Former Mastodon singer-guitarist Brent Hinds passed away late on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after a motorcycle accident. According to the Atlanta Police Department, per the New York Times, the 51-year-old guitarist was found unresponsive at an intersection a couple of miles from downtown Atlanta on Wednesday at around 11:35 pm local time.Heavy metal group Mastodon shared a tribute to the former member on Instagram on Thursday, August 21, recognizing his role in the band."We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief… last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident. 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." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAuthorities said that emergency medical workers arrived and pronounced Hinds dead at the scene after he was reportedly riding near downtown Atlanta when he collided with a BMW SUV. According to the police, the driver of the SUV failed to yield when she was turning left, leading to the fatal crash with Hinds' Harley-Davidson motorcycle.According to the autopsy report, per AP News, the late musician died from "multiple blunt force injuries."Brent Hinds co-founded heavy metal group Mastodon in 2000, but parted ways with the group in March 2025Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in January 1974, Brent Hinds is best known as the frontman and lead guitarist for Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon. He is one of the founding fathers of the group, which he formed with fellow guitarist Bill Kelliher, bassist Troy Sanders, and drummer Brann Dailor in Atlanta in 2000.Over the years, Mastodon carved its way to become one of the most hailed groups in the rock genre, including in the charts. They have three Top 200 albums on the Billboard 200: Once More 'round the Sun (2014) at No. 6, Emperor of Sand (2017) at No.7, and The Hunter (2011) at No.10. The first two albums also took the number one spot of the Top Rock Albums and all three topped the Top Hard Rock Albums.Mastodon at the Download Festival (Image via Joseph Okpako/WireImage)Their influence is music is immeasurable, and Rolling Stone even called the band "America's new kings of metal" and "the greatest metal band in their generation" in 2009. In the feature, Brent Hinds admitted to doing acid to feed his creative psyche and come up with the band's lyrical ideas, saying:"It comes from us doing too much acid... It did the most amazing things for my creative psyche, and it's still doing it for me."In 2018, Mastodon received a Grammy for Best Metal Performance for their song Sultan's Curse. But besides their success in music, the band also tried out acting, and they made a brief appearance in the fifth season of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones as the wildlings.However, in March 2025, Mastodon announced that the band is parting ways with Brent Hinds after 25 years together. No reason for Hinds' departure was given then, but in response to an Instagram video, per Billboard on August 13, he confirmed that Sanders and Dailor kicked him out of the band.The investigation into the accident that caused Brent Hinds' death is currently underway, per the authorities.