Ken Susi has shed light on the unexpected chain of events that led to him becoming the newest full-time guitarist for All That Remains, describing a transition that began as a casual favor and ultimately turned into a permanent role within the band.
Speaking in a new interview with “RichardMetalFan,” the former Unearth and As I Lay Dying guitarist explained that his involvement started through a long-standing friendship with All That Remains guitarist Mike Martin. According to Susi, what began as a routine check-in between friends quickly turned into something far more consequential.
“I called [All That Remains guitarist] Mike Martin not too long ago just to say ‘what’s up?’. I can’t remember why. I just randomly call my friends…”
Susi detailed how their social connection — built through shared outings and mutual friendships — eventually intersected with a moment of uncertainty inside the All That Remains camp.
“So Mike and I have, in the past, gone to Bruins games and Red Sox games, and sometimes you just meet up for chicken, or if Adam [Dutkiewicz, Killswitch Engage guitarist and acclaimed All That Remains and Unearth producer] comes in town… we’ll meet up and we’ll have food or something.”
After reconnecting at a concert, Martin reached out to Susi with a request that initially sounded temporary.
“I went to go see Lamb of God and Killswitch and I bumped into Mike at the show and we made plans to hang out… and he was just kind of, like, ‘Hey, dude, I have a baby coming,’ or whatever, and he’s, like, ‘Do you think you could fill in for me?’”
At that point, Susi became aware that tensions were brewing between the band and then-guitarist Jason Richardson.
“And at that point he told me that he was suspecting that something was up between Jason and the band. And he was, like, ‘I don’t know who’s gonna play guitar on this tour or whatever, but I would love for you to at least cover for me.’”
Rather than simply stepping in at the last minute, Susi committed fully to learning the material — including the more demanding lead parts — to ensure he could deliver at the highest level.
“So I was just kind of, like, ‘Let me go through all this stuff. Let me see what’s up.’ And so I started learning all the music anyway ’cause I agreed to fill in, and I just started learning the solos while I learned everything.”
That preparation quickly caught the attention of vocalist Phil Labonte.
“And at that point Phil [Labonte, All That Remains singer] was just, like, ‘All right, this is great. Awesome. Let’s move forward.’”
What began as a fill-in role soon evolved into regular rehearsals, creative exchanges, and ultimately a permanent invitation.
“Well, Phil called me and he was, like, ‘Hey, how would you like to play in the band permanently?’ And I was, like, ‘It’s such an honor.’”
Susi also revealed that discussions are already underway regarding his creative involvement in the band’s next studio album, following 2025’s Antifragile. He explained that a surge of songwriting coincided with major personal changes in his life, before he joined the band.
“The craziest thing is that while I was learning the All That Remains stuff and the tours in May, I was writing so much music… I had a lot of family stuff happen. I just had a newborn son, and my father got sick, and I had all these really emotional things, and I had nowhere to put my feelings.”
That emotional period resulted in a wave of new material, which he cautiously shared with the band.
“So I went to the band and I just said, ‘Hey, guys, do you like any of this stuff?’… And they were really respectful and receptive.”
Susi admitted he was surprised by how smoothly the transition was received — both internally and among fans.
“To be honest with you, I’m a very polarizing person… Some people take me as a joke, so they don’t know how good I am ability-wise.”
He added that the overwhelmingly positive reaction has been deeply motivating.
“I’ve never felt more re-energized to play music and also so loved in a way where people make me… People talk so much s**t online that you never hear anything good, and All That Remains camp as well as their fans have accepted me so quickly and so confidently.”
Ken Susi officially joined All That Remains following the departure of Jason Richardson, who exited the band last July after nearly seven years. Richardson originally joined the group in 2018 after the tragic passing of founding guitarist Oliver “Oli” Herbert.
