Metal band Vitriol have experienced a dramatic collapse during their current tour, with all members abandoning founder and frontman Kyle Rasmussen at a petrol station in Vermont.
Guitarist Keith Merrow, drummer Andy Vincenzetti, and bassist Brett Leier collectively quit the band mid-tour, leaving Rasmussen stranded (as per Metal Injection). The exodus marks another significant lineup change for Vitriol, which had already announced a completely new roster earlier this year specifically for this tour run.
Merrow took to social media to explain the situation in characteristically blunt terms. “HE FUCKED AROUND AND FOUND OUT. I’LL BE HOME FOR THANKSGIVING, BABY,” he wrote. “SORRY VITRIOL FANS. WE HAD TO ABANDON HIM AT A GAS STATION IN VERMONT.”
The guitarist continued his statement with further details about the band’s internal conflicts. “MYSELF, ANDY, BRETT, AND MATT WILL NOT TAKE KYLE’S COWARDLY AND WEAK OUTBURSTS OF MISPLACED ANGER. WE GAVE EVERYTHING WE HAD, AND NOW HAVE NOW LEFT YOU WITH NOTHING. MASS EXODUS. THIS WAS THE DARKEST DAY OF MY MUSIC CAREER TO DATE.”
This latest departure adds to Vitriol’s already extensive list of former members, with the band experiencing considerable turnover throughout their existence around Rasmussen’s leadership. The timing proves particularly problematic as Vitriol remain scheduled to continue touring with support act Weeping.
Rasmussen has not yet responded publicly to the situation or addressed how the remaining tour dates will proceed.
Vitriol were scheduled to perform the following day in Montreal, with multiple shows still listed across Canada and the United States extending into early December.
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The circumstances surrounding the mass departure suggest deeper issues within the band’s internal dynamics, though specific details about what triggered the immediate walkout remain unclear. Merrow’s references to “misplaced anger” and “cowardly and weak outbursts” indicate ongoing tensions that ultimately reached a breaking point during the Vermont stop.
The remaining tour dates present an immediate challenge for Vitriol, with shows booked across major cities including Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, and Seattle. Whether Rasmussen will attempt to continue with replacement musicians or cancel the remaining performances entirely remains to be seen.
