Dani Filth, vocalist and leader of CoF fired their guitarist ahead of anticipated South American after his recent social media statements about injustice in the band.
Cradle of Filth is facing major lineup changes after a dramatic week. Keyboardist and co-vocalist Zoë Marie Federoff announced she was leaving the band immediately, citing personal reasons. Soon after, guitarist Marek “Ashok” Šmerda revealed he also planned to step away, but only after finishing the current tour. Both musicians spoke out about their experiences in the band, and their statements quickly stirred controversy.
Šmerda said life in the group meant “a lot of work for relatively low pay” and described years of stress and unprofessional behavior from those in charge. He said the pressure had become unbearable, and he asked the band to remove his compositions from future releases, including the long-discussed collaboration with Ed Sheeran.
Federoff shared her own reasons for leaving. She said management tried to take money from the band’s latest album advance and, when challenged, responded with insults and threats. Furthermore, she claimed that she and Šmerda earned about £150 a day, roughly £25,000 a year, while still being expected to put the band before any outside work. She advised future members to read contracts carefully before joining.
Statement by Dani Filth on The Particular Issue
In response, frontman Dani Filth announced that Cradle of Filth had fired Šmerda with immediate effect. He dismissed the accusations against management as “unjust and unfounded” and confirmed the band would continue with its South American tour dates. A replacement guitarist will join the group soon, but until then, CoF will perform live with only one guitarist.
The split has left fans with two very different accounts of life inside the band. Former members describe money troubles and toxic treatment, while the band insists those claims are untrue and is pushing ahead with scheduled shows. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges of life in a working metal band and raises questions about the pressures musicians face behind the scenes.
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