Something’s clearly gone sideways in the Woe, Is Me camp. Founding member Ben Ferris has confirmed he’s been fired from the band. And he’s not holding back.
Ferris, who co-founded the Atlanta metalcore outfit back in 2009, returned for the 2022 reboot and played a key role in their upcoming comeback record—their first since Genesi[s] dropped in 2012. Now, just weeks out from new music, he’s out.
“This was not my choice,” Ferris wrote in a lengthy post. “I’m insanely disappointed in the decision-making that brought us to this point. I’m disappointed in myself for allowing them to be in my wedding.”
While he doesn’t go into full detail, Ferris hints at a recent incident involving a scrapped tour of Japan that left a promoter out of pocket. “Impulsivity and short-sighted thinking bankrupted a talent buyer in Japan,” he wrote. “Fans were let down. That’s not okay. To be very clear, I voted on honouring our commitment.”
While the band has not yet officially commented on Ferris’ departure, it’s clear the split wasn’t mutual. It was also certainly not clean. Despite his departure, Ferris’s contributions will still be heard on the new album. Ferris has even said he is ‘proud’ of the work, even if the fallout has left a bitter taste. “I’m pissed and I feel betrayed, but it’s worth listening to,” he added.
Woe, Is Me were once at the centre of the Rise Records-era metalcore scene, sharing stages with the likes of Of Mice & Men and I See Stars before disbanding in 2013. Their return in 2022 was met with cautious excitement, especially from fans who rode that early wave of post-hardcore breakdowns and electronic flourishes.
With a new album looming and no clear explanation from the remaining members, things are looking pretty murky. But one thing’s for certain—whatever’s going on behind the scenes, it’s not as tightly polished as the band’s press photos would suggest.
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