JESUS PIECE Breaks Up: “A Member Quit Abruptly For Personal Reasons And We Felt Wrong Continuing Without Him”

Hardcore heavyweights Jesus Piece have officially announced their breakup, bringing an end to one of the most punishing and influential runs in modern hardcore.

In a statement released on August 26, members Luis Aponte, John Distefano, and David Updike confirmed that the band has been inactive for some time following the departure of a key member (not named), and that they will not continue under the Jesus Piece name.

Interestingly, they also point out that “anything you see associated with this name or similar, playing our music and using our art, is not related to anything we worked for over the last 10 years.” So maybe someone else is trying to continue the band without everyone else involved? It certainly seems like vocalist Aaron Heard is hinting at that, considering he seems to be a part of a project called Je$us Piece.

“Jesus Piece has been dead for some time,” wrote the band’s remaining members. “A member quit abruptly for personal reasons and we felt wrong continuing without him. Anything you see associated with this name or similar, playing our music and using our art, is not related to anything we worked for over the last 10 years.

“We are proud of everything we did and it changed our lives forever. To try and continue that without us or in spite of us, is a mockery of what we’ve done and tried to do. Thank you all for everything! – Lu, John, Dave.”

Formed in Philadelphia in 2015, Jesus Piece quickly gained a reputation as one of the most devastating live bands in hardcore, blending metal, death, and industrial textures with unrelenting breakdowns. Their rise through the underground saw them sharing stages with Code Orange, Knocked Loose, and Vein.fm, and delivering a sound that bridged the gap between hardcore and extreme metal.

Their 2018 debut album Only Self cemented their status as a new force in heavy music, while 2023’s …So Unknown was widely praised for pushing their sonic boundaries without sacrificing intensity. Critics hailed it as their most fully realized work yet, and the record propelled them onto larger tours and global festival slots.

Thanks for the tunes, Jesus Piece.