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Sam Rivers, the bassist of the American metal band Limp Bizkit, died on Sunday at the age of 48. The band announced the news in an Instagram post.

“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound,” read the post.

“From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous. We shared so many moments — wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones — and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.

“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends. And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory. We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always.”

Rivers’ cause of death has not been revealed and DJ Lethal, one of the band members, commented on the post asking for privacy for the family.

Limp Bizkit was formed in 1994 by Fred Durst, John Otto, DJ Lethal, and Rivers. It blended hip-hop, rock and metal, soaring to popularity in the 90s. Their hit albums include Significant Other, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.

Rivers was awarded the Gibson award for Best Bassist in 2000. Limp Bizkit’s latest single, Making Love to Morgan Wallen, was released in September.

In 2015, Rivers left the group for several years due to liver disease from “excessive drinking”, he told author Jon Wiederhorn for the book, Raising Hell. He also underwent a liver transplant.

Cover image via Sam Rivers/Instagram