Former As I Lay Dying drummer Nick Pierce has opened up for the first time in detail about the chaotic collapse of the band’s lineup in 2024, placing the blame squarely on frontman Tim Lambesis. In a candid and extensive new interview with “Metal Drummers United,” Pierce expressed regret over trusting the controversial singer, revealing that he found out the band was imploding on his birthday, just weeks before a scheduled European tour.
Pierce was part of a mass exodus that saw the departure of bassist/vocalist Ryan Neff, guitarist Ken Susi, and eventually guitarist Phil Sgrosso in the fall of 2024. At the time of his resignation, Pierce issued a brief statement citing a need to protect his “personal health and integrity.” Now, he is shedding light on the mindset that led him to join the band and the stark reality that forced him out.
Pierce, who joined As I Lay Dying in 2022 alongside his former Unearth bandmate Ken Susi, admitted that the new members were aware of Lambesis‘ criminal past—specifically his 2014 conviction for solicitation of m*rder—but were optimistic about his rehabilitation.
“We were all pretty stoked,” Pierce told (as transcribed by theprp). “Like we partially knew some of the predicaments that we were getting into with the pretense of Tim‘s past… and we were willing to give him that second — or second and a half chance — or whatever you want to call it. It was like we didn’t hear what had happened with Jordan [Mancino] or with Josh [Gilbert] there was no talks about any of that.”
He described the initial chemistry of the new lineup as undeniable, a factor that blinded them to potential red flags.
“So we kind of blindly went into it hoping for the best and hoping that Tim had changed… We wanted to be part of something that could be something great. Because after playing that first song together… we were like, ‘Holy f**k this is sick.’ Like I’ve never been in a position where a band jams and has in-ears in and you can hear every nuance of everything and it sounds fcking on point.”
However, that optimism was short-lived. The departure of Pierce, Susi, and Neff coincided with leaked footage and surfacing allegations regarding Lambesis‘ volatile relationship with his then-wife, Dany Ciara. While Pierce did not delve into specific legal details, he made it clear that Lambesis‘ actions were the sole catalyst for the lineup’s disintegration.
“We gave Tim that second chance. That was my second chance to Tim. He f**king blew it. Completely f**king blew it,” Pierce stated emphatically. “Just like any of my other friends, who am I to say that I could judge one character against another by not giving somebody a second chance… I’ll treat him all the same as them because everybody gets that second chance in life, right? Well, he blew his f**king second chance. He made some really stupid f**king decisions.”
Pierce expressed frustration that his willingness to forgive was ultimately betrayed.
“I wish Tim would get the help that he needs, but he’s not. He’s going to keep on his path. I hope the rest of the guys in his new formula don’t find out like we did. Um, I wish him the best of luck, but I really wish he would go get some f**king help.”
The drummer revealed the personal toll the sudden breakup took on him, noting the terrible timing of the news.
“I found out the band was breaking up on my birthday. It was a s**t f**king predicament,” Pierce recalled. “And within 24 or 48 hours time, I went from thinking that I was going on tour in Europe like two weeks later to finding out that the band was falling apart, all because of the s**t that Tim had done, right?”
He drew a sharp contrast between Lambesis and other friends with troubled pasts who successfully turned their lives around, emphasizing that this situation was a “special exception.”
“In this As I Lay Dying situation, not at all the f**king case. It’s a special exception and it definitely went south, and f**k me, you know? Like and f**k Ken and f**k Ryan. Like we all got s**t on… I trusted the wrong f**king guy his time and so did everybody else. So, f**k us, you know, it f**king happens.”
Pierce‘s interview comes amidst a renewed public spotlight on Lambesis‘ personal life. In late December 2025, Lambesis‘ ex-wife Dany Ciara gave a comprehensive interview detailing allegations of ab*se, to which Lambesis responded by claiming he was being targeted due to his career momentum. Ciara subsequently issued a rebuttal, challenging his narrative.
Despite the turmoil, Lambesis has once again rebuilt As I Lay Dying with a completely new roster, releasing new music and touring Europe in late 2025. For Pierce, however, the chapter is closed—and the lesson learned.
You can watch the full interview down below.
