Buffalo metalcore institution Every Time I Die, a band that’s been around for nearly 24 years, has just broken up in extremely contentious fashion, with singer Keith Buckley evidently feuding with the rest of the band on Twitter and, potentially, in court. Over the weekend, Every Time I Die guitarists Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley — Keith’s brother — both tweeted the same statement, claiming that Keith has cut off all communication with the rest of the band and that the band has played its last show. Here’s the full text of the statement, which purportedly comes the four members of the band not named Keith Buckley:

Andy, Jordan, Steve and Goose’s last show with Every Time I Die was on Dec 11, 2021. While we hoped to come to an agreed upon legal statement that outlined the truth, we were informed today of something planned to be released not mutually agreed upon that consists of inaccuracies and controls a narrative to benefit one.

There has been no direct communication with Keith, because it’s either impossible for direct communication with him solely or we’ve been cut off to any and all communication by him himself.

Every Time I Die was these 5 members, and we were never budging or accepting any changes. Simply, there is zero truth about the band continuing on with a new singer. Lastly, we wouldn’t be where we are today without every single person that’s backed the band in any & all ways. While we’re extremely disappointed in how this was played out online in front of you, your support and the memories we have because of you all will always be cherished.

See you soon. Forever grateful,

Andy, Jordan, Steve & Goose

https://twitter.com/JordanETID/status/1483225253052518406

Keith Buckley responded by posting a scan of a legal notice that the rest of the band sent to him in late December. In the letter, the lawyer representing Keith’s bandmates requests a response “to discuss the business terms of an amicable separation between the parties.” It also demands that Keith cease and desist from making any public statements “that defame, disparage or in any way criticize the professional name, prestige, image, reputation, practices, or conduct of the Band or the Represented Members” and that Keith also stop using the name, logo, and intellectual property of the band.

Early in December, when Every Time I Die were mid-tour, Keith Buckley announced a brief hiatus from the band to focus on his own mental health. The band announced plans to play the last three dates on their tour without Keith, though those shows were ultimately cancelled for COVID-related reasons. Keith rejoined ETID later in December for their traditional hometown festival TID The Season. But after the rest of the band announced plans to finish their tour without Keith, he responded on his Twitter, claiming that he’d overheard his bandmates plotting to replace him.

Every Time I Die started in Buffalo in 1998, and they almost immediately became absolute road dogs on the hardcore circuit. Over the years, the band expanded their audience and came up with a more polished and ambitious sound, mixing metalcore heaviness with classic-rock melody. Starting with 2001’s Last Night In Town, the band released nine studio albums. The last of those EPs was the impressive Radical, which just came out in October.