Tragedy struck the worlds of rock and metal yesterday. News reports from the States confirmed that Brend Hinds, former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Mastodon, had been involved in a fatal road accident.
Hinds was well known to most metal fans as a complete one-off: a wild personality and a superb musician who broke lots of rules and boundaries within the heavy metal canon. Mastodon’s sound wouldn’t be anything like as interesting and effective were it not for his superlative playing and singing.
(Pic: Clay Patrick McBride)
From their early Remission days as the ultimate sludge metal band, through their ever-sharpening sound that reached its zenith with 2009’s Crack the Skye, Hinds was a central force. Not many bands have three lead singers, but Mastodon made great use of them all, including Hinds. If Bill Kelliher held things down with the riffs and arpeggios, then Hinds’ pick-and-fingers lead style - a sound that owed as much to his banjo skills as his dexterity on a Flying V - gave the band its flair.
Mastodon themselves have collectively made a statement on Instagram, saying that they were 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.”
Brent left Mastodon earlier this year, but since he was a founding member - and active within the band for 25 years - he’ll always be the legendary, crazy wildman of Mastodon to us. In his honour, grab your heaviest guitar, tune it to D standard, and try to keep up with this…
William Brent Hinds
16th January 1974 - 20th August 2025
