It was a truthful and somber message from Fever 333 vocalist Jason Aalon Butler earlier today that alerted fans to the cancelation of the band’s upcoming tour plans. In an intimate Instagram post, Butler revealed that the shows were no longer happening because he was dealing with his “most significant and challenging struggle with depression.”
The announcement comes just days before the band is set to release their new album Darker White on October 4, hence the need for tour dates in North America, the U.K., and Europe. In his statement, which you can read in full below, he explained that his mental problems began manifesting themselves into physical ones. That level of sadness, he said, caused him to realize that he needs professional help to get through it.
“Hey everybody, it’s your friend Jason Aalon here. I come to you admittedly a bit uncomfortable and afraid, but grateful for the opportunity to be honest. Recently I’ve been faced with my most significant and challenging struggle with depression. And in a rather unusual turn of events, I became deeply depressed at a time where one would expect to be excitedly anticipating the release of a new album and a tour to support it.
“And while I’m no stranger to these feelings, this time was different. And the mental period of anguish eventually devolved into physical ailments, and that affected not only me, but my family, my friends, and everyone around me, and that caused a pretty obvious turning point. And I realized, you know, I need to, I need to delve into the root cause of my sadness. I probably have needed to do this for, no… I have needed to do this for quite some time. So in light of this, you know, I have to announce that I’ll be canceling the Fever tour. And while my instinct is to apologize, I do want to acknowledge, you know, this decision, and my belief in the decision…”
With the band originally slated to go on their run of dates with Zulu, the supporting act posted a statement of their own on the cancellation. In their post, the members of Zulu expressed their support for Butler and well wishes moving forward.
“Unfortunately our upcoming run with @fever333 has been cancelled
“We want to send all our love to Jason and wish him a well journey to healing and clarity
Trying to navigate touring while also going through depression is one of the hardest things to do. So much respect for being vulnerable and open with us and everyone about this. I know exactly how hard it can be to say admit these things, and we’re rooting for you over here absolutely!“To everyone that was looking forward to seeing us on this run, we will see you all soon!
“California we have something for y’all in November
“More to come soon x”
It’s gotta suck for Zulu to see such an important tour come crashing down. That being said, it’s incredibly classy of them to offer Butler their support and well-wishes during such a difficult time.
Likewise, we at MetalSucks want to wish Butler all the best wishes. Your mental health is incredibly important, so if you feel you’re having a difficult time dealing with the day’s issues or if you’re feeling particularly down on yourself, please please please call the National Mental Health Hotline by dialing 998 on your touchtone phone.
