. Investigators said a BMW SUV driver turned left and did not yield before striking Hinds’ Harley-Davidson. The driver remained at the scene as the investigation began.
How did Mastodon remember Brent Hinds?
Soon after the news broke, Mastodon shared a tribute on social media, writing that they were “heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force,” and asking for privacy for Hinds’ family, friends and fans. The post underlined how central Hinds was to the band’s rise and to music that “touched the hearts of so many.”
Where did Brent Hinds’ musical journey begin?
Born William Brent Hinds in 1974 and raised in Alabama, he learned banjo as a teen, a foundation he later carried into his fleet, finger-picked electric-guitar style. After a short stint studying classical guitar at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, he moved to Atlanta in the mid-1990s, drawn by the city’s heavy-music scene and an early collaboration with future Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders.
How did Brent Hinds help define Mastodon’s sound?
Brent Hinds of Mastodon performs at Riot Fest 2024.
Source: Getty Images
Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor. From Remission (2002) and the breakthrough concept album Leviathan (2004) to Blood Mountain (2006), his riffs, melodic instincts, and shared vocals helped push the quartet to the forefront of progressive metal. The band earned critical acclaim and multiple Grammy nominations before winning Best Metal Performance for “Sultan’s Curse” from Emperor of Sand in 2018.
Why was The Hunter so personal for him?
Released in 2011, The Hunter took a more direct, song-driven turn while carrying personal weight for Hinds. The album title honored his brother, Brad Hinds, who died while hunting during the record’s making—a loss the band has discussed across interviews and retrospectives. The project became a pivot point for Mastodon’s blend of heaviness and melody.
What setbacks did he overcome earlier in his career?
In 2007, after Mastodon appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas, Hinds was assaulted in an incident that left him hospitalised with a brain haemorrhage and other injuries. He later recovered and returned to touring and recording, continuing a career defined by resilience and reinvention.
What happened with his departure from Mastodon?
In March 2025, Mastodon announced that the band and Hinds had “mutually decided to part ways” after 25 years of making music together. In the months that followed, Hinds wrote on social media that he had been “kicked out,” signaling that the split was more contentious than initially portrayed. Despite the rift, the band’s tribute after his death emphasised shared milestones and the indelible mark he left on their music.
What else did Brent Hinds create outside of Mastodon?
Even as Mastodon became a major touring and recording act, Hinds kept a foot in Atlanta’s club scene and beyond. He played with side projects including Fiend Without a Face and West End Motel, channelled rootsy influences into off-kilter rock, and remained a fixture on festival stages worldwide. Before his death, he had plans for European dates with Fiend Without a Face.
How are fans and peers reacting?
Within hours, fellow musicians and guitar publications posted tributes noting Hinds’ singular tone and phrasing—an approach sparked by his banjo beginnings and honed across eight studio albums with Mastodon through 2021’s Hushed and Grim. News outlets and local Atlanta stations documented the crash details as an outpouring of condolences spread across social media.
What made Brent Hinds’ playing stand out?
Hinds’ guitar voice—fluid hammer-ons, quick pull-offs and thumb-picked runs—could sound both jagged and lyrical, a style that borrowed the rolling momentum of bluegrass and bent it into psychedelic sludge. That tension animated everything from Leviathan’s storm-tossed riffs to the widescreen textures of Crack the Skye and the radio-ready punch of Once More ’Round the Sun. It’s a signature many listeners could pick out in a bar or on a festival lawn long before they saw the tattoos or the Falcon-style guitars.
What is the status of the investigation?
Atlanta police said the initial assessment indicates the SUV failed to yield while turning; the investigation remains active. No further details were immediately available about potential charges. The medical examiner identified Hinds at the scene, and authorities have not released additional updates beyond confirmation of his death.
FAQs
How old was Brent Hinds, and where was he from? Brent Hinds was 51. He grew up in Alabama and later moved to Atlanta, where he co-founded Mastodon at the start of the 2000s.
What are the essential Mastodon albums tied to Brent Hinds’ legacy? Hinds co-wrote and performed on all the band’s studio albums from Remission through Hushed and Grim in 2021. Cornerstones include Leviathan, Blood Mountain, Crack the Skye, The Hunter, Once More ’Round the Sun and Emperor of Sand, which yielded the group’s first Grammy win.
Did Mastodon win a Grammy during his tenure? Yes. Mastodon won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2018 for “Sultan’s Curse,” released on Emperor of Sand.
When did Brent Hinds leave Mastodon? The band announced his exit in March 2025. Hinds later stated publicly that he had been “kicked out,” indicating disagreement over how the split was characterised.
What do we know about funeral or memorial plans? As of publication, no public memorial details had been announced. Mastodon asked fans and media to respect the privacy of Hinds’ family and close friends during this time.
