Drummer Eric Morotti has exited New York death metal outfit Suffocation after nearly a decade-long stint and looks to have burned a bridge or two on his way out. In a statement shared on his Instagram story today, April 10th, Morotti stated:
“Thanks for the birthday wishes. My gift to myself is walking away from a toxic group, and knowing my worth. I’m choosing me from now on, I will be not teaming with addicts anymore.
Peace and love, there’s a lot in store for me, keep your eyes peeled!”
In a separate post on his Instagram (see below), Morotti made clear that the he was referencing Suffocation:
“There comes a point in your life where you pick YOU! You must choose to change, evolve, or be stuck in the same routines forever. Today. On my. Birthday. I have chosen to step away from @suffocationofficial to prolong my health, myself. My integrity. I will not work with toxic. Abusive drug addicts. Let alone allow them to boss me around. I’ve been belittled and stepped all over for too long.
That being said. I’ve been having an absolute BLAST with @sanguisugaboggband and have been shown what it’s like to be part of real FAMILY. no egos, no power trips. Just bros that love music and being together. Catch me on tour with them still on the @lambofgod tour around the USA!! I love you all, thank you very much to all my fans for supporting me over the years, keep your eyes open for what’s next!!”
As Morotti mentioned above, he remains a member of Ohioan death metal band Sanguisugabogg, as well as the death metal supergroup Ablation. That latter outfit feature Sanguisugabogg‘s Devin Swank and ex-Dehumanized guitarist Rich Nagasawa among their numbers.
However, Ablation‘s roster also includes Suffocation bassist Derek Boyer, which given Morotti‘s explosive exit from Suffocation, could potentially cause some friction down the line. Further complicating matters, ex-Suffocation vocalist Frank Mullen guests on their Ablation‘s upcoming debut EP. Morotti had been a member of Suffocation since 2016, while Boyer has been serving as the bassist for Suffocation since 2004.
While Suffocation don’t appear to have addressed Morotti‘s allegations publicly, they have announced that Origin drummer John Longstreth will be replacing Morotti on their immediate live shows. Hours ahead of Morotti‘s statement mentioned above, Suffocation stated:
“SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! For our upcoming shows in Spring 2026 including support to Cradle of Filth, Welcome to Rockville and Sonic Temple we are beyond excited to announce that legendary drummer John Longstreth (Origin) will be joining us behind the drums as a very SPECIAL GUEST!
Known for his incredible speed, precision, and groundbreaking work in extreme metal, John will be the perfect fit to Suffocation‘s energy making this something you do NOT want to miss!
Tickets on sale now at www.SuffocationOfficial.com/tour
SUFFOCATION SPRING NORTH AMERICA TOUR 2026
Apr 26 – Wilmington, DE – The Queen
Apr 27 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy
Apr 28 – Memphis, TN – 1884 Lounge
Apr 30 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre*
May 1 – Ft. Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall*
May 3 – Corpus Christi, TX – House of Rock*
May 4 – Houston, TX – House of Blues*
May 5 – Oklahoma City – Diamond Ballroom*
May 7 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville^
May 8 – Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall*
May 9 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade*
May 10 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
May 11 – Washington, DC – The Black Cat*
May 12 – McKees Rock, PA – Roxian Theatre*
May 14 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple^
May 16 – Saginaw, MI – The Vault*
May 17 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave#
May 19 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge*
May 20 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater*
May 21 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada*
May 22 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre*
May 23 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre*
May 25 – Springfield, MO – Regency Live
May 26 – Indianapolis, IN – The Black Circle^Festival
*supporting Cradle of Filth
#supporting Sepultura and Cradle of Filth“
