Brent Hinds, former guitarist and co-founder of the acclaimed heavy metal group Mastodon, died in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta late Wednesday.
According to police reports, the 51-year-old was riding his Harley Davidson when a BMW SUV turned in front of him at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard, failing to yield and causing the fatal crash.
Hinds helped launch Mastodon in 2000 alongside bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor, becoming a defining force in the Atlanta metal scene.
Earlier this year, Billboard reported that the band and Hinds had “mutually decided to part ways.” More recently, however, Hinds stated that his departure was not by choice and that he had been dismissed from the lineup.
In the months leading up to his death, Hinds had been outspoken about his split from Mastodon. On social media, he accused bandmates Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor of relying heavily on autotune to stay in key, and claimed he was dismissed for “embarrassing them for being who I am.” He described the group as “full of themselves,” escalating long-simmering tensions.
While Mastodon largely avoided public rebuttals, drummer Brann Dailor offered a subtle response via Instagram Stories, and guitarist Bill Kelliher later reflected that it was remarkable the band had managed to stay together with the same lineup for nearly 25 years.
