Two longtime members of British extreme metal outfit Cradle of Filth have abruptly parted ways with the group during its ongoing South American tour, citing financial frustrations, internal conflicts, and disagreements over the band’s planned collaboration with pop star Ed Sheeran.

Keyboardist and backing vocalist Zoë M. Federoff announced earlier this week that she was stepping away from the band for what she described as “personal reasons.” Shortly afterward, Cradle of Filth confirmed they had dismissed her husband, guitarist Marek “Ashok” Šmerda, who had performed with the group since 2014. Federoff joined the lineup in 2022.

Following her announcement, some fans speculated that the couple’s marriage had contributed to the sudden exits. Federoff quickly dismissed the rumors. “Ashok isn’t cheating,” she wrote on social media. “While the turmoil of being in the band has taken its toll on us, we remain very much certain that we love each other. Please be kind to my husband. He is a good man. We were already planning to leave the band later this year. Certain events have sped that up for me.”

Šmerda provided a more detailed explanation in his own post, pointing to both financial and professional grievances. “We simply do not feel like Cradle can provide for our future, and in fact hinders it,” he wrote. “Among other reasons, it is a lot of work for relatively low pay, the stress is quite high, and we haven’t felt for a while like this band actually prioritizes or cares about members. It has been years of unprofessional behavior from people above us that led to our decision.”

Šmerda added that he had requested the removal of his compositions from the band’s upcoming releases, including a much-discussed collaboration with Sheeran. “This song feels like foolish clown antics for me at this point anyways, first it was charity single for kids, then for profit single, then on next album, and now who knows and I just do not want to be involved anymore, no disrespect to Ed Sheeran.”

Rumors of a Cradle of Filth–Ed Sheeran crossover first surfaced in 2022, after Sheeran revealed his childhood interest in death metal, citing both Cradle of Filth and Slipknot as formative influences. Earlier this year, frontman Dani Filth confirmed that a track had been recorded, though it did not appear on the band’s latest album, The Screaming of the Valkyries.

For Šmerda, however, the collaboration was emblematic of a direction he no longer wished to support. His decision to step away from the band during an active tour underscores how divisive the project has become within the group.

In response to the departures, Dani Filth issued a statement declaring that the band would continue its tour schedule uninterrupted. “Despite all attempts to illegally defame and derail the band, Cradle of Filth will not cancel any of our South American shows,” he wrote. He acknowledged that the group would temporarily perform with a single guitarist until Šmerda’s replacement could be flown in. A new keyboardist had already been secured to cover Federoff’s role.

Cradle of Filth, founded in Suffolk, England, in 1991, has long been known for its shifting lineup, with Dani Filth remaining the only constant member. Even so, the loss of two musicians mid-tour, particularly one with a decade of tenure, marks a significant disruption.

The band performed Tuesday in Montevideo, Uruguay, and is expected to continue through its South American itinerary.