Brent Hinds: Heavy metal legend and former lead singer of Mastodon dead at 51

The former lead guitarist of popular heavy metal band Mastodon has died in tragic circumstances.

William Brent Hinds died after the driver of a BMW SUV failed to yield while making a U-turn, crashing into the rocker’s Harley Davidson in Atlanta on Wednesday about 11.30pm, according to local news outlets.

Police have ruled the death as accidental, according to Atlanta News First.

Mastodon has paid tribute to their former bandmate on social media, writing they are in a state of “unfathomable sadness and grief”.

“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.

“Our hearts are with Brent’s family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone’s privacy during this difficult time.”

Hinds co-founded Mastodon with bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor in 2000. The Grammy-winning band has released eight albums.

Three of those albums made it into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart and two topped the Rock Album chart: Emperor of Sand in 2017 and One More ‘round the Sun in 2014.

It was a performance of Sultan’s Curse from their album Emperor of Sand that won them a Grammy.

Hinds was considered by those in the industry as a major figure pushing metal guitar into uncharted territory, challenging the genre’s rules and conventions.

“I’m not a metal guitarist,” he told Guitar World in 2022.

“Sometimes I stumble upon a metal riff and I’ve been influenced by [post-metal] bands like Isis. I get it where I can fit it, but I’m an oddball when it comes to the metal scene. I love country. My favorite country singer/songwriter is Johnny Paycheck and my favorite guitar-playing country artist is Jerry Reed.

“So I try to incorporate some country licks here and there. And sometimes I’m clever enough to find out where they can go in a tasteful manner.”

Hinds left Mastodon in March, with the reasons given for the split differing. The band said they had “mutually decided to part ways”, but Hinds later said he had been “kicked out” and called his bandmates “horrible humans” on Instagram.

He was due to tour Europe later this year with his other band, Fiend without a Face.