Portland death metal powerhouse Vitriol have announced a significant lineup shakeup, revealing the departure of guitarist Matt Kilner and the arrival of bassist and vocalist Brett Leier. The band shared the news via social media, expressing sadness over Kilner‘s decision to leave while respecting his privacy.
For those of you keeping track, Vitriol is currently frontman and mastermind Kyle Rasmussen, guitarist Keith Merrow, and now bassist and vocalist Brett Leier. The drummer position remains in flux, with the band promising an update in the near future. Leier takes the place of original bassist and vocalist Adam Roethlisberger, who left Vitriol after 11 years in 2024.
“We have two large developments to share. Firstly, we are deeply saddened to announce that Matt Kilner has chosen to step away from Vitriol. While I imagine that most people’s first instinct is to ask why, Matt‘s reasoning is his own, and we want to afford him the respect of not speaking on his behalf. Suffice it to say, we are pained to see him go.
“In more triumphant news, we have welcomed Brett Leier into the fold on bass and accompanying vocals. Brett is a wildly talented instrumentalist with a very potent creative mind. He also looks like he’d be camped out in a Serbian gas station bathroom with chicken wire pulled tight, which I think is a pretty sweet vibe. Brett is best known for his work in Gargoyl alongside fellow mega-shredders.
“Brett will be joining Keith Merrow and I on our upcoming, soon-to-be announced tour where we will re emerge as a four piece. We look forward to seeing what the future will bring. We will provide more information on the drummer situation soon enough.
“Here’s a little Woo for my fellow Wooers. While these goodbyes don’t become less painful, I’m at peace knowing that, if nothing else, part of this band’s legacy will be to have proven that grief does little to slow the art of loss. And that you simply can not kill what is already dead.”
Vitriol is a brutal, blackened death‑metal juggernaut from Portland, OR. Vitriol‘s discography includes their demo Antichrist in 2013 and Pain Will Define Their Death EP in 2017, culminating in their ferocious debut To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice in 2019 and reaching newfound heights on their sophomore LP Suffer & Become in 2024.
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