Canadian melodic death metal act The Agonist are calling it quits after nearly two decades as a band.
The band made the announcement early Wednesday (May 10th) via a statement on social media, citing personal, financial, and industry-related reasons for the disbandment. Dedicated fans will be happy to know that certain members still plan on creating music together, though it won’t be under The Agonist name.
The statement reads, in part:
“Dear friends, it’s time to make a very difficult but necessary announcement. We have decided that The Agonist as a band, has come to an end. Much deliberation and care has been put into making this decision, and unfortunately, given the circumstances, this is the conclusion that makes the most sense for the band and us as individuals.
There are many factors that led to this decision. It is a mix of personal, financial and industry related issues, but in the end the 5 of us are no longer able to agree on a way forward that would benefit The Agonist business as a whole, while respecting each member’s personal lives and wishes.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to the fans for coming out to the shows, buying our merch, and supporting us over the years. Nothing is more satisfying than connecting with our fellow human beings via the gift of music. It is the number one factor that has always driven us- to make you, the listener, feel something. In the end, we know that we’ve accomplished this together.
Some members of the band will continue to work on music in various ways, others will focus on personal projects and family. We kindly ask you to respect their privacy on this particular matter and encourage you to follow them on their individual social media accounts to support their future endeavors.”
Per the band’s statement, singer Vicky Psarakis will continue on in her band Sicksense, who have an EP arriving this summer. Meanwhile, guitarist Danny Marino is planning two new projects; guitarist bassist Pascal “Paco” Jobin will be dropping music with his project Leading the Betrayed; bassist Chris Kells plans to focus on his career as a videographer; and drummer Simon McKay will be offering session and live work as he searches for a new full-time band.
The Agonist formed in 2004 in Montreal with original singer Alissa White-Gluz, who recorded three full-length albums with the band, including the acclaimed 2009 collection Lullabies for the Dormant Mind. White-Gluz was hired as Arch Enemy’s new singer in 2014, and was promptly replaced by Psarakis, despite her apparent desire to remain in The Agonist. In a 2017 interview with Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta, White-Gluz called her dismissal from the band the “worst betrayal I’ve ever felt in my life.”
With Psarakis as their lead singer, The Agonist recorded three full-length albums and the 2021 EP Days Before the World Wept, which stands as the group’s final release.
You can read The Agonist’s full statement below.