Atreyu vocalist pulls from European tour due to health concerns

Atreyu vocalist Alex Varkatzas has revealed that he will be unable to join the band on their forthcoming tour in Europe and the UK. the vocalist cites health concerns for the reason he will not be able to embark on the tour.

In a statement, Varkatzas says he damaged a disk in his back about two weeks before the Spring Invasion tour. However, the pain continued until he had an MRI reveal a “bulging disk” and a “surprise inguinal hernia.”

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Despite not being able to join his band on the forthcoming tour, Varkatzas confirms the rest of the band will still be able to make the tour.

Additionally, the vocalist says he will be back for the band’s Rockstar Energy Disrupt Festival run.

You can read the statement from Varkatzas below:

“There is no easy way to say this, but I am very sorry that I will not be able to join Atreyu on this upcoming European tour. At this point, my body and mind need to heal in order for me to continue with all the things we have planned this year. I feel that I owe you all an explanation. It will be lengthy…

Just about 2 weeks before the Spring Invasion tour I severely aggravated a damaged disc in my back at L5-Sl, giving horrible muscle spasms and limiting my ability to walk, go to the bathroom, basically fucks everything. I was briefly hospitalized last year for this same thing and unable to walk for several days, followed by a week on a walker. For someone like me, this is HELL. I hate asking for help, I despise my own weakness and I loathe missing my daily physical training. It makes me feel incomplete. For however silly that is, that’s how I feel, I cannot hide it. After this last injury before the Spring Invasion tour, my back never stopped aching. I would get random spasms and ache badly all day. I was unable to do anything physical. At this point, I started to suffer some pains in the lower abdominal/manly region. I went to my doctor and started tests that led to referrals. An MRI showed a bulging disc at L5-S1 that was a little worse than last year and revealed a surprise inguinal hernia. I was able to start physical therapy for my back right away but was unable to start on hernia. I was given an Oral steroid the day before I left for tour and started to barely feel ok after a few days (all the while babying my back). I was advised to take it easy or I would create further issues.

“Atreyu has always been an emotional outlet for me. I want the shows to be intense and fun. Even holding myself back because of pain and injury, I still went too hard. In my opinion, I was barely performing, some nights my muscle relaxers would slow me down. After the third week, I was aching badly again. If you look carefully at videos and photos of [the] last two shows I am wearing a special back brace during our set. After flying home I’ve been in constant agony. I still can’t hold my little kids, I can’t hug my wife, I can’t do much of anything. Luckily I can still walk. I would be lying to you if I said it wasn’t taking its toll on me mentally as well. I have no outlet. I’m a capable independent person and this has worn on me in many ways.

“It was very hard to accept and for me to tell the guys in the band that my doctors advised me to not make the trip and take care of my body. 

“My brothers in Atreyu will rock on without me on this run. It will be a very special, one of a kind experience with Brandon up front and Porter screaming! I have an upcoming epidural, therapy and a follow-up appointment to discuss the impending possibility of hernia surgery, all before Disrupt Festival.

“Thank you to my brothers in the band and the Atreyu management team for trying to help me feel at ease about this. I do not. I’m sorry I have failed to live up to our obligations. I’m sorry to our booking agent and management for jeopardizing all this. And a HUGE, I’m sorry to Slam Dunk Fest, FortaRock, Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring and the rest of the European show promoters.

“We have been around a while and never had this happen. I’m terribly sorry and thank you for the faith in our band. And finally to anyone who was looking forward to see me perform with the band on this run. I know you are disappointed and all I can do is offer my sincerest apologies and fully explain the situation. Something I normally wouldn’t like to do. So there it is. I wish my brothers in Atreyu a safe and fun tour. See you all on Disrupt!”

You can check out the list of dates Varkatzas must pull from below. 

Dates:

05/25 – Leeds, UK @ Slam Dunk
05/26 – Hatfield, UK @ Slam Dunk
05/29 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
05/30 – Stockholm, SE @ Klubben
05/31 – Copenhagen, DK @ Amager Bio
06/01 – Nijmegen, NL @ FortaRock
06/03 – Hamburg, DE @ Logo
06/04 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz
06/05 – Brno, CZ @ Fleda
06/06 – Budapest, HU @ A38
06/08 – Nuremburg, DE @ Rock im Park
06/09 – Nurbug, DE @ Rock am Ring

We are wishing Varkatzas a speedy recovery and the best of luck to the rest of Atreyu on tour. 

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