Nearly a year after his death, the late Mastodon co-founder Brent Hinds has been honored with a new memorial at the very spot where his life ended. The tribute has gone up at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Boulevard SE in Atlanta, Georgia — the site of the motorcycle accident that killed the guitarist on August 20, 2025. He was 51.
Hinds, who co-founded Mastodon and spent more than two decades shaping the band’s singular sound as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, has been remembered in numerous ways over the past year, from an outpouring of tributes and celebrations of life to a stained-glass piece displayed at France’s Hellfest. This latest memorial stands apart for its location, marking the exact place where the crash occurred.
The four-panel display features two photos of Hinds alongside two signs. The first reads: “In loving memory of Brent Hinds. January 16, 1974 – August 20, 2025. You are loved and missed by so many.” The second, paired with the silhouette of a motorcycle rider, carries a road-safety message: “Look twice! Save a life!.”
Mastodon shared footage of the memorial on Instagram, writing in the caption: “The people of Atlanta showing love for Brent.” While the tribute does not appear to be an official city installation, the band amplified it to fans through their social channels.
Hinds died when his Harley-Davidson collided with an SUV at the intersection late that August night. A subsequent Atlanta Police Department report concluded he had been at fault, traveling at roughly twice the posted speed limit.
Since Hinds‘ passing, Mastodon have carried on with guitarist Nick Johnston stepping into the fold, and in June the band released a new song written in his memory, titled “Your Ghost Again.”
Mastodon debuted “Your Ghost Again“ on June 3 during a performance in Prague, Czech Republic.
Before introducing the track to the Prague audience, Troy Sanders took a moment to address the crowd and dedicate the performance to his late bandmate.
“This is the first song in our entire career that wasn’t worked on with our friend Brent — he passed away last year, and he is no longer with us. So we’d like to do a new song for you guys and we’d like to dedicate it to Brent because we miss him and we love him also.”
