Drummer Jay Skowronek has announced his departure from Maxeen:

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have officially left Maxeen. I'm very sad, but feel it's the best for everyone involved. Thank you for all of your support over the past 6 years. It's been a blast playing for all of you all over the place . . . the U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe . . . truly an amazing, amazing experience.

The band ran into a number of problems with their former major label home, Their originally scheduled new album, Hello Echo was indefinitely shelved, and the band split with the label. As a result, the band quickly released a six–song EP of new material called Life in the Gears last year.