Hinds died in Atlanta on Wednesday after a collision while riding his motorcycle
Brent Hinds, the former guitarist and co-vocalist of Atlanta metal band Mastodon has died, aged 51.
In a statement, Mastodon said: “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.”
According to local news reports, Hinds died on Wednesday night following a collision with an SUV while riding his motorcycle.
Hinds grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and learned to play the banjo as a teenager. He carried over some of his techniques from playing the instrument when he later switched to electric guitar, and moved to Atlanta in the mid-1990s after seeing his future Mastodon bandmate Troy Sanders play with his then-band Four Hour Fogger in Birmingham.
He ultimately joined the group, but after that project’s dissolution, Hinds and Sanders formed Mastodon in 2000 together with drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher. They released their debut album, Remission, in 2002, with Hinds and Sanders both sharing lead vocals and songwriting duties.
2004’s Leviathan earned them a new wave of fans, as well as critical acclaim, and was followed by 2006’s Blood Mountain, which earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.
Mastodon went on to release five further albums (the most recent was 2021’s Hushed And Grim), retaining their original lineup until earlier this year when Hinds left the band. Though the band’s own announcement about the lineup change was amicable, Hinds later said he was “kicked out” in a sequence of Instagram comments.