In a dramatic turn of events, US death metal band Vitriol have split up midway through their tour — leaving frontman Kyle Rasmussen stranded at a gas station in Vermont.
News of the break-up erupted online after guitarist Keith Merrow took to social media, revealing that he and the rest of the live band — bassist Brett Leier, drummer Andy Vincenzetti, and tour manager Matt — had walked away from Rasmussen following "cowardly and weak outbursts of misplaced anger."
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"We had to abandon him at a gas station in Vermont," Merrow wrote on Instagram stories. "We wish him the best, but Myself, Andy, Brett, and Matt will NOT take Kyle’s cowardly and weak outbursts of misplaced anger.”
This split comes just weeks after Rasmussen announced Vitriol would be continuing as a duo, following bassist Adam Roethlisberger’s departure. The frontman admitted at the time that Adam's exit marked “the straw upon the camel’s back of a long and difficult working relationship.”
The now-viral gas station incident adds a new — and deeply chaotic — chapter to the band’s story. For his part, Rasmussen has also posted his account of the incident on social media.
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With the tour now effectively derailed, fans were left stunned and disappointed. No official word has been given on whether refunds will be issued or if remaining dates are canceled.
Metal fans have long praised Vitriol for their intense live shows and complex songwriting, with Rasmussen often positioned as the creative core. But this public falling-out casts a shadow over the band’s future, raising questions about whether Rasmussen can — or should — carry the Vitriol name forward alone.
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