Brent Hinds, the guitarist and co-founder of Mastodon, died at 51 after a motorcycle crash in Atlanta on August 20, 2025. The Associated Press reported that the band and authorities confirmed his death. Police findings about how the collision happened were reported separately and should be understood as an account of the investigation, not an independent reconstruction.
What happened to Brent Hinds?
Hinds died after a crash involving his motorcycle and a BMW SUV in Atlanta late on August 20, 2025. The Associated Press reported that he was riding a Harley-Davidson when the SUV driver failed to yield while turning. The Guardian reported that police placed the crash at about 11:35 p.m. and that the Fulton County medical examiner’s office confirmed Hinds’s death. The Associated Press report and The Guardian’s report describe the confirmed death and broad circumstances.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution later reported that police said Hinds was speeding and estimated his speed at 63 to 68 mph in a 35 mph area. According to the AJC, witnesses and traffic-camera footage informed the police account. Those speed figures are attributed to the police investigation as reported by the newspaper. The AP reported that an autopsy found multiple blunt force injuries. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s August 22 report contains the additional crash details.
How old was Brent Hinds?
Hinds was 51 when he died. The Associated Press reported that his legal first name was William.
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Was Brent Hinds a founding member of Mastodon?
Yes. Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor. His playing and songwriting were part of the band’s rise from its early releases to major chart and award recognition.
According to the Associated Press’s 2025 report, 2006’s Blood Mountain was Mastodon’s first album to reach the Billboard 200 Top 40, peaking at No. 32. The band later had three albums reach the Billboard 200 Top 10, while Once More ’round the Sun (2014) and Emperor of Sand (2017) topped the Rock Album chart. AP reported six Grammy nominations and a 2017 Best Metal Performance win for “Sultan’s Curse,” from Emperor of Sand.
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In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, Hinds described the sound he wanted as “this heavy, psychedelic thing.” He said he had never wanted Mastodon to be “this screaming, lumbering, lotsa-drum-solos band.” Those remarks reflect his perspective at the time of that interview.
Hinds also performed with Fiend Without a Face and West End Motel, according to the AJC. The Guardian noted his brief appearance alongside former bandmates in season five of Game of Thrones.
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Why did Brent Hinds leave Mastodon?
Hinds left Mastodon in March 2025. The band said it had mutually decided to part ways and offered no reason at the time. Its statement, reported by the Associated Press, said: “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 endeavors.”
That announcement does not settle the circumstances of the split. Later coverage and Hinds’s own comments disputed the band’s description of the departure as mutual. The accounts were therefore not entirely aligned, and the available reporting does not establish one uncontested explanation.
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How did Mastodon respond to his death?
Mastodon publicly mourned Hinds and asked for privacy for his family, friends and fans. In a statement posted on Instagram, as reported by The Guardian, the band wrote: “We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief.” It also called Hinds a creative force with whom the members had shared “so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many.”
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