Whitechapel has introduced that they are going to not be a part of their deliberate Latin American tour with Thy Art Is Murder this fall. Followers in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina will as an alternative see Thy Art Is Murder carry out solo. The choice stems from vocalist Phil Bozeman’s must prioritize his psychological well being as he works by way of the challenges of truly fizzling out a long-term antidepressant and the unwanted side effects of the withdrawal.
Bozeman shared the troublesome information in a heartfelt assertion on November 26, expressing gratitude to followers whereas explaining his scenario. “To all of our Mexican, Costa Rican, Colombian, Chilean, Brazilian, and Argentinian followers. We remorse to tell you that we are going to not be embarking on this tour on account of psychological well being considerations relating to myself. I will probably be okay however I want time to get proper for myself, my fiancé, household, pals, and all of you. Your assist is immeasurable. Thanks all a lot for every thing. Right here’s to strengthening and therapeutic. Handle yourselves and by no means keep silent in your psychological well being. It’s our basis for all times. OUR FRIENDS IN THY ART IS MURDER WILL STILL BE PLAYING THESE SHOWS. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THEM. GO AND SUPPORT OUR FRIENDS!”
In a video accompanying the assertion (transcribed by ThePRP), Bozeman opened up additional, sharing his historical past with psychological well being medicines and his present struggles as he transitions off Zoloft, a drug he has relied on since his teenagers. Reflecting on his traumatic childhood, he spoke candidly about shedding his mother and father at a younger age and the way these occasions formed his psychological well being journey.
“What’s occurring everybody, Phil from Whitechapel right here. I needed to make this video — this unlucky video — to handle our Mexican, Costa Rican, Colombian, Chilean, Brazilian, and Argentinian followers. We sadly won’t be embarking on this South American tour that we had deliberate.
And numerous you could know, I’ve had a traumatic childhood; I’ve been on psychological well being medicines since I used to be an adolescent. I began to return off of them as a result of I needed to. I needed to strive to not depend on remedy months again.
And it has had a really dangerous impact on me. I [have] been having psychological well being points. I’ve been on Zoloft ever since I used to be an adolescent. For these of you who don’t know, the childhood I’m speaking about is my dad passing away once I was 10 years outdated, after which my mother passing away round 5 years later from drug abuse and…
Yeah, and from an early age, I used to be placed on Zoloft. And that principally numbed me for 30 years. And I had tried to return off this remedy earlier than, and that didn’t go properly. I attempted to cease chilly turkey, and that simply didn’t work in any respect. However I attempted to do it once more lately, and I did it the precise method. I tapered off.
And, yeah, it appears as if… It’s not making me essentially worse, however I simply haven’t felt… as a result of I’ve been numbed for 30 years, and coming off of it like the best way I’ve, has been the wholesome method, however it’s additionally include penalties.
And I’ve not felt issues I ought to have felt in these previous 30 years. And it [has], you recognize, actually affected me [I’m] very, very emotional. And I’m gonna strive to not choke up on you guys right here.
I don’t wish to make this too long-winded, however in a nutshell, sure, I’m simply coping with some psychological well being points, and I simply want time to appropriate all of this.
And to all our South American followers and Mexican followers and, yeah, getting on a aircraft and touring time and again and over day-after-day simply looks like hell to me proper now. I’m simply coming to you as only a regular particular person. I’m only a regular particular person, similar to all of you. And yeah, I simply… With the love and assist of all the blokes within the band, my household, and my fiancée, I’m going to appropriate this.
And [I] wish to get higher for not solely myself, and my household, and pals, but additionally for you guys, in order that I can proceed to carry out on the degree that’s anticipated of me. And, yeah, it’s, you recognize, on this steel group, we, numerous us, discovered steel due to, you recognize, having our personal psychological well being points, and that was the identical for me.
And yeah, it’s, it’s an actual factor. And I encourage all of you who could also be coping with stuff like this —or no matter psychological well being challenge that you just’re coping with — is that you just, you do search assist, you do speak to folks you don’t simply maintain it in. I’ve made that mistake lots, and simply don’t make that mistake.
Discuss to folks in your life, professionals. Psychological well being is the muse of our life. It’s what dictates our high quality of life and the general well-being of, of life normally. And yeah, I don’t wish to sit right here and lecture you guys on every thing.
I’m certain you guys already know. It’s simply, I simply assume that you just guys in Mexico and South America as an entire deserve to know and know why we aren’t coming down there. And simply to everybody world wide which might be followers of us, that you recognize what is going on proper now.
And I respect all of your guys’ assist, and we’ll get by way of this. And thanks guys a lot for the assist. It’s simply… it’s on the highest of my pedestal as to what I respect, you recognize.
So, yeah, I don’t wish to take up any extra of your time, [I’m] simply gonna undergo a psychological well being journey proper now and get higher. And [I] respect you guys. Love you guys. And once more. Simply, simply speak to somebody, if it’s essential, and don’t ever conceal it or maintain it again. It’s not price it.”
The outpouring of assist from followers, bandmates, and the broader steel group has been immense, with social media feedback flooded with messages of affection and encouragement. Bozeman’s vulnerability is solely a reminder of the significance of addressing psychological well being brazenly, particularly in a style and group that always attracts power from shared struggles.
