RIP Brent Hinds

Opening up the metal news site Lambgoat this afternoon and seeing that Mastodon's founding lead guitar/co-lead vocalist Brent Hinds died in a motorcycle accident late last night in Atlanta was quite the shock. While Hinds wasn't known as a class act (his recent online activity after he parted ways with Mastodon earlier this year provided a little taste of his notorious dick tendencies) or a reliable live performer, he was an absolute force as a musician. He wrote unshakable riffs that caused many a headbang-induced injury, dazzling solos that were unapologetically flashy without ever delving into show-off territory and had a uniquely raspy voice that complemented the sludge and prog side of Mastodon's sound perfectly. RIP to a titan among titans.