Tim Lambesis, the last man standing in metalcore giants As I Lay Dying, has finally spoken out about what led to his bandmates leaving the group en masse.
Guitarist Phil Sgrosso, bassist Ryan Neff, guitarist Ken Susi, and drummer Nick Pierce all announced their departures last month, citing what they called “personal morals.”
In a recent Instagram post, Lambesis issued a statement about the group’s recent upheaval, calling the band’s environment “unhealthy” and admitting that things had reached a breaking point.
“I certainly agree that there was an unhealthy environment that made leaving for a new tour with the previous lineup unrealistic,” he explained, reflecting on the tensions that had been building. He added that even the most minor decisions became a challenge as communication within the group broke down.
Much of the tension, according to Lambesis, stemmed from creative and personal disagreements with longtime guitarist Phil Sgrosso.
“Phil and I no longer saw eye to eye personally, creatively, or financially,” Lambesis shared. When Sgrosso decided to leave, Lambesis said it triggered a domino effect, with the other members deciding they wouldn’t continue without him.
“Unfortunately, that wasn’t the order in which everything was made public, as some statements were rushed out during a chaotic time in response to rumours,” Lambesis clarified.
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For Sgrosso, the choice to step away wasn’t easy but was necessary. In his own statement, he shared, “As I Lay Dying no longer offers a healthy or safe environment for anyone involved—whether creatively, personally, or professionally.” After observing what he described as “concerning patterns of behaviour,” Sgrosso realised he “could no longer, in good conscience, enable further actions that could negatively affect anyone working within this space.”
Despite the departure of the band’s core lineup, Lambesis has made it clear that this isn’t the end of As I Lay Dying. He says he’s grateful for his former bandmates and fully supports their decision to leave.
“My door will always remain open to discussing anything directly,” he assured fans.
With the release of Through Storms Ahead, the band’s eighth studio album, scheduled for November 15th, Lambesis remains optimistic about the future and said he’s already planning to build a new lineup. “I look forward to building a new team and creating an atmosphere that is supportive, positive, and fosters a creative environment.”
It’s not the first time As I Lay Dying has faced turmoil.
Lambesis himself has dealt with controversy before, having served time in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to murder his then-wife in 2014.
As for the future? Lambesis seems determined to keep As I Lay Dying alive, hoping to return to the passion that first fueled the band’s success.
Through Storms Ahead, which features contributions from the now-ex-band members and guest artists like Slaughter to Prevail’s Alex Terrible and former Lorna Shore vocalist Tom Barber, may just be the band’s bittersweet farewell to an old chapter—and the start of a new one.
