Three members of the controversial band As I Lay Dying have abruptly quit, leaving the former convict singer behind

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Three members of the metalcore band As I Lay Dying have abruptly quit, leaving behind singer Tim Lambesis, who was convicted in 2014 of hiring a hitman to kill his wife.

The three departing band members, bassist Ryan Neff, guitarist Ken Susi and drummer Nick Pierce, all joined in 2022 after Lambesis was released from prison.

Neff was the first to announce he was leaving, writing on Instagram on Friday: “As of today I have made the decision to leave As I Lay Dying.

“This decision came after much consideration and I believe it is the right step for my personal and professional path. I am grateful for the experiences and contacts I made during my time with the band. Thank you to all the fans for your support.”

Susi and Pierce followed suit today, with guitarist Susi writing in his own Instagram post: “My time with As I Lay Dying is over today. I leave with great gratitude for everyone who has accompanied and supported me from my days at Unearth to this era of my career. I joined the AILD camp with full knowledge of its dramatic history, but also a desire to simply play great music with great friends.

“Unfortunately, my personal morals have been severely tested lately, and now it’s the saddest end to perhaps the greatest second chance for this band.”

Susi continued to defend Neff, saying he “received a lot of backlash for resigning first.” Susi added: “I regret not having communicated this decision sooner and stand confidently by my friend's side – he is a flawless musician and an even better person.”

In his own post, drummer Pierce said: “As of now, I am no longer playing drums for As I Lay Dying. This is nowhere near the ending I was expecting and I feel like I need to distance myself from the band to preserve my personal health and integrity.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has accompanied and supported me on this journey. My goal was and remains to create unforgettable memories with my friends and to write music that really resonates with our fans. I'm proud of what I've accomplished on tour as well as writing and recording drums for the new album.

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“Looking forward, I look forward to continuing my drumming career and pursuing what I love most, making music. My tour and session schedule is now actively open to new opportunities.”

The band's eighth album, Ahead through stormsis scheduled to be released on November 15th.

They previously caused controversy after Lambesis admitted to being an atheist, despite previously promoting the group as a Christian rock act.