As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis has spoken out on the “unhealthy environment” that has led to all other members of the band leaving.
Last month (October 24), bassist Ryan Neff, guitarist Ken Susi and drumer Nick Pierce, all of whom joined As I Lay Dying in 2022, announced they were quitting the band, citing “personal morals”.
That was then followed by the departure of guitarist Phil Sgrosso, who had been part of the San Diego metalcore group since 2003, leaving Lambesis as the sole remaining member.
In a statement, Lambesis has addressed the events of recent weeks, explaining he had “needed some time to process all that has happened recently”.
Tim Lambesis has released a statement regarding the recent departure of all band members (besides himself) from As I Lay Dying.
It appears all band members left in support of Phil Sgrosso. pic.twitter.com/u3Jd73QRuF
— State of the Scene (@SOTSPodcast) November 4, 2024
“As I reflect, I certainly agree that there was an unhealthy environment that made leaving for a new tour with the previous lineup unrealistic,” he continued. “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.”
He added that the “behaviours, communication, and patterns of interaction that led up to the tour cancellation” had “saddened” him.
“Phil and I no longer saw eye to [eye] 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 rumours.”
Lambesis added that he “fully supports” all of his former bandmates’ decisions, and said his “door will always remain open”. He also said he “looks forward to building a new team, and creating an atmosphere that is supportive, positive and fosters a creative environment”.
A previous statement from the band before Sgrosso’s departure declared, “We are still sorting through details of what is going on within AILD and will have more details for you soon.”
The band’s 2019 album ‘Shaped By Fire’ was also removed from streaming platforms around the same time, with no explanation given.
Explaining his decision to leave, Sgrosso wrote: “With recent events, including the departure of band members and the cancellation of our European tour ahead of a new album release, it’s clear we’re in a difficult and serious situation.”
“Simply put, 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.”
He continued: “For these reasons, I feel it’s in my best interest to completely distance myself, both creatively and personally, from As I Lay Dying. I also want to share my full support for Ryan, Ken, and Nick, who made the choice to step away recently. I’m grateful for our accomplishments and friendship over the past 3 years.”
Towards the end of the statement, Sgrosso added: “As I Lay Dying has been held back by dysfunction, and I feel that it’s no longer my responsibility to bear that burden.”
As I Lay Dying are still set to release their eighth studio album, ‘Through Storms Ahead’, on November 15 via Napalm Records. The record features the recorded work of now ex-members Neff, Susi, Sgrosso and Pierce, along with guest appearances by Slaughter to Prevail‘s Alex Terrible and former Lorna Shore vocalist Tom Barber.
Lambesis was sentenced to six years in prison for plotting to kill his wife back in 2014. He pleaded guilty to paying a police officer posing as a hitman $1,000 (£630) to kill his then-wife, Meggan Lambesis.
After being released in December 2016, Lambesis took to the band’s official Facebook page to post a lengthy statement, “apologising to everyone” for his actions.
The vocalist then reunited with the San Diego band in 2018, who released their first new song in six years with ‘My Own Grave’ and announced details of a homecoming show that summer. Longtime guitarist Nick Hipa would leave the band in 2020, with drummer Jordan Mancino and bassist Josh Gilbert following suit in 2022.