When we last checked in with drummer Derek Kerswill, he was psyched about his new project T A NG E N TS, but was also looking forward to writing the new Unearth record and doing a European tour with them. What a difference a month makes, as the band has released a statement saying that he’s no longer in the band due to “creative differences.” Kerswill had joined the band as a fill-in drummer after parting ways with Mike Justian and a stint with Strapping Young Lad’s Gene Hoglan filling in. His first date with the band was in June of 2007, and he wrote and recorded with them for their most recent album, 2008’s The March.
After three-plus years of touring the world together and playing on our latest album, The March, we have parted ways with drummer Derek Kerswill. The most notable reason for the split are the creative differences. The time has come for Unearth to write a new album and creating music with a tight unit is the only way we can assure the best collection of songs possible.
The differences between Kerswill and the band started off as subtle, but became increasingly obvious over the past few months and it was time for both parties to go their separate ways. We have shared a ton of great experiences and achieved many of the goals we set for ourselves in the time he was in the band. There is no ill will from either side of this decision and we wish him only the best moving forward.
Unearth won’t skip a beat, though, as we will be announcing a replacement drummer for our upcoming European stint on the Persistence Tour shortly. Lastly some exciting plans are coming together for the recording to the follow-up to The March sometime early in 2011.”
For Kerswill’s part, while he’s released a statement agreeing that it was creative differences and wishing the band the best, it still must have come as a surprise to him. “I have a priority in Unearth, but those dudes really dig the record and they’re being totally cool about everything,” he told Metal Insider last month. He also stated that his main priority besides T A NG E N T S was working on writing the new album.
It’s no secret that Kerswill had interest in music other than metal, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most in-demand drummers out there, playing with Kingdom of Sorrow and Shadows Fall, among other bands. He’s also a very diplomatic dude, so what really went down behind the scenes might never come out. We’ve reached out to him via his publicist, but he hadn’t responded as of this posting.
T A NG E N T S’ debut album, One Little Light Year, comes out tomorrow on Angle Side Side Records.
