Brent Hinds, the co-founder and former singer-guitarist of the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon, has died at the age of 51 following a motorcycle accident in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
According to reports from the Atlanta Police Department, Hinds was killed when a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a turn, colliding with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The crash occurred around 11:35 p.m. at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard. Hinds was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.
Mastodon issued a statement on its official Instagram account confirming the news. “We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief,” the band wrote. “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.” The band also asked for privacy for Hinds’s family, friends, and fans.
Hinds co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer Brann Dailor. He had left the band earlier this year in March, a departure that was initially described as mutual but was later followed by comments from Hinds on social media indicating a rocky relationship with his former bandmates. Hinds was scheduled to tour with his side project, Fiend Without a Face, later this year.