Brent Hinds, former Mastodon guitarist, dies in motorcycle crash at 51

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51-year-old Brent Hinds, the vocalist and guitarist of the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon who recently departed from the group, passed away on Wednesday evening due to a motorcycle accident in Atlanta.

The unfortunate incident involving Hinds’ death occurred as reported by Atlanta’s WANF. According to their sources, which included a police report, Hinds was on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he collided with an SUV whose driver didn’t yield during a turn. Authorities confirmed that Hinds passed away at the site of the accident.

Through a post on Instagram, Hinds’ previous bandmates expressed their deep sorrow and profound grief, stating they are still struggling to comprehend the loss of this inspiring creative force who was a significant part of our lives. They shared numerous victories, achievements, and the creation of music that has resonated deeply with many hearts.

Renowned for their complex guitar riffs and thought-provoking narratives, Mastodon amassed a significant and dedicated fanbase through their albums that delve into themes such as illness, suicide, and “Moby-Dick.” The band’s music bore evident influences from Black Sabbath and Slayer, and later metal groups like Baroness and Pallbearer were influenced by them.

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Bill Kelliher, Mastodon’s second guitarist, stated during an interview with The Times in 2017 that the band isn’t strictly a metal group. Instead, he described them as a heavy rock band with progressive influences and intense, emotional lyrics. These lyrics often revolve around real-life tragedies and events that deeply affect people.

Mastodon was established in the year 2000 and released two albums on the indie label Relapse Records, including “Leviathan” from 2004, which had a strong theme reminiscent of “Moby-Dick”, as described by Hinds to the New York Times as symbolizing “the battle between man and music”. Later, they switched to the Warner Music imprint Reprise for the creation of “Blood Mountain” in 2006, which received a Grammy nomination for best metal performance.

The band consisting of Hinds, bassist Troy Sanders, and drummer Brann Dailor who alternated lead vocals, produced five additional LPs for Reprise Records. The track “Sultan’s Curse” from the 2017 album “Emperor of Sand” won a Grammy in the best metal performance category. Mastodon’s latest album, “Hushed and Grim,” was released in 2021.

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Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Hind developed a knack for playing the banjo before transitioning to guitar. In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, he painted his younger self as a wild spirit and shared that he was quite troubled at school. He also confessed to taking LSD and attending classes under its influence, explaining that he was overly creative, rarely completing homework, instead filling his notebooks with drawings of skulls.

Initially, he crossed paths with Sanders in Birmingham when Sanders performed with a prior band. Later, they both decided to relocate to Atlanta for music collaboration, eventually co-founding Mastodon alongside Kelliher and Dailor. In 2009, Mastodon got the opportunity to play at Coachella and embark on a tour with Metallica. Fast forward six years, Hinds made a brief appearance in an episode of “Game of Thrones” on HBO.

In March, Mastodon revealed that Hinds was no longer part of the band through a statement indicating they’d mutually agreed to end their association. However, Hinds later shared on Instagram that he considered his former bandmates as “unpleasant individuals,” claiming they had dismissed him for being myself. He further accused them of employing Auto-Tune in the studio and asserted that he had never encountered three people so self-absorbed.

Information on Hinds’ survivors wasn’t immediately available.

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2025-08-22 00:13