Metal band Forbidden says they were blindsided to find out their drummer abruptly quit. His exit from the band was seemingly due to a financial dispute.According to The PRP, Forbidden drummer Chris Kontos released a statement announcing his departure. He made it very clear that his exit is money-related. “This does not come easy for me,” he penned. “I have been trying to not have to do this and resolve many issues with Forbidden for quite some time now.” Kontos continued, “I have expressed my concerns to the band members as well as our management, the legal team, and accounting. Financial integrity, a lack of transparency of accounting, ongoing business decisions I did not agree with, or was not made aware of or told about till after the fact, resulting in conflicts with the band. These issues have become irreconcilable. I have decided that I can no longer continue as a part of the band.”“I am stepping down as the drummer for Forbidden effective immediately,” he announced. “I wish the band all the best moving forward.”Chris Kontos has left Forbidden, citing issues with the band’s “financial integrity”Kontos went on to say, “I am incredibly proud of the music we created together, including the new album and videos. I have never worked harder on a project in my life. I put my heart and soul into every bit of the work. I’m truly grateful to the fans for nearly four years of incredible support.”“I want to thank BLKIIBLK Records as well as everyone that helped the band over my time in Forbidden,” he continued. “This includes past band members, road crew, sound engineers, tour management, production companies and promoters. I’m very grateful and have a ton of appreciation and gratitude for you all. You know who you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.Finally, Kontos concluded his message, “I’m looking forward to what life has to offer moving forward. New opportunities and adventures. I respectfully ask for privacy at this time and will have no further comment. Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support.”In response, the remaining members of Forbidden issued their own statement. They noted that Kontos had not informed them of his intention before posting his public statement.“Everyone in Forbidden wants to wish Chris Kontos the absolute best in his future endeavors. We found out about his leaving the band the same way everyone else did. A social media post,” they wrote. “What we created together with this album will hopefully stand the test of time. Chris was an integral part of the process. We wish him nothing but happiness.”Photo courtesy of Getty ImagesThe post Metal Band Blindsided as Drummer Abruptly Quits on Social Media Amid Financial Dispute appeared first on VICE.