Tim Lambesis, frontman of As I Lay Dying, Austrian Death Machine, and Born Through Fire, has finally responded to the recent turmoil surrounding both his reputation and As I Lay Dying. Over the last two weeks, the band has experienced a public split, as members exited one by one across social media.
The unraveling began on October 18th when Ryan Neff (bass/vocals) announced his departure. Just a few days later, Ken Susi (guitar) and Nick Pierce (drums) followed on October 24th, and Phil Sgrosso (guitar/vocals) joined them on October 30th. In their statements, each former member hinted at a toxic band environment, with Susi sharing, “Unfortunately, my personal morals have recently been tested to a breaking point, and it’s now the saddest ending to what could have been the greatest second chance for this band.”
Pierce‘s departure echoed Susi‘s sentiment, as he explained, “This is far from being the ending I anticipated, and I feel I need to distance myself from the band in an effort to retain my personal health and integrity.”
Sgrosso, one of the longest-standing members and the only one to stick around through multiple lineup changes, noted a unique position due to his business ties with the band. Before officially exiting, he stated, “…Recent actions have shown that As I Lay Dying no longer offers a healthy or safe environment for anyone involved—whether creatively, personally, or professionally. After witnessing some concerning patterns of behavior, I’ve realized that I can no longer, in good conscience, enable further actions that could negatively affect anyone working within this space.”
Three of these departing members had joined the lineup as recently as 2022 after a similar mass exodus of classic members. That earlier wave saw Nick Hipa (guitar/vocals), Josh Gilbert (bass/vocals), and co-founder/drummer Jordan Mancino walk away. While this kind of band friction isn’t entirely new for As I Lay Dying, the drama has escalated further this time around.
In 2013, Lambesis famously served prison time following a murder-for-hire plot against his then-wife. After serving about two years of a six-year sentence, he was paroled, leading to a tentative reunion with the band in 2018. The members went through therapy together before resuming As I Lay Dying as a unit. Yet, the recent departures have gone publicly unacknowledged by the band’s official social media or Lambesis himself.
Additionally, rumors of domestic violence and infidelity involving Lambesis and his current wife Dany quickly circulated, although Dany refuted these allegations in a October 24th statement. Meanwhile, As I Lay Dying’s planned European tour for November has been canceled, confirmed by the opening bands and venues, though the group remained silent.
Despite the silence, Lambesis has now issued a statement on November 04th, just ahead of the band’s upcoming album, Through Storms Ahead, due out November 15th.
“I needed some time to process all that has happened recently with AILD. As I reflect, I certainly agree that there was an unhealthy environment that made leaving for a new tour with the previous lineup unrealistic. It had become difficult to figure out even the smallest details, and I admit I can stick strong to my vision for the future of AILD even when others think it should go another direction.
It saddens me to think about the behaviors, communication, and patterns of interaction that led up to the tour cancellation. Phil and I no longer saw eye to personally, creatively, or financially. Discussions during this time prompted his decision to depart first, with each of the touring members deciding to leave shortly after, as they were not interested in going on without him. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the order in which everything was made public, as some statements were rushed out during a chaotic time in response to rumors.
I fully support each of the guys’ decisions to leave and believe at this time it is best for everyone. With that being said, my door will always remain open to discussing anything directly as I believe closing communication lead to many assumptions and problems of its own.
Now, regarding what’s next: AILD was founded on persistence and determination. For anyone who is familiar with the foundational years from 2000-2004, you know that more than 20 people (whom I’m incredibly grateful for) have come and gone to help bring to life this vision I’ve had in my head since I was 19 years old. I look forward to building a new team, and creating an atmosphere that is supportive, positive, and fosters a creative environment.
Through Storms Ahead will still be released November 15. I am proud of what we created and look forward to sharing it with all of you.”
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