We are less than a month away from the release of As I Lay Dying’s latest effort, Through Storms Ahead. And it seems those storms have already begun. The album, their first in five years following 2019’s Shaped By Fire (released via Nuclear Blast Records), marks their move to Napalm Records. While the lineup hasn’t entirely remained intact, everything appeared promising with a new album and an upcoming European tour.
However, over the past week, uncertainty has surrounded the band.
As I Lay Dying resurfaced in 2018 after frontman Tim Lambesis was released from prison, having served time for his 2014 guilty plea for attempting to hire a hitman to kill his wife. Since then, Lambesis has remarried and seemed on a path of personal and professional redemption.
Now, with Through Storms Ahead marking the second album since his release, things seem to unravel again, but the reasons behind it remain unclear. We’re not here to speculate, but after such a long road back, it’s evident that something has been disrupted.
Timeline of uncertain events:
October 19, 2024:
Bassist/clean backup vocalist Ryan Neff leaves the band. Neff joined the group in 2022 and after two years, he decided his journey had come to an end, stating:
“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.”
October 23, 2024:
Our friends at Lambgoat reported tour manager Alex Kendrick quit working with the band. Kendrick left a few statements on X, which seem to have since been removed as soon as the following day, Thursday (24th).
Kendrick expressed on October 22:
“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.
— AlexKendrick (@AlexKendrick0) October 22, 2024″
Kendrick later clarified his personal relationship with Lambesis:
“Tim and I are still in a positive relationship there’s just no work so I’m removed from the situation professionally.
— AlexKendrick (@AlexKendrick0) October 23, 2024″
As of yesterday (23), the group’s European Tour was presumed cancelled, especially after the website for Progresja issued the following statement:
“The As I Lay Dying band made the difficult decision to cancel their entire European Tour, which was to include a Warsaw concert on November 26 at the Progresja club. All tickets purchased for this concert can be refunded directly at the point of purchase. We count on the artists’ quick return to Poland!”
October 24, 2024:
European Tour officially cancelled as two more members quit:
As I Lay Dying’s headlining European Tour with Caliban, Decapitated, and Ov Sulfur has officially been cancelled. Decapitated confirmed the cancelation with the following statement:
“Dear Fans,
We regret to inform you that, due to circumstances beyond our control, the upcoming Tour has been cancelled.
We are very sorry for all our fans who were planning to come to these shows and already bought tickets.
Get ready for an amazing new tour that’s on the way—we can’t wait to make it up to you!
Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for support!
Tickets can be refunded at your point of purchase.”
Six days after Neff’s departure, guitarist Ken Susi has quit the band. The guitarist issued a statement on social media earlier today (24th), expressing:
“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.”
Drummer Nick Pierce announced his exit from the group just a few hours after guitarist Susi. Similar to the above, Pierce stated the following on social media:
“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.”
As far as the remaining As I Lay Dying members (Lambesis and Phil Sgrosso), no statement has been revealed, including the cancelation of the European Tour on their social media. The last post made by the group was on October 15th, announcing they were one month away from the tour and new album. It is unclear what has transpired over the last week but will see if any additional statements get made.
But wait, there’s more! While compiling this timeline of events, guitarist Phil Sgrosso issued a brief statement to say a further statement will soon be made by him personally:
“I will be making a personal statement shortly on where I stand in the current AILD situation. There’s a lot more of the beaurocracy/business that I am navigating at the moment but I will share more with you once a clear path of moving forward presents itself.”
That’s quite the timeline in such a short span. We’ll be keeping an eye on this as the story continues to unfold.
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Feature Image Photo Credit: Ben Alexis
