Sam Rivers, the bassist and founding member of US nu metal band Limp Bizkit, has died at the age of 48, BBC reported.

The group shared the news in a post on social media, describing Rivers as not "just our bass player" but "the soul in the sound."

"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," the band members wrote, according to BBC.