Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante will miss another run of shows due to ongoing problems with his hand, he’s announced.
He’ll be replaced by Jon Dette, who covered for him in 2013 while he underwent surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, then again last year when he released he hadn’t fully recovered.
He’s set to be absent for the first few weeks of Anthrax’s US tour with Volbeat, which kicks off tomorrow (Saturday), but hopes to appear at later shows.
Benante reports: “This was a difficult decision to make. But the fact is, playing a show five or more times a week just isn’t realistic right now. I found that out when we were making our new album.
“I was driving the other day and my hand went numb – so unfortunately, it’s just not 100% yet. I figure I can play for maybe three weeks at a time, but then I have to let it rest.”
He thanks his bandmates for being “incredibly understanding and supportive” and adds that he’s going to make full use of his time: “I plan to focus on our album, work on the package artwork and develop a number of other ideas I’ve got for the campaign.”
Benante explained in February that the follow-up to 2011’s Worship Music received a boost as he wrote material while recovering from surgery. He said: “Sometimes I would become so possessed – these ideas would come out of me and I don’t even know where they came from. Before I knew what was going on I had huge stack of riffs.”
Anthrax are expect to complete the project in June. Dette, who’s also worked with Slayer, Testament and others, was last month confirmed as drummer for Australian band Meshiaak, who are currently working on their debut album.
