M. Shadows’ health diagnosis left the band no choice but to put off the upcoming tour dates
Avenged Sevenfold were just about to kick off their South American tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this past Thursday, September 25, when their fans received a “discouraging” announcement of a postponement, citing a serious health issue. The band vocalist, Matthew Charles Sanders, more known as M. Shadows, has been diagnosed with a vocal fold hematoma. The tour is now expected to resume early next year, with more updates to follow.
This isn’t the first time Avenged Sevenfold had to cancel their tour dates due to the frontman’s vocal issues. In July 2018 the band had to call off the whole North American tour. M. Shadow had suffered a viral infection after their previous European tour and had a blood blister on his vocal folds back then.
Last Friday the band took to social media with the official announcement:
With a heavy heart, and regretfully, we have to announce that due to a specific condition called a vocal fold hematoma, we have made the necessary decision to push our tour to early next year. We promise to come back stronger than ever. Your tickets will still be valid for the rescheduled shows—new dates are on the way and will be announced next week.
Thank you for your understanding, love, and support.
In addition to the formal announcement, Avenged Sevenfold shared a video message with M. Shadows opening up about his health issue in more detail. The frontman added he needs “a couple weeks of voice rest and then a couple of months of rehab, and we’ll be able to remake these dates”. Read the script of the message below:
“Hey, everyone. What’s going on? Got some discouraging news. Gonna have to postpone the Latin America tour. Got my voice in some sort of trouble. After Louder Than Life, I got a little sick, and I thought that my throat was feeling crummy from being sick. Came down to Argentina [and] felt like it was probably the travel and the schedule, etc. [that did it]. Monday and Tuesday came and I slept a bunch. Didn’t feel any different, so we postponed Buenos Aires. The next day, I got a bunch of sleep, woke up, and I felt like something wasn’t getting better. So, I found a great doctor in Argentina, went and got my throat scoped, and I have a hematoma on my left vocal fold, which is the same injury I had in 2017.
In 2017, though, I decided to keep singing through it. Took a bunch of pills, and ended up resulting in surgery. So, basically, if I shut this down now, I’ll have a couple weeks of voice rest and then a couple of months of rehab, and we’ll be able to remake these dates to you. So, I gotta make the responsible decision here and shut this down. This’ll be the last time I’m talking for a couple of weeks,” M. Shadows told his fans.
He went on to say:
“You know, apologies to everyone who’s made plans [and] spent money. Hopefully, this is early enough to make you able to make the proper plans and change the dates to January. Apologies to the bands. All of them have flown down here already. Our crew. Everyone’s already down here. The equipment. A lot goes into this, but I have to make the responsible decision and there’s just no way I can sing like this. Don’t want another surgery, so we’re gonna take the responsible route here, shut it down for a couple of months, and I’m just sorry this had to happen. It just sucks. Can’t wait to see you guys in January. Sorry.”
After playing in Argentina, the guys were scheduled to play in the venues of Chile, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Watch M. Shadows’ full video message below:
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Disturb vocalist David Draiman was among the first musicians to wish Matt a speedy recovery:
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Featured image: Live at Zitadelle Spandau (Avenged Sevenfold’s Facebook gallery)
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