Brent Hinds, former lead singer and guitarist for Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon, has tragically died at age 51 in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta.
According to a local law enforcement report, the incident occurred Wednesday evening when Hinds' Harley-Davidson collided with a BMW X5 whose driver was making a wrong turn.
At the scene of the incident, the musician was unconscious. According to the forensic examination, William (the artist's real name) died from “multiple mechanical injuries to the body.”
Mastodon released a farewell statement: “It was a huge blow to say goodbye to a legend. We still can't comprehend that we will no longer see the man whose genius helped us create music that changed the lives of millions.”
The band has had three top-ten albums on the Billboard 200, and two releases, Emperor Of Sand (2017) and Once More 'Round The Sun (2014), topped the rock albums chart.
Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. Their third album, Blood Mountain (2006), became their first top 40 album on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 32.
The musician left the band in March 2025 for undisclosed reasons. The band's official statement stated that it was a “mutual decision,” but Hinds hinted at conflicts with his ex-colleagues on social media.
“We will forever remain grateful for our joint creativity and wish Brent the realization of all his plans,” the band members noted at the time.
Mastodon, who blend hard metal, progressive and sludge rock in their music, have been nominated for six Grammy Awards, winning in 2017 for Best Metal Performance for the track Sultan's Curse from the album Emperor Of Sand.
The Hunter (2011) was included in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the year's top releases, with the wording: “the band has transformed its aggression into rhythmic power while maintaining a unique complexity and eccentricity.”
This fall, Hinds was planning to begin a European tour with Fiend Without A Face, a project created in parallel with his work in Mastodon.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
