As I Lay Dying have announced their first festival appearance of 2025 after the recent large scale defection within the band. The group will be part of the 2025 Welcome to Rockville lineup, playing on Stage 4 during the Friday, May 16 schedule at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
About As I Lay Dying’s Recent Changes
Word of potential disharmony in the As I Lay Dying camp started to surface with the exit of bassist Ryan Neff from the lineup in mid-October. Keeping it short, the bassist commented, “I believe it is the right step for my personal and professional journey.”
Two days later, the band’s tour manager Alex Kendrick informed fans that he no longer worked with the group. In addition, some venues in Europe started showing cancellations of tour dates.
The following day, both guitarist Ken Susi and drummer Nick Pierce announced their exits. Susi stated that his “personal morals have recently been tested to a breaking point,” while Pierce added that he felt he “needed to distance” himself from the group in order to “retain my personal health and integrity.”
Guitarist and fellow founding member Phil Sgrosso was the last to leave, having to tie up some business before confirming his exit. He cited being a witness to “concerning patterns of behavior” and that the band “no longer offers a healthy or safe environment for anyone involved.”
He added, “Over time, As I Lay Dying has been held back by dysfunction and I feel that it’s no longer my responsibility to bear the burden.”
READ MORE: As I Lay Dying Reunion Album Removed From Streaming Service
That left singer Tim Lambesis as the lone member of the band. In a statement issued last week he acknowledged the “unhealthy environment” in the group, but expressed his support of each member’s decision to leave. He also shared his intent to continue the group.
“AILD was founded on persistence and determination. For anyone who is familiar with the foundational years from 2000-2004, you know that more than 20 people (whom I’m incredibly grateful for) have come and gone to help bring to life this vision I’ve had in my head since I was 19 years old,” he stated. “I look forward to building a new team, and creating an atmosphere that is supportive, positive and fosters a creative environment.”
Though Welcome to Rockville is As I Lay Dying’s first festival announcement since all the departures, the band had already been named for Sonic Temple 2025 prior to Susi, Pierce and Sgrosso’s exits.
About As I Lay Dying’s Upcoming Festival Appearance
Despite the band member defections, Lambesis has shared his intent to release the group’s most recently completed album Through Storms Ahead on Nov. 15. That means the newly reconstructed lineup will have new music to support despite Lambesis being the only member who actually played on the record.
Welcome to Rockville has been rolling out their lineup announcement with daily reveals of stages over the music weekend. As stated, As I Lay Dying will perform on Stage 4 during the Friday festivities. They’re on a stage that is being headlined by Killswitch Engage, with Jinjer, August Burns Red, All That Remains, It Dies Today, Butcher Babies and Bleed From Within all playing as well.
Who Else Is Playing Welcome to Rockville?
Though the full lineup is still being rolled out, a significant portion of the bill has been announced. Among those already confirmed are:
Three Days Grace
Asking Alexandria
We Came As Romans
From Ashes to New
Fit for a King
The Plot in You
Until I Wake
Of Virtue
The Pretty Wild
Killswitch Engage
Jinjer
August Burns Red
As I Lay Dying
All That Remains
It Dies Today
Butcher Babies
Bleed From Within
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Quicksand
Health
Deafheaven
Converge
Full of Hell
Harms Way
Candy
Underoath
Saosin
Silverstein
The Devil Wears Prada
Silent Planet
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Alesana
I Set My Friends on Fire
Whitechapel
All Shall Perish
Attila
Emmure
After the Burial
Brand of Sacrifice
Upon a Burning Body
AngelMaker
Power Trip
Sunami
Pain of Truth
200 Stab Wounds
Peeling Flesh
Big Ass Truck
Bodybox
Mugshot
More lineup additions are coming, but you can already get tickets for the four day festival. It’s scheduled to run May 15-18 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. Early Bird passes are currently available through the Welcome to Rockville website.
A Timeline of As I Lay Dying’s Controversial Comeback
Here is a timeline of what has gone on in the world of As I Lay Dying, from Tim Lambesis’ 2013 arrest through November of 2024.
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
