As the summer of 2025 drew to a close, we received the shocking news that Brent Hinds, one of metal’s most inventive guitarists and the mercurial heart of Mastodon, had died in a motorcycle accident in Atlanta.
Born William Brent Hinds on January 16, 1974, in Helena, Alabama, he co-founded Mastodon in 2000 with Troy Sanders, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor, helping shape eight albums of sprawling, progressive metal – although he parted ways with the band in March. Brent’s playing fused classical technique, bluegrass picking, and psychedelic daring, while his stage presence and creativity made him a singular figure in heavy music.
Offstage, he was just as restless: a woodworker, hunter, fisherman, motorcyclist, and fearless experimenter with mind-expanding substances. His influence and vision remain embedded in Mastodon’s music and the wider metal world.
Before joining Slipknot, Alessandro ‘V-Man’ Venturella worked as Brent Hinds’ guitar tech, and the two became lifelong friends. We asked V-Man to share some of his favourite memories of the guitarist.
When did you first meet Brent?
“I was with Coheed And Cambria, doing a bunch of festivals in the States, and Mastodon were on a lot of them. I was always a massive fan of Mastodon. I had been building big rigs for Travis [Stever, Coheed guitarist]. We had loads of pedal trays and I was using a Kaoss Pad.
"I remember Brent was like, ‘The fuck are you doing?’ Haha! He was shocked by the size of the rig. We started chatting and that was the start of our relationship – nerding out on gear. One day it was, ‘Hey, can you come and work with the guys? You’ll be working with Brent, so just a heads up…’ Haha! It sounded interesting, so I said ‘OK’ and that was it – straight into the deep end."
Do you have a favourite memory of Brent?
“There were a lot of moments. When he played his best, I was no longer a tech. I was a part of the crowd, watching like everyone else. I wasn’t thinking about checking the batteries or checking the tuning; that was all gone. Whereas, teching with other people was a job, but when Brent was onstage, I wanted to watch him.”
When did you last speak with him and what do you remember about it?
"It was literally a couple of weeks before he passed. We were going back and forth about stuff, and I just said, ‘Look after yourself.’ Brent was always the guy who would send me a text saying, ‘Love you, buddy,’ and I’d text back, ‘Love you, too.’ People might say that he was a wildcard but that’s not the Brent I knew. I knew the Brent who was an incredible guitar player and an awesome friend."
What do you think Brent’s legacy will be?
"His guitar playing. I don’t care how many people can go [makes shredding sound]… he could bend just one note and tell a whole story. David Gilmour, I can hear him in his playing. You hear two notes and you know it’s David. It’s the same thing with Brent. He was wild but he was such a caring, sensitive human being. There definitely won’t be another one like him!"
You can read more about the year in metal in the latest issue of Metal Hammer, out now. Order your copy here
