Renowned Mastodon Co-Founder Brent Hinds Dies in Atlanta Motorcycle Accident, Aged 51

Heavy metal icon Brent Hinds, co-founder of Grammy Award-winning band Mastodon, has tragically passed away following a motorcycle accident in Atlanta. He was 51 years old.

The band announced the devastating news on their official Instagram page, expressing profound sadness, shock, and disbelief at Hinds’ untimely death. They shared their heartache over losing this creative force who had shared countless triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that touched the hearts of millions.

Hinds, a talented guitarist, left the band in March. The Atlanta Police Department confirmed the accident details in a preliminary statement on their website. According to the statement, Hinds was riding a Harley Davidson when he was hit by an SUV at the intersection of Memorial Dr. SE and Boulevard SE in Atlanta at 11:35 p.m. on Wednesday evening. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.

The investigation into the accident remains active, as per the website.

Mastodon was founded by Hinds along with bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor in 2000. Throughout their career, they have earned six Grammy nominations, including a win for best metal performance in 2018. The band is perhaps best recognized for their albums “The Hunter,” “One More ‘Round the Sun,” and “Emperor of Sand.”

Mastodon also made two cameo appearances on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” portraying wildlings in the episodes “Hardhome” and “The Dragon and the Wolf.”

In March, the band announced Hinds’ departure, expressing pride in their shared history and wishing him success and happiness in his future endeavors. Since then, Hinds seemed to harbor some animosity towards his bandmates regarding the split, but never publicly discussed it extensively, aside from a later-deleted comment made on the band’s social media page.