After finding himself abandoned by his now former bandmates mid-tour in New York earlier this week, Vitriol frontman Kyle Rasmussen is headed home to Portland, Oregon. Rasmussen was intentionally left by his bandmates at an abandoned ice cream shop/gas station in Redwood, NY following a heated altercation, that according to Rasmussen, was fueled by cocaine, lack of sleep and tensions running high.
His former bandmates in the death metal outfit, all of whom had joined Vitriol throughout this year, publicly chastised the singer after leaving him behind amid Vitriol‘s first-ever U.S. headlining tour. They also made clear that Rasmussen‘s attitude was the reason for the dramatic mass exodus. On social media they cited what they described as his, “cowardly and weak outbursts of misplaced anger.”
In a particularly damning rebuttal to Rasmussen‘s 45-minute video response to being left stranded, the now former members, guitarist Keith Merrow, bassist Brett Leier and drummer Andy Vincenzetti, claimed, “[Rasmussen] irrationally screamed at the whole crew at the top of his lungs on multiple occasions. We simply won’t tolerate it, just like all the other 19 people who left this failed band. What more needs to be said? It’s the same shit as every other victim of abuse.” That trio have also communicated that they will be continuing on together in a new band without Rasmussen.
Rasmussen for his part blamed the split on a cocaine bender paired with cramped spaces, a lack of sleep and being frazzled from touring together in tight spaces. He alleged that at one point, Merrow threatened to stab him during a heated exchange, and also physically shoved Rasmussen‘s girlfriend, who alongside Kyle and his dog, were left outside an ice cream shop/gas station with an apparent horde or merch and gear.
Rasmussen also claimed that his now ex-bandmates enlisted the assistance of a state trooper to ensure that he, his girlfriend and their dog, were ejected from the RV which they were collectively using for the tour without incident.
The departure saw Rasmussen left as the lone member of the technical death metal band and brought their tour to a premature end. Furthermore, with Rasmussen claiming to have entrusted Merrow with the band’s finances on the tour, Rasmussen said on social media that he and his girlfriend, and their dog were uncertain as to how they were going to get home.
Ultimately, they launched this GoFundMe, which went on to raise $10,869 on a $2.5k USD goal as of press time. Speaking via that campaign this past Tuesday, November 25th, Rasmussen relayed that they planned to put the funds toward the purchase of a used car. That statement read:
“Hello, everyone. Maggie and I have been beyond moved by the response to our GoFundMe. I set our initial goal at 2.5k, hoping to only make it home. After being donated 4x that amount, we will be able to purchase an affordable used car, rather than throwing money away on a cross-country rental. This is beyond helpful, as we are a carless household. We have plenty to keep us safe and comfortable. Any additional donations will be put toward paying off debts from this tour; merch, RV, management, and PR fees. Thank you very, very much. We are out of crisis.
With deep love and appreciation,
Ghost, Maggie, and Kyle“
Now in a video statement shared today, November 27th, Rasmussen has offered a new update, which he opened by poking fun at his ex-bandmates for mistakenly stating they had abandoned him in Vermont. He also went on to clarify that he and Maggie ultimately decided to rent a vehicle for the cross-country trek. Here’s what was said in that clip [transcribed by theprp.com].
“Hello, everyone. Here we are in a beautiful, thriving, Redwood, New York — or Vermont — I suppose, it’s all in the eyes of the beholder. I have good news for anyone who is interested in seeing Maggie, Ghost, and myself, make it home safely. The outpouring of support has been beyond overwhelming. I know that might sound like a tired thing to say, but I don’t know what else to say.
If any of you are wondering why we weren’t just getting a train, or a bus home, you’re looking at it. We have about three weeks worth of merchandise loosely smashed into this Jeep, which is the largest vehicle that Hertz had available for us. I have all my equipment, all of our luggage. With that being said, we, of course, have our dog, which complicates things further.
Massive, massive shout out to Felder’s Convenience. If you’re ever rolling through Redwood, New York on your way to Canada, check out Felder’s Convenience. They got deli, they got pizza, they got gas, they got cigarettes, they got coffee, they got everything you need. He even has an out-of-season ice cream shop, that he was kind enough after witnessing this whole snafu go down — he was kind enough to offer to keep all of our equipment and belongings safely in this building until we were able to come back and retrieve it. So MVP. Relying on the goodwill of people this entire time has been extremely humbling.
That’s about it. We’re about to hit the road. The Maggie Ghost and Kyle tour begins now. We’re about to head to Chicago. And then after that, Denver, to kiss that beautiful Dave Otero on the mouth. I’m coming for you, buddy. Okay, give me more cocaine [mimics sniffing noises.]”
Rasmussen captioned that video as follows:
“Ghost, Maggie and Ghost tour begins now. Thankyou to everyone who went above and beyond with their generosity. Maggie and I are perfectly secure and won’t have any issues making our way home. Any extra funds that remain after our journey home will go towards paying off various debts that Vitriol has been saddled with making this tour happen. The future not only looks bright for the three of us, but for Vitriol as well.
You can’t kill what is already dead.
I’m coming to smooch ya, @daveotero”
