Overview
- Fafara clarified on Wednesday that media reports claiming he had a brain tumor or brain cancer were incorrect and that the mass is a non‑cancerous growth on a salivary gland.
- He said the growth was found after a vertigo episode nearly two years ago and that doctors performed a needle biopsy on December 24, 2024 that showed no cancer.
- Medical teams have advised against surgery while the tumor is small because it sits near nerves that control smiling and blinking, so Fafara receives imaging checks roughly every nine months.
- Fafara told fans he chose to correct the record and be open with the heavy metal community to offer hope and to counter harmful speculation.
- DevilDriver released the album Strike And Kill on July 10 and the band plans a western U.S. tour starting August 14, with Fafara saying the growth does not currently impair his singing or performing.