More turmoil hit the Bad Wolves camp Friday when guitarist AJ Rebollo announced via social media that he will be stepping down from the platinum-selling alt-metal band following a dispute with their label over a cover of Dolly Parton's classic "Jolene."
According to Rebollo, who joined the band as touring guitarist back in 2023, their label, Better Noise Music, announced the release of the band's cover of the beloved country legend in the wake of her passing despite the band's opposition. The cover was originally intended to feature guest vocals from Parton, but her death following a battle with cancer made this an impossibility. The band, justifiably, viewed the announcement of the release of the Parton-less cover as merely a means of capitalizing on her untimely passing. While other behind-the-scenes decisions are alluded to in Rebollo's statement, this decision was "the final nail in the coffin." The cover was released across digital platforms August 31st at midnight EST.
Here is Rebollo's full statement regarding his exit:
This will be a long one. so if you don’t want to stay for the whole thing, the main point is – I am making the decision to step away as a member of Bad Wolves. In short. I can no longer in good faith remain a member and co-sign the decisions constantly being made FOR this band by the label. among other issues I have with the inner workings of the business.
When I stepped into the picture, a part of me knew what I was getting into, but the full extent of it was unknown to me. I have been at odds with one too many decisions being made for the band for quite some time, but the final nail in the coffin was the label’s decision to move forward with the upcoming Dolly Parton cover, after we blatantly expressed our opposition. We, as an entity, told the label we had no interest in releasing the cover after learning of Dolly‘s unfortunate passing as her collaboration on the song was no longer a possibility, and we felt it would (understandably) be interpreted as somewhat of a capitalization on her passing from an outside perspective. They went ahead and posted that we were releasing it anyway, despite efforts from more than one member, myself included, to oppose it.
With the label completely disregarding numerous decisions we make out of passion, and ultimately just unknowingly exhausting the band’s attempts to fully enjoy being here, I am no longer happy here. The amount of hate, negativity. and harassment we receive on a daily basis due to decisions made outside of our control has taken a massive toll on our sanity.
Coming from Issues made me appreciate the autonomy we had as a band. We were fortunate enough to have worked with a label that cared for us, not only as musicians. but as people. They trusted our vision. never pushed anything on us that we didn’t want to do for ourselves, and ultimately felt like team members, not bosses. That’s been a dynamic that I have strived for within Bad Wolves for quite some time. There are some undeniably incredible people at Better Noise, but I will not stand by as yet another decision is being made for us that we are entirely opposed to, one that we — as the faces of this band — will receive the brunt of the scrutiny and ridicule for. While the donation to her Imagination Library is an incredible choice to do something good with the profits. I can’t help but feel there is ill intent behind the decision to release the song.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the label and John specifically for helping me sustain a living as much as possible while being off the road. There was a level of care there that is definitely not lost on me. but I have never been one to allow my art and decisions within the music world to be compromised, and I have no interest in being a vessel for what I believe to be terrible decisions.
Music is my job, my livelihood, and most importantly. my passion. Stepping away from this is absolutely terrifying as I am sacrificing what little I have left when it comes to stability within the music world. I do not know what the future holds for me regarding that.
This is not. by any means, some sort of call to arms against anyone, nor do I wish ill will on anyone involved in the label’s decision making. I absolutely loved the time I got to spend with the band. I love them all (the old and new members) as bandmates, people. and friends. I loved creating this upcoming album with them as I think it is a genuinely incredible piece of art, but this is a decision I just have to make.
The band's original lead singer, Tommy Vext, chimed in on Twitter, quoting a news post about Rebollo's exit with the caption "Maybe I wasn’t the problem after all" followed by an olive-skinned shrug emoji. Vext, who co-founded the band alongside drummer John Boecklin, left the band in 2021 at the insistence of the rest of the band and the label due to his conservative political views, namely supporting Donald Trump and criticizing the Black Lives Matter movement. He was replaced by former Acacia Strain guitarist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz.
Maybe I wasn’t the problem after all 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/WMZJH6OvSx
— Tommy Vext (@TVext) August 29, 2026
News of Rebollo's exit arrives just days after Bad Wolves was dropped from Skillet's Comatose: 20 Years, Still Screaming Tour after backlash to singer Sara "Killboy" Sinner's having an OnlyFans account and false rumors of her being trans. Some fans may recall video of Bad Wolves performing "Jolene" live with Killboy was briefly posted, pinned, and then taken down from the band's official Instagram page, lending credence to Rebollo and Vext's charges of behind-the-scenes drama.
In a sad and dark bit of irony, this is not Bad Wolves' first high-profile cover/collab thwarted by death. The band's 2018 cover of The Cranberries' "Zombie" was originally set to feature vocals from singer Dolores O'Riordan. She offered to sing on the track on Christmas Eve 2017. Unfortunately, she passed on the morning of January 15, the same day she was booked to record vocals for Bad Wolves' cover.
The band's cover of "Jolene" is now available to stream and download, but in keeping with our dedication to honoring artists' wishes, we encourage you to check out their debut single with Killboy, "Paint It Red," below.
