Another member of As I Lay Dying has departed the band. It has come to light that the band’s guitarist Phil Sgrosso has quit the band. This leaves Tim Lambesis alone in the band.
As I Lay Dying loses another member
Longtime guitarist Phil Sgrosso posted on Instagram, saying the band no longer provides a ‘healthy or safe environment for anyone involved,’ causing him to leave.
Sgrosso further added that he saw ‘concerning patterns of behavior’ in the band and realized it wasn’t where he wanted to be anymore.
“With recent events, including the departure of band members and the cancellation of our European tour ahead of a new album release, it’s clear we’re in a difficult and serious situation. Simply put, recent actions have shown that As I Lay Dying no longer offers a healthy or safe environment for anyone involved—whether creatively, personally, or professionally,” the guitarist wrote. “After witnessing some concerning patterns of behavior, I’ve realized that I can no longer, in good conscience, enable further actions that could negatively affect anyone working within this space. For these reasons, I feel it’s in my best interest to completely distance myself, both creatively and personally, from As I Lay Dying.”
He added: “After all that’s been put into this, I believe that with the right adjustments and restructuring, our music can continue to thrive and explore new possibilities in a healthier environment. Over time, As I Lay Dying has been held back by dysfunction, and I feel that it’s no longer my responsibility to bear that burden.”
The members have left the band one after another. Recently, both the drummer and the other guitarist left the band.
“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,” drummer Nick Pierce wrote in his statement.
“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,” he added.
Guitarist Ken Susi wrote in a separate statement: “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.”
Amid all the backlash against Tim Lambesis, the frontman’s wife denied the ‘unfounded rumors’ claiming her husband had abused her.
The news emerged just a short time after both the tour manager and Ryan Neff left the band. Bassist Neff left on October 19th, tour manager Alex Kendrick on October 23th, and Susi on October 24th.
The band’s European tour, ‘Through Storms Ahead’ has been canceled. TuskaLive and Grey Beard, the promoters for the band’s Helsinki, Finland show, confirmed on social media that the November 21st show at Kulttuuritalo will not be rescheduled.
Now that Lambesis is the only member left in the band, it’s unclear whether he would end As I Lay Dying or try to find new members.
