Thy Art Is Murder have announced they have parted ways with vocalist CJ McMahon, and will be releasing the new album, Godlike, without his vocals. The band has brought in a mystery vocalist to re-record the vocal tracks, which is briefly delaying the release of the album.
This move comes after McMahon provided commentary on a social media post that was widely interpreted as transphobic, causing the band to distance themselves from his comments. McMahon would go on to apologize for the comments the following day, but this is said to not be the first time that his comments expressed controversial opinions of a political and societal nature on social media, and he had also threatened to sabotage the band if they did not back up his opinions.
The band made the following statement regarding the situation:
“We have some important news regarding ‘Godlike‘ that we want to share with you. Our new album ‘Godlike‘ is now available worldwide digitally with an unforeseen change — Chris McMahon is no longer a part of Thy Art Is Murder and does not feature on the record.
We understand that this may come as a surprise and we want to assure you that this decision was made to preserve the band’s integrity and direction.
What transpired over the past month was not the cause of this action, but just another symptom of the drawn out breakdown in his character and judgement. The straw that broke the camels back if you will long story short the fallout has been immense.
We were lobbed with threats to destroy Thy Art Is Murder from the inside if we did not capitulate to various ideologies that he holds. Everyone has their own right to free speech and to seek their truth; they are also free to receive the consequences that come with it.
We appreciate your support and respect for our privacy during this challenging time. As we move forward, we are excited to introduce you to a new vocalist, who finished re-recording vocals on the new album earlier this week, and will be joining us for the ‘Godlike‘ European tour with Whitechapel, Fit For An Autopsy and Spite, which kicks off in a few days.
Our focus remains on delivering powerful music and unforgettable performances to our dedicated fans. we’re grateful for your understanding and continued support as we embark on this new chapter together.
With gratitude,
Thy Art Is Murder“
