Bad Wolves part ways with frontman Tommy Vext

Bad Wolves have parted ways with singer Tommy Vext.

In a statement, the remaining members of the band say, "It is true that Bad Wolves and vocalist Tommy Vext have parted ways. The four of us plan to continue making music and a new album is planned for later this year.

"Tommy has been a big part of Bad Wolves and we are grateful for his contributions. There is not much else to report at the moment but to send love and gratitude to the fans who have supported Bad Wolves from day one. We would not be here with out you."

No reason has been given for the split, although Metal Sucks reports that Vext announced his departure from the band in a video briefly available on his personal Instagram account, and attributed the separation to irreconcilable differences with his bandmates and record label over his political beliefs.

In June last year Vext was criticised after he took to Instagram to share some widely-debunked conspiracy theories, and to claim that the US didn't have a problem with racism.

"There’s a huge fucking problem going on where we have turned into citizens policing other citizens over a veil of racism that doesn’t exist," he said. "I’ve spent 20 years traveling through 48 states and, how many countries? I don’t know, let’s say 50 countries all over the world. We don’t have a problem with race here. It’s all manufactured."

Bad Wolves guitarist Doc Coyle later took to social media to "apologise to anyone who was hurt" by Vext's comments, saying, "Public band squabbles are bad for business, but if I didn’t make my voice heard about an issue pertaining to my own band, then I have no credibility to speak on other social issues that are important to me. I would be letting fear get the best of me.

"I want to put the focus back on music, not politics. This is a distraction from what we are here to do – create, perform, and engage. It may sound corny, but I want our message to be one of inclusion and positivity because that’s what I truly believe in."

Bad Wolves released an acoustic version of Learn To Walk Again in December.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.