Nadat eerder al bassist Ryan Neff de band verliet, zijn nu ook gitarist Ken Susi en drummer Nick Pierce gestopt bij As I Lay Dying. Ondertussen is ook tourmanager Alex Kendrick gestopt. Er gaan geruchten dat “iemand” in de band zijn vrouw zou hebben aangevallen en hebben bedrogen. Die geruchten zijn echter niet bevestigd.
Ryan stopte op 19 oktober al en schreef destijds:
As of today, I have made the decision to leave As I Lay Dying. This choice comes after much reflection, and I believe it is the right step for my personal and professional journey. I am grateful for the experiences and connections I’ve made during my time with the band. Thank you to all the fans for your support.
Tourmanager Alex zei het volgende:
I no longer work for AS I LAY DYING – I do not wish to be asked questions nor will I answer any. I’ve made life long memories that will never be forgotten but my chapter of the book has completed. I wish everyone the best of luck and clearly I’m still rocking with Phil out here.
En nu heeft dus ook Ken de band verlaten, hij schrijft:
My time playing with As I Lay Dying has come to an end today. I leave with so much gratitude for everyone who followed and supported me from my days in Unearth to this era of my career. I jumped into the AILD camp with full knowledge of the heightened dramatic history but had a drive to just play great music with great friends.
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.
Ryan Neff is receiving a lot of backlash for stepping down first, and I regret not sharing this decision sooner and standing confidently with my friend — he’s a flawless musician and an even better person.
I’ll miss you all on this stage, and I look forward to seeing you on the next one. Anyone looking for a guitar player? My resume is ready.
En ook drummer Nick Pierce voegt zich toe aan de club:
As of now, I am no longer playing drums for As I Lay Dying. 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.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who followed and supported me throughout this journey. My goal has and always will be to create unforgettable memories with my friends and write music that will truly resonate with our fans. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished on the road touring, as well as writing and recording drums for the new album.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue my drumming career and pursue what I love most which is making music. My touring and session schedule is now actively open for new opportunities.
De enige overgebleven leden van de band zijn gitarist Phil Sgrosso en frontman Tim Lambesis. De band ging in 2014 uit elkaar omdat laatstgenoemde een huurmoordenaar had ingehuurd om zijn vrouw te vermoorden. Helaas voor Tim bleek diegene die hij had ingehuurd een undercover agent te zijn waardoor hij voor zes jaar de bak in moest. In 2016 kwam hij echter voorwaardelijk vrij vanwege goed gedrag.
Het lijkt erop dat de geplande Europese tour ook is afgelast, maar dit is nog niet voor alle shows bevestigd. De band zou op 10 december in Ancienne Belgique in Brussel staan en op 11 december in de Melkweg in Amsterdam.
Een nieuw album van de band staat gepland op 15 november en heeft de titel “Through Storms Ahead”. Of dit album nog uit zal komen is niet zeker.
