Loading
Open
Post Image

The Amity Affliction announce departure of last original band member

February 15, 20254 min read

Gympie global superstars The Amity Affliction have announced a beloved member will no longer be a part of their group.

The announcement to fans on social media confirmed Ahren Stringer (main picture) will be leaving.

“The band have had to cancel tours and pass on many opportunities in hopes of supporting Ahren,” the statement reads.

“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.”

The Amity Affliction was formed by friends Ahren, Joseph Lilwall and Troy Brady in high school in 2003.

They named the band after a close friend, who died in a car accident at the age of 17.

The current line-up is Joel Birch (lead vocals), Dan Brown (guitar) and Joe Longobardi on drums.

Show goes ahead at Bass in the Grass with Hilltop Hoods

Bass in the Grass poster

The Amity Affliction played at the Sunshine Coast’s premier music festival Big Pineapple last year.

They will play at Bass in the Grass with Hilltop Hoods on May 17 in Darwin.

The post-hardcore band has eight studio albums. And more than one million monthly Spotify streams.

Known for their highly-charged songs about suicide, mental health and addiction. Much of their lyrics come from vocalist Joel’s past struggles.

Their latest album, “Not Without My Ghosts” was released in 2023.

The Amity Affliction confirm Ahren Stringer to leave group

The Amity Affliction says the announcement will be their only statement on the matter.

“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.

“Joel, Dan and Joe.”

Photo: Ahren Stringer of The Amity Affliction via Facebook

How do you vote?

0 People voted this article. 0 Upvotes - 0 Downvotes.

What do you think?

Show comments / Leave a comment

Leave a reply