As I Lay Dying‘s implosion was nothing wanting spectacular.
It began with each member of the band, bar the lead singer Tim Lambesis, exiting the band with comparatively comparable statements stating that their morals or beliefs have been put to the take a look at, they usually merely could not transfer ahead in November of 2024.
Then, Lambesis provided a non-denial denial relating to the scenario, trying to place the scenario to mattress earlier than leaked safety footage made its means onto the web, exhibiting Lambesis being violent in direction of himself and extremely agitated throughout a heated argument together with his spouse.
Lambesis made a second assertion that then provided one other clarification for the behaviour, claiming his spouse was bodily and verbally abusive, suggesting that the leaked footage was a conspiracy to defame him as a result of he served his ‘abusive’ spouse with divorce papers.
By mid-January of this 12 months, two days after doing an interview that provided Lambesis‘ aspect of occasions, extra footage of Lambesis was leaked on-line, this time bodily abusing his canine, and his spouse refuted his claims, and returned with accusations of her personal.
Lambesis has a historical past of violence after being convicted of a murder-for-hire plot that surrounded his ex-wife in 2014, with ex-As I Lay Dying guitarist Ken Susi explaining that regardless of giving him a second probability after Lambesis‘ unique jail stint, he could not condone his behaviour any longer. Susi then detailed how a few of the safety footage ended up on social media (as transcribed by thePRP):
“I’m not going to defame anyone, however I’m going to exit and say that [Lambesis], personally together with his statements after the band, have simply depicted me and the opposite bandmates as unstable… It defamed my character. The man wrote one thing alongside the strains of like ‘Phil [Sgrosso, ex-As I Lay Dying guitarist] give up, give up later, and the band took [Sgrosso]’s aspect and others rushed to statements when after they have been nervous about rumors that have been circulating.’
Like that was on November 4th, proper. He wrote that on his on the non-public As I Lay Dying web page to a fan that was commenting about stuff. That was extremely incorrect. I believe the 25 years that I’ve been in bands, I’ve been fairly fucking vocal and trustworthy to individuals… I wouldn’t give up over a rumor. Christ. I used to be within the band with a man that loads of rumors circulated about. However the factor is these rumors have been truly fucking true.
If you wish to know what precisely occurred and why the band broke up is as a result of we have been at Metalfest and we had the best fucking time in my kitchen. We had all of the the all of the band, all of the members, all of the crew, everyone and some individuals have been staying at a lodge. After which me, being host, after the pageant.
Now, thoughts you, [Lambesis] and his spouse, they weren’t they weren’t vibing on tour. You realize issues… We have been uncertain if his spouse was even going to come back to this quick weekend of reveals, However I’m going to say, they have been staying in a lodge down the road and I provided, I stated, ‘Hey, you’re going to go get a tattoo. My spouse works from residence. I acquired to go to Fishman. In case your spouse needs to simply chill all day, my spouse and your spouse are pals. You’re welcome to simply keep right here and save the cash. And you need to use one in all our vehicles. You don’t need to lease a automotive.’
Like simply go do your factor. However what ended up occurring is, my spouse and I are having a child. She’s placing a bassinet collectively proper now… However we [had] simply introduced to my entire household that we’re having a child. We acquired my mom crying, my father crying. [Lambesis]‘s spouse is witnessing this, taking video in our home, it was a joyous event the day after Metalfest.
After which inside 2-3 hours later, there was like an incident the place now thoughts you, I’m simply going to select up the, I’ll choose up the fucking digicam proper now. I acquired these enormous honking safety cameras all around the home, and a label on the entrance door saying you’re being filmed 24/7, proper?
And this man like comes into my home in the course of the night time, corners his spouse in my kitchen and spits in her face. After which retracts 4 or 5 steps again and has some kind of episode, which I’ve by no means seen out of anyone earlier than in my complete life.
After which begins screaming and operating round my home for assist. And it alarmed my spouse. She awakened and she or he’s like, ‘What’s occurring?’ And I’m like, ‘I’ve heard him scream for assist earlier than.’ I’m going to go see what’s occurring.
However in the end, I’m not 20-years-old. I’m not going to show a blind eye to home violence. I’m not going to show a blind eye to love improper conduct. You realize, when shit occurs, you fucking deal with it. And in that situation, I didn’t know what occurred. I separated them, I introduced them all the way down to my studio. I requested him particularly what the fuck is happening.
And I, is there something I have to know? And he was similar to, ‘Oh my marriage’, this and that. And I’m like, ‘cool.’ I am going upstairs. I requested [Lambesis‘ wife] what’s occurring. She tells me the reality.
I truly pull up the digicam footage in entrance of her and I see precisely what was stated. He spit on me. He threw a match. I used to be attempting to calm him down the entire 9. And to be completely trustworthy with you, that’s what fucking occurred.
