Killswitch Engage guitarist pulls from tour for family emergency

Killswitch Engage guitarist Joel Stroetzel has announced that he is pulling from the band’s European tour to attend to a family emergency back home.

According to the PRP, the band have asked their production manager Josh Mihlek to take Stroetzel’s place for the band’s forthcoming shows in Vienna and Prague.

Read more: Doyle calls out “scumbags” who steal music, respects Taylor Swift, Post Malone

In an Instagram story, the band announce that Mihlek will only be filling in on a few songs.

“Due to a family emergency, Joel had to leave the tour and head home,” the band say. “The next two shows our brother and production/stage manager Legend @the_josh will be filling in for a few songs. Show him some love when he comes on stage!”

family emergency, Killswitch Engage
[Photo via Instagram screenshot

The family emergency in question has not been specified by the band or Stroetzel at the time of press.

Back in December, frontman Jesse Leach updated fans about a new Killswitch Engage album. While Leach admits the forthcoming album was one of the hardest projects he had ever taken on, he is proud of how it’s shaping up.

“It’s been a super hard year for me personally as well as this album just haunting my thoughts and daily meditations,” Leach says of the forthcoming record. “If nothing else I’ve given everything I have to this album. I truly hope my words on this piece of music are therapeutic, motivating and perhaps even inspiring for some of you out there. I know music is a huge part of my therapy and my life’s blood so it would be an honor to help anyone in any way with the music we make.”

The band will be back on the road this spring for a North American run. You can check out the full list of dates below and secure your tickets here.

Dates:

04/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre*
04/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium**
04/20 – Mesa, AZ @ 98 KUPD – Ufest***
04/22 – Colorado Springs, CO @ City Auditorium**
04/23 – Wichita, KS @ Cotillion Ballroom*
04/24 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom**
04/26 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom*
04/27 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater**

04/28 – Houston, TX @ So What?! Music Festival***
04/30 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater**
05/01 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre*
05/03 – Jacksonville, FL @ Welcome to Rockville^^
050/4 – Atlanta, GA  @ Tabernacle**
05/05 – Nashville, TN @ War Memorial Auditorium*
05/07 – Niagara Falls, NY @ The Rapids Theatre**
05/09 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5*

05/10 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall*
05/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall (Outdoors)**
05/12 – Rockingham, NC @ Epicenter^^
05/12 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues^
05/14 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring*
05/15 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit**
05/16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Club Stage*
05/17-19 – Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple***
*Killswitch Engage Closes Show
**Parkway Drive Closes Show
***Festival
^^Festival — Killswitch Engage Only
^Parkway Drive only

We are sending Stroetzel our thoughts at this time.