Brent Hinds, founding guitarist and co-vocalist of Mastodon, has died at the age of 51 following a motorcycle crash in Atlanta. According to Atlanta News First, his Harley-Davidson collided with an SUV on Memorial Drive late Wednesday night. The Fulton County medical examiner confirmed his passing, bringing a tragic end to a year already dominated by conflict and upheaval for the guitarist who helped define modern metal.
Hinds’ Mastodon 2025 Breakup
Earlier this year, Mastodon shocked fans when they announced Hinds’s departure after 25 years together. In March, the band released a statement calling the decision mutual and respectful, thanking Brent for his contributions and promising to carry on with tour dates as planned. Outlets like Pitchfork reported the news as the end of an era but framed it as a graceful parting of ways.
But fans who knew Brent suspected there was more to the story — and they were right. By summer, the idea of a polite farewell was gone, replaced by one of the most dramatic splits the metal world has seen in years.
Kelliher Explains, But Brent Pushes Back
In June, guitarist Bill Kelliher offered his own take on the split. Speaking with LouderSound, he compared the situation to a marriage that had simply run its course. His message was clear: after two and a half decades of touring, recording, and sharing stages, the bond had frayed. It was diplomatic, calm, and easy for fans to process.
Brent, however, was never one for diplomacy. In July, he fired back with a very different version of events. On social media, he insisted he hadn’t left by choice — he had been “kicked out of the band”. According to Guitar World, Hinds accused his bandmates of being embarrassed by him. He then delivered a brutal parting shot, calling Mastodon “a shit band with horrible humans.”
A Feud That Divided Fans
The fallout was immediate. What started as a friendly departure turned ugly fast. Fans split into camps — some defending Brent’s honesty and individuality, others standing by the band’s right to move forward. What was once seen as one of the most unified outfits in metal suddenly looked broken forever. The band’s brotherhood, celebrated for decades, was now a family feud.
For longtime Mastodon followers, the sight of Brent and his bandmates trading very different versions of the story was painful. The band had always projected solidarity, even as they experimented with different sounds and took risks lazier bands would avoid. To see it fall apart this way made the split one of the defining rock stories of 2025.
Brent’s Final Months
In the weeks after his remarks, Brent continued working on side projects and staying active creatively. But the shadow of Mastodon loomed large. Every comment he made was dissected by fans, every move interpreted through the lens of the breakup. His harsh words ensured the story stayed alive all summer, fueling debate in forums, comment sections, and across the metal press.
Then came August 20, when news of his fatal crash broke. As Loudwire and other outlets confirmed his death, fans were left to process not just the sudden loss, but the unresolved tension of his final months. The timing was cruel — a life cut short before there could be reconciliation, leaving behind raw feelings alongside legendary music.
LopsidedMammal wrote on Reddit, “R.I.P. Brent Hinds
As a person, he was known to be a belligerent arsehole with a quick temper. As an artist, he was one of the greatest guitarists of his generation with a style all his own and a soul behind his playing that could put a fire in your heart one moment and then move you to tears the next. He was a crucial element of my favourite metal band and someone who created music that has given me strength in the darkest of times.
He was a difficult human being, there’s no getting around that, but he was also undeniably a musical genius. I am so fucking sad that this his how his story has ended. It should have been different. There should have been some redemption for Brent. Now there never will be.
You will be missed sir x.”
The Music That Defined Him
It’s impossible to talk about Brent Hinds without talking about the sound he brought to Mastodon. His guitar work shaped albums like Leviathan, Blood Mountain, and Crack the Skye, mixing crushing riffs with psychedelic vibes and Southern swagger. On 2021’s Hushed and Grim, his playing carried the weight of grief and loss, showing his range yet again.
Brent was a force of personality. He was blunt in interviews, wild onstage, and never afraid to go against the grain. That honesty sometimes created controversy, but it also made him one of the most memorable figures in metal. Fans loved him because he was real.
Rest in Peace, Brent
Brent Hinds’s death leaves Mastodon without one of its foundational members, and metal without one of its most original guitarists. His final year was marked by conflict, but his legacy will always be measured in music, not feuds. The riffs of “Blood and Thunder,” the epic journey of “The Last Baron,” and the emotion of “Oblivion” are proof that his legacy will never die.
He spoke his truth, he played from the gut, and he left behind a catalog that will outlive any stupid feud. Rest in peace, Brent.
