By: Chris Coutsoukis

"Nothing lasts forever. For all good things it's true," are words from Avenged Sevenfold's "Victim" off 2010's Nightmare; and today these words apply to drummer Arin Ilejay. Earlier today, the band announced via their website that Avenged Sevenfold and Arin Ilejay would be parting ways due to "creative differences." 

The official quote from the band is as follows, "Hello Everyone –
We are writing this to inform you all that we will be moving forward without Arin IIejay as our drummer. Arin has been nothing but a positive energy and monster drummer for us over the past 4 years. We love the guy and always will. We are and will always be grateful to him for helping us to move forward through some very dark times. Creatively though, we felt we needed to move in a different direction. While we can’t say more at this time, we are excited for the future and looking forward to sharing our plans soon with the greatest fans in the world. As always we appreciate your understanding and unwavering support. With Love – Matt, Zack, Brian, Johnny." 

Arin was the first permanent member to replace Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan after his death and performed on a number of A7X tracks including "Not Ready to Die," "Carry On," and the entirety of 2013's Hail to the King. There has been an outcry of support for Arin throughout social media as fans wonder why the split occurred. Regardless, the talented musician will surely find success after four years on the road with a band the likes of Avenged. 

By: Chris Coutsoukis