Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe was forced to pull out of the band's concert on Tuesday (April 19) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, due to contracting Covid-19.
Richmond's metal heavyweights are currently in the midst of their Metal Tour Of The Year trek across North America alongside Trivium, Megadeth and In Flames.
To replace their iconic frontman for the show, Lamb Of God called on an all-star roster of guest vocalists to complete the set, including Trivium's Matt Heafy and In Flames' Anders Fridén. The performance also saw the appearance of Mark Hunter, vocalist of fellow NWOAHM alumni Chimaira, who toured with Lamb Of God back in 2003.
Before the event, Blythe released a statement sharing the news of his Covid-19 status, which read: "After two years, the 'rona finally got me. Regrettably, the symptoms of Covid look pretty much exactly like regular tour life for me - achey/sore throat/headache (I'm 51 years old, I scream & jump around like a maniac to very loud music for over an hour each night, so of course I ache & have a sore throat & a headache - that's just called 'tour'), so I thought what I was feeling was just normal.
"However, after my throat got worse, just to be safe I took a test & it popped up positive. I IMMEDIATELY isolated myself from my band & all other humans, contacted anyone I had been near to let them know, & will continue to isolate until I am no longer contagious.
"This is the correct, ethical thing to do - what feels like a really bad cold to me could mean something very, very different to an immuno-compromised person who is unable to be vaccinated like I am, or an elderly person.
"I am already feeling better, but in order to protect my band, our fans, and the health of the tour, I have to miss tonight's show. This sucks, but it's the cost of doing business these days. Our old friend Mark Hunter of Chimaira fame will return to the stage & fill in for me tonight - thank you, Mark, you're a solid dude & I know you will kill it! I only wish I could be there to see it! I hope to be back onstage later this week.
"Thanks for your understanding in advance - this is nothing I wanted to happen, but I am doing my best to do the right thing here."
After the unusual show, Hunter shared several photos from backstage and soundcheck onto his social media with the caption: "I had the honor of singing for Lamb Of God tonight. Randy was unavailable due to having COVID. It was an absolute honor and I'm extremely grateful they thought of me. Get better soon, Randy!!"
Watch fan-recorded footage of the performance below:
