DevilDriver have split with drummer John Boeklin and guitarist Jeff Kendrick, mainman Dez Fafara has confirmed.
The co-founding pair made their final appearances at Knotfest over the weekend. The band, whose last album Winter Kills was released in 2013, will go on hiatus until Fafara has completed his current commitments with the reactivated Coal Chamber.
He says: “What a blast Knotfest was – no better way to end the Winter Kills cycle. With the end of this cycle comes some other endings.
“John Boeklin, Jeff Kendrick and DevilDriver have parted ways. Nothing dramatic, no drag down fights, just time to move on.
“As I have said previously, DevilDriver is on hiatus while I rejoin Coal Chamber for a new record release and tour. DevilDriver will be back in 2016 with a new record which we are already writing, tours around the world and the massive pits you have all gotten used to.
“All in DevilDriver wish John and Jeff the best.”
Kendrick says in a statement: “I want to make it clear that this is my decision, and I have nothing but love for all my brothers in the band. I revere my bandmates with the utmost respect and am happy for the experiences we have all shared.” He’ll pursue his interests in his All Axess company.
In May, guitarist Mike Spreizter predicted the next DevilDriver album would be recorded towards the end of 2014, saying: “Boecklin’s already got somewhere between three and five songs written and a tentative date for recording of November, December, which means the record will probably be out sometime next summer.”
Coal Chamber, who split in 2002 and started working together again three years ago, are expected to release their comeback album next year.
