As I Lay Dying Band Members Quit, Shows Reportedly Cancelled

The metalcore outfit As I Lay Dying returned to the scene just a few years ago with a full band following the incarceration of frontman Tim Lambesis. Now, three of the band members have exited the group.

Guitarist Ken Susi and drummer Nick Pierce revealed the news on Thursday — just six days after bassist/clean vocalist Ryan Neff announced his departure. Susi posted a statement on social media, noting that he is leaving “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,” Susi said. “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.”

Susi noted that 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.”

Pierce echoed similar sentiments, posting an update just a few hours after Susi. He wrote that while this is “far from being the ending I anticipated,” “I feel the need to distance myself from the band in an effort to retain my personal health and integrity.”

Neff revealed the news last week and said the choice “comes after much reflection” and “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,” Neff said. “Thank you to all the fans for your support.”

| READ: As I Lay Dying Announces Comeback Tour, Fans Torn on Attending | 

In addition to the departure of three band members, AILD’s European tour has reportedly been cancelled, according to some of the venues on their planned trek. The band has not commented on any of the departures, nor cancelled tour dates. At this time, the lineup only consists of Lambesis and guitarist Phil Sgrosso. They are set to release their fourth LP, Through Storms Ahead, on November 15.

This marks Lambesis’ second failed attempt at reuniting the band. He initially reformed in 2018 with classic members Sgrosso, Nick Hippa, Josh Gilbert, and Jordan Mancino, however, Hippa left the group in 2020, followed by Gilbert and Mancino in 2022. Susi, Neff, and Pierce joined in 2022 alongside Lambesis and Sgrosso.

AILD has received harsh criticism since their return to the music scene, as Lambesis served two and a half years in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to murder his now ex-wife.

Upon his return, Lambesis released a letter, apologizing for his “appalling actions” to his ex-wife, children, and fans. He explained that there is “no defense” for what he did, and he continues to look back at the person he became “with as much disdain as many of you likely do.”

“To the people who looked up to me as an artist, I let you down in so many ways,” he stated in the letter. “I tried to show my best side to the public, while feeding an ugly growing monster behind closed doors. I wrote lyrics about the person I wanted to be rather than the person that I was. I was living a life that lacked empathy and viewed everything through a self-motivated lens.”

This is a developing story.