In a while, you recognize, he tried to vary. I went again downstairs. I stated, ‘I’m upset in you.’ And he’s like, ‘I didn’t spit on her face. I spit at her ft.’ And I’m like, ‘Why are you spitting in my home generally?’ Should you’re going to lie about it, you recognize? And the trustworthy to God fact is, you’re not going to insult me. I requested him to go away instantly. He left. And at that time, the remainder is historical past.
If [Lambesis], needs me to love… After I give up the band, he despatched a message by way of his spouse, by way of his spouse’s cellphone, saying he would sue me if I ever launch that footage as a result of he didn’t know — he was filmed with out his consent, or he was posting up like, [Lambesis‘ wife] would sue me.
However like, in the end I’m not fucking scared. I’ve the receipts. With [Lambesis]’s permission, if you wish to examine if I’m a reputable supply, if you wish to see if I’m a upstanding particular person, I’ll launch it. If you’d like me to launch it, that’s high quality. [Lambesis], like I’ve no drawback with it.
However I’m not going to take a seat right here and allow you to say issues like, ‘Oh, [Sgrosso] left the band.’ Otherwise you have been actually distant from the band and you recognize, everybody was like attempting to drag you again in, however you have been simply on this place and blah, blah. You, you recognize, you’re making a lie. You’re making a lie for the fanbase. And it makes me look unhealthy. It makes the blokes look unhealthy. You probably did one thing flawed. It’s a must to come clean with it.
And to be trustworthy with you, I despatched the video to [Sgrosso] and I simply stated, ‘[Sgrosso], you’re the different like working officer on this band. You’re technically HR. You realize, I want you don’t share this with anyone.’ However I simply stated, ‘I’ve to give up the band. I’m out of right here. I don’t need to take care of one of these shit.’ After which I additionally stated that we had like, you recognize, cash on the road for a tour and pyro and all this different shit.
I stated, I’ll end the tour, I’ll do the European Tour, so long as like this man has assist or he goes to get assist, you recognize? I actually didn’t need to be part of the mission anymore, however I did perceive like how a lot cash was on the road for these guys. It’s an enormous funding once you go abroad with scrims and pyro and all this different crap, and the deposits which are laid down.
And I didn’t need to go away them excessive and dry, though the the severity of the problem was like so severe, however I used to be keen to see by way of that. However by the point it went into the As I Lay Dying, like band circle, that’s when issues imploded.
No one wished to be part of it anymore. They didn’t care in regards to the funds. They didn’t care about something. And and that’s actually what went down, you recognize, it’s what it’s. What am I going to say? I’m telling the reality. I simply, I simply don’t just like the ‘the band broke up due to communication issues and everybody adopted [Sgrosso]‘ or, you recognize… [Lambesis] actually blew up the excursions that I used to be presupposed to be on, proper? With all of the revenue that I used to be going to make on that. I by no means acquired paid on royalties for the songs that I did write, or assist write, on the file.
You realize, he threatens me, clearly, once more, I stated, with a lawsuit, if I speak about or, you recognize, ship footage round that he clearly knew as a result of I’ve cameras in my widespread areas and an indication on the entrance door that he’s being filmed. And, you recognize, mainly mendacity [about me online.]
I’ve been on this enterprise for 20 years, proper? 20 years, and truly longer than him. And to painting the band and us, like for leaving the way in which he did. I simply don’t assume it’s cool. And it’s what it’s.
Simply don’t abuse your spouse in my fucking home and put my integrity on the road. And somebody must say one thing. I don’t. I don’t really feel like that is the.. I didn’t come on the present to to mean to take action. However since we’re within the second, I’m going to fucking say it in your present over anyone else’s as a result of I really like you as an individual, and folks do need to know. Don’t subscribe to one thing that’s not good. However once more, I’ve the receipts.”
After a number of months of silence, Tim Lambesis has resurfaced with the latest model of As I Lay Dying, that includes Chris Clancy on bass, Invoice Hudson and Don Vedda, and Jack Daniels on guitars, with Tim Yeung on drums, and a model new single, “Echoes.”
Moderately than bask within the ‘new starting’ for As I Lay Dying, Lambesis took it upon himself to reply to some hate feedback circulating the web, with one his responses specifically, framing him as a sufferer whereas he claims is not a sufferer in the identical breath. Lambesis:
“I agree as a result of I don’t think about myself a sufferer. That is the highest quality of life for me to date and all of the loss from final 12 months is likely one of the best blessings I’ve ever had in my life. So grateful. Possibly you misunderstand me standing up in opposition to false narratives about me as me considering I’m a sufferer. I’m simply a part of the few individuals in society who cares to dig for fact fairly than the media’s narrative.”