Escuela Grind Finally Issues a Statement About The The Claims Made by Their Former Tour Manager and Driver


In a story we have been tracking and with news first broken by Lambgoat, Escuela Grind has finally responded to their claims of abuse, gaslighting, and mismanagement from their former Tour Manager and Driver. Following a series of headline grabbing issues, their former tour driver, Destiny Harper, was dismissed, and she leveled allegations of gross misconduct against the band and tour manager. On Wednesday, March 6th, Lambgoat received a letter from the attorney of former tour manager Chris Cotter, addressing the allegations made by Harper. Now the band have responded via a post on Instagram. They are still being dragged by friends and foes the world over on all their posts, but at least they cleared the air. They claim the matter is put to bed after this post. Hopefully, from here on out, they let the music do the talking. Continue reading


Eloy Casagrande Comments on His Quitting Sepultura “Decisions Needed To Be Made Thinking About New Cycles That Will Come”


World-renowned Drummer Eloy Casagrande made his first public comment since Sepultura announced yesterday (February 28th, 20224) that he had quit the band a month ago, and just few months after the band announced their farewell tour and the death of the band. Eloy says that his decision to leave Sepultura was made “with a view toward new cycles that will come. There is massive speculation that Eloy will be the next drummer for Slipknot. Continue reading


Eloy Casagrande Quits Sepultura, Replaced by Greyson Nekrutman (Suicidal Tendencies)


Sepultura announced that they has added drummer Greyson Nekrutman (Suicidal Tendencies) to the band for their planned upcoming farewell tour, in the wake of the surprise announcement that Eloy Casagrande has quit the band “for another opportunity” after almost 10 years. Read an extensive statement from the band below. Casagrande informed the band in the last month he was leaving. Eloy has been rumored to be the replacement for Jay Weinberg in Slipknot. Continue reading


Fleshgod Apocalypse Co-Founder Bassist and Vocalist Paolo Rossi Exits The Band After 17 Years


Fleshgod Apocalypse has announced bassist and vocalist Paolo Rossi has departed from the lineup permanently. A founding member of the band, Rossi has been in the band since 2007, but has been on hiatus since 2023. Rossi has decided to pursue a career job outside of music, after it sounds like he exhausted every possibility to try to stay in the music business full time. The spilt is amicable and doesn’t sound like a surprise to the band, according to their statement on social media. Fleshgod Apocalypse will move forward as a five-piece, with vocalist Francesco Paoli moving to playing bass alongside his vocal duties, and Veronica Bordacchini covering all clean vocals. The band is currently on tour in Europe. Read the statement below. Continue reading


Vogg Kieltyka Has Quit Machine Head, Focusing on Decapitated


Guitarist Wacław “Vogg” Kiełtyka has quit Machine Head. He had been a member of the band since September 2019, after replacing Phil Demmel who quit in 2018. Vogg confirmed that he’s leaving the band to continue focusing on Decapitated, with a world tour about to embark and new music recording coming soon. Vogg’s final show with the band was in October 2023. He recorded one album with the band, ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN (Imperium Recordings, Nuclear Blast Records) the Ghost Cult Album of the Year for 2022. For his part, Vogg’s statement is amicable and he wishes the band the best. Machine Head is currently on tour in the USA on the Slaughter The Mayrtour run of dates with Fear Factory and Orbit Culture. Read our review here. Reece Scruggs of Havok has been touring with Machine Head as their lead guitarist of late. Robb Flynn responded in Vogg’s comments section that the band was “lucky to have him for the time they did.” The band has yet to comment on the situation with Vogg. Read Vogg’s statement below: Continue reading


Escuela Grind Guitarist Thomas Sifuentes Says His Next Two Shows Are His Last Following “Safety Concerns”


Escuela Grind has been in the news a lot lately for both on and off stage exploits. Current second guitarist Thomas Sifuentes recently shared some posts to social media that the next two shows from the band will be his very last. In his posts he cited “safety concerns” as the main reason that he is leaving. Ultimately he says it is amicable. Escuela Grind continues to tour in support of their recent EP DDEEAATTHHMMEETTAALL (MNRK Heavy). Read our review here.

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Phil Demmel Announces His Official Departure From Vio-Lence, Says its Unrelated to Joining Kerry King’s Band


After almost 39 years in the band Vio-Lence Co-founder and guitarist Phil Demmel is permanently leaving the band after one final show on February 11th. In a post to social media and transcribed by Metal Injection, Demmel, explains that this recent development has nothing to do with him joining Kerry King’s new band, and more about the direction he has been heading in for a while, as he and vocalist Sean Killian are “not on the same page, and never have been!” Perry Strickland left the band in 2023. As Injection also reported, Demmel played with every incarnation of Vio-Lence across their career between 1985 and 2024, but he also stepped back from the band in 2023 as the band began touring without him and Demmel only playing occasional festivals like Milwaukee Metal Fest and a hometown show in Oakland. At that Oakland show last summer, Phil gave several lengthy thank yous and tributes to current and former members, that felt to those in attendance, like a goodbye moment from him. Demmel has also filled in for Lamb of God on tour in recent years and Slayer in 2018. Vio-lence has confirmed spring tour dates booked for the USA. Continue reading


Bring Me The Horizon Parts Ways with Keyboardist Jordan Fish


Metalcore leaders Bring Me The Horizon has announced via social media that long-time keyboardist Jordan Fish and the band have parted ways. Jordan joined the band in 2012 and first recorded with the band on their classic release Sepiternal. Fish provided keyboards, synthesizer, programming, samples, percussion, backing vocals on several more full-lengths and EPs and live albums, including the upcoming release Next Gen. The band commented:

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Ex-Slipknot Drummer Jay Weinberg Breaks His Silence About his Firing, Says He Was “Blindsided and Heartbroken”


 

In a new post to social media Jay Weinberg confirmed he was fired by Slipknot and he was left heartbroken and blinded by the firing. The band announced on November 5th that Jay was leaving the band with no reasons, and then pulled down all the social media posts, but left the website posting alone. Weinberg had been their drummer since 2014 and is the son of Max Weinberg, of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and also formerly the leader of the house band on Conan O’Brien’s talk show. Jay was said to be a massive Slipknot and Joey Jordison fan, whom he replaced. Prior to Slipknot, Jay was an acclaimed drumming prodigy who played briefly in Madball and later Against Me! Last week was the 9th anniversary of Weinberg’s recorded debut album with the band, Chapter 5: The Grey Chapter (Roadrunner Records). Weinberg was also announced today as the Modern Drummer – “Drummer of the Year” – beating out Lars Ulrich, Art Cruz, Brooks Wackerman, and Dirk Verbeuren.

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Brent Purgason, a.k.a. Pustulus Maximus of GWAR has Quit The Band


 

Longtime GWAR guitar player Brent Purgason, a.k.a. Pustulus Maximus has quit the band after 11 years. He announced this on a post to his Instagram account last night (November 6th, 2023). Announcing it was time to move in a new direction although, he will remain connected to the band “behind the scenes.” Brent created the character of Pustulus specifically for GWAR, as a relation of Flattus Maximus, whose character was retired from GWAR after the death of Corey Smoot https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Cory_Smoot/8343 in 2011. Purgason played on five releases including three full-length albums – Battle Maximus, Blood of Gods, and 2022’s New Dark Ages (all Metal Blade). In addition to GWAR Brent is known for his own bands US Bastards, Against the Grain, Asphalt Graves, and a stint in Cannabis Corpse.

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