Tim Lambesis: “People who support As I Lay Dying are not supporting the person I once was”
Having joined his bandmates in resurrecting As I Lay Dying earlier this year, singer Tim Lambesis continues to seek repentance for his infamous crime, now saying, “I stand against who I became in my past.”
Lambesis notoriously pleaded guilty to attempting to hire a hitman to murder his estranged wife, for which he received a six-year sentence, only to be released in late 2016 after two and a half years in prison.
Earlier this year, As I Lay Dying revealed the surprise news that the band’s longtime lineup, including Lambesis, had reunited. They released a new song, “My Own Grave”, and embarked on a fall tour of the United States and Europe.
Since his release, Lambesis has gotten remarried and is working toward earning a Masters in Social Work. The metalcore vocalist took to the band’s Instagram over the weekend with a new message, insisting, “People who support AILD are not supporting the person I once was.” His full note reads as follows:
“I stand against who I became in my past and am pursuing a new purpose in the rebirth of AILD. We collectively are.
People who support AILD are not supporting the person I once was, because part of my life’s work now is to undo the hurt I’ve caused and to help others in addiction. Instead, I think AILD fans are supporting the belief that people can change.
I will never be able to undo my greatest mistake, but I believe it’s better to do something rather than give up.
AILD collectively condemns all forms of domestic abuse and violence. Its aftermath is one of pervasive, long-lasting hurt and there is no acceptable excuse or defense for such behavior. Our agenda as a band is to actively back and work with organizations who offer support to those who are emotionally suffering and in pain. Whether it be from a history of abuse, hardship, or mental illness—pro-activity in healing and recovery is at the core of what this band is now.
Tonight we’ll play the biggest headline show of our career (topping our second biggest headline show earlier on this same tour). Our fans in Germany did not know this when they bought their tickets, but we will be donating a portion of proceeds from our show to HeartSupport; an organization we believe in that functions to provide emotional support and counseling to young adults caught in cycles of addiction, depression, sexual abuse, and family turmoil. Our mission is to continually seek and implement ways to facilitate positive, meaningful change in the world around us.
For now, we don’t want to miss out on bringing purpose into our biggest moment yet. We’ve been given a second chance we thought we’d never have again and we certainly don’t take it for granted.
Sincerely,
Tim”
As I Lay Dying’s 2018 tour runs through a December 15th gig in Chemnitz, Germany. The band had been slated to play the 2019 Resurrection Festival in Spain in July, but were removed from the bill after fan outcry because of Lambesis’ criminal past. As of now, the metalcore act has no 2019 gigs scheduled.
