Joe Longobardi Leaves The Amity Affliction After Eight Years on Drums

The Amity Affliction just can't seem to keep a stable lineup right now. Drummer Joe Longobardi has announced his departure from the band after eight years, making him the second major member to leave in a little over a year.

Longobardi shared the news on his Instagram, keeping it short and classy: "After 8 years I have decided to leave The Amity Affliction. I feel extremely grateful and fortunate to have spent those years with the band. I wish Johnny, Dan and Joel along with the crew nothing but the very best moving forward. It's been an incredible journey. Thank you all for the love. See you out there."

The band hasn't commented publicly yet.

Longobardi's Run With Amity

Longobardi originally came from Defeater and replaced Ryan Burt back in 2018. He first showed up in the music video for "Drag the Lake" in January 2019 and was brought on as a full-time member ahead of Download Festival that same year. Before Amity, he'd spent over a decade touring with acts like Palehorse, Transit, Trash Talk, and Call It Arson. The guy built a reputation as one of the most consistent drummers in heavy music, and honestly it showed.

During his time with The Amity Affliction, Longobardi recorded and co-wrote on Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them (2020) and Not Without My Ghosts (2023). He's also credited on the band's latest album, House of Cards, which dropped April 24, 2026 via Pure Noise Records. That record has only been out for two months, which makes the timing of this departure pretty notable.

A Band in Flux

I'll be real, this band has been through it. Longobardi's exit is the second major lineup change in just over a year. Founding member Ahren Stringer initially announced a touring hiatus in September 2024, then in January 2025 said he wouldn't be touring at all for the foreseeable future. By February 2025, the band announced Stringer had been fired outright, citing "certain behaviours that have been directed at ourselves and those close to us." A legal battle over the "Amity" trademark between Stringer and vocalist Joel Birch followed shortly after.

American musician Jonathan Reeves, formerly of Kingdom of Giants, stepped in as Stringer's touring replacement and was officially announced as a full-time member in May 2025. With Stringer gone and now Longobardi out, none of the original members remain. Joel Birch is the longest-standing current member.

So What's Next?

That's the big question. The Amity Affliction already wrapped their North American Spring Horizons Tour with August Burns Red back in May, but they've got a full European headline run on the books for this fall. The House of Cards EU 2026 Tour features Silent Planet, Varials, and Orthodox as support. Confirmed dates include:

Sep 26 – Oslo, Norway (Rockefeller)

Sep 29 – Warsaw, Poland (Progresja)

Oct 1 – Prague, Czech Republic (Roxy)

Oct 10 – Manchester, UK (O2 Ritz Manchester)

Oct 11 – London, UK (O2 Forum Kentish Town)

Oct 12 – Nottingham, UK (Rock City)

Oct 13 – Bristol, UK (O2 Academy Bristol)

Beyond that, there's a date at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on December 12, 2026 and a slot on the Hellbound Heavy Metal Cruise 2027 alongside Parkway Drive, Alpha Wolf, I Killed the Prom Queen, and Thy Art Is Murder. Whoever sits behind the kit next has a busy schedule waiting.

The band hasn't named a replacement yet. With five ARIA #1 albums, over a billion streams, and a two-decade legacy, The Amity Affliction clearly aren't going anywhere. But the revolving door has been spinning fast. We'll see who steps up.

EU tour tickets are available now through the band's official EU tour link and Ticketmaster.

Cover photo courtesy of Ticketmaster.