Craig Pillard’s departure from Disma in 2019 sparked controversy within the death metal community. But what really happened, and what led to his exit?
Craig Pillard’s Departure from Disma
Pillard joined Disma in 2008. However, in 2019, the band publicly announced that they severed ties with him. The statement issued by Disma made it clear that his exit was mutual and expected, as the reasons were widely known. It read, “Disma has parted ways with our vocalist, Craig Pillard. The decision was mutual and the reasons are no secret. We will move on and finish writing the next album and complete it when a suitable replacement is found.”
His departure came after accusations regarding Nazi sympathies. Although he never directly addressed the claims in-depth, his involvement with controversial imagery and statements became an issue for the band.
Incantation’s Response to the Controversy
Pillard was Incantation’s frontman during their early 1990s era before Disma, and he contributed to albums like ‘Onward to Golgotha’ (1992) and ‘Mortal Throne of Nazarene’ (1994). His time with the band ended years before the controversy surfaced.
In a 2017 interview with Revolver, Incantation’s John McEntee addressed the situation. He said, “It’s kind of ridiculous because he is our former singer. I can’t have control over what any of my former members do or what they’re into. That was probably about two years after he left the band when he got into some of his controversial stuff… this Nazi stuff never even slightly came up when we were in a band.”
McEntee’s comments reveal that Pillard’s political beliefs were not a part of Incantation’s history and that the band distanced themselves from the controversy.
