Australian metalcore vets The Amity Affliction have addressed the ongoing speculation about the fizzled relationship with vocalist Ahren Stringer. Issuing a definitive statement, one the band mentioned would be their only, the remaining members of the band shared that despite their best attempts to preserve the unit, they will now be moving on without Stringer.
“We are aware our fans have been waiting for us to comment on the situation between Ahren and the band.
This will be our only statement.
We have been choosing to stay silent until now, as we wanted to handle this privately with respect to all involved. Unfortunately, it has become clear to us that this is no longer possible and we owe it to you, our fans, to comment.
Ahren will no longer be touring or recording with The Amity Affliction.
We acknowledge that we have all had our fair share of issues over the years. But sadly, over time the relationship between Ahren and the band has completely broken down while he has been dealing with challenging elements of his personal life.
The band have had to cancel tours and pass on many opportunities in hopes of supporting Ahren, but moving forward we find it impossible to continue to tolerate certain behaviours that have been directed at ourselves and those close to us.
Ahren has made it very clear on numerous occasions that he does not enjoy or want to continue touring.
We still have a lot to give as a band and we’re excited to continue touring and sharing new music with you. We also understand that we need to prove ourselves to you all, and thank you for sticking with us.
The music we’ve created with Ahren will forever bind us and we are thankful for the good times we had together. We wish Ahren all the best in his personal and professional future.
We look forward to seeing you all on tour.”
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The chain of events leading to the fracture actually began as a move to be productive and proactive in help Stringer tend to his mental health and admitted issues with addiction. Last year while on tour to mark the ten year anniversary of Let the Ocean Take Me, The Amity Affliction announced that Stringer would be suspending his touring obligations to head home to Australia to reset. With Tim Beken of True North taking on Stringer's duties, the tour rolled on while Stringer presumably began seeking the support he needed.
Just a few months later, the outlook for the future felt optimistic as Stringer updated fans stating that he was sober, happy and had every intention of picking up where he had left off. Such was not the case as Stringer continued to be absent from the current configuration of Amity Affliction. Putting to bed all speculation, the official statement from the band made the split for real, quieting all hopes Stringer's anticipated return.
Check the post from the band below.
