Brent Hinds, the former lead guitarist of Mastodon, has died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 51.
The news was confirmed by a medical examiner’s report in Fulton County, Georgia on Thursday (August 21), after police reported that a man riding a Harley Davidson was killed in a collision with a BMW SUV (via Atlanta News First).
Mastodon paid tribute to Hinds, writing on Instagram: “We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief… last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident.”
“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. 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.”
Hinds and Mastodon parted ways amicably in March this year after 25 years together. The band wrote at the time: “We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavours.”
William Brent Hinds was born on January 16, 1974 in Helena, Alabama, but left for Atlanta as a young man to pursue a music career. He met future Mastodon bassist Troy Sanders, with whom he briefly played in the band Four Hour Fogger, and shortly afterwards formed the original line-up of Mastodon with drummer Brann Dailor, guitarist Bill Kelliher and singer Eric Saner.
Saner left the following year, leaving the remaining members to share lead vocal duties. They went on to record eight studio albums together, including the highly acclaimed ‘Leviathan’ in 2004 and ‘Blood Mountain’ in 2006.
They were credited with leading the sludge metal scene, before going on to incorporate elements of progressive rock, complex rhythms and intricate melodies.
Relapse Records, who have released all of Mastodon’s albums, paid tribute. “Our hearts are broken with the news of Brent Hinds’ tragic passing,” they wrote on X. “It is an understatement to say that Mastodon forever changed the course of Relapse’s history, for the absolute better.”
Our hearts are broken with the news of Brent Hinds’ tragic passing. It is an understatement to say that Mastodon forever changed the course of Relapse’s history, for the absolute better. The records Mastodon released with Relapse are all time classics across any genre, and they… pic.twitter.com/2sTUkXJeNt
— Relapse Records (@RelapseRecords) August 21, 2025
“The records Mastodon released with Relapse are all time classics across any genre, and they would not sound the way they sound, without Brent. His larger than life personality was eclipsed only by his monstrous musicianship. Our love goes out to Brent’s friends and family, the rest of Mastodon and everyone else lucky enough to have had their lives changed by the music that Brent brought to the world.”
After his split from the band this year, Hinds made a handful of comments online suggesting that his departure was not as amicable as had been thought. He described his former bandmates as “horrible humans”, and shared scathing remarks that implied he was “kicked out” of the band.
Bill Kelliher described the split as a marriage that had run its course: “Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things. We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams. You know, it’s amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us.”