Shaun Foist is stepping away from Breaking Benjamin. In a recent Instagram post, the rock band‘s drummer revealed why he’d no longer be touring with the group.
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Foist joined Breaking Benjamin in 2014. He performed alongside lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley, bassist Aaron Bruch, guitarist Keith Wallen, and guitarist Jasen Rauch.
With that lineup, Breaking Benjamin released two LPs: Dark Before the Dawn in 2015 and Ember in 2018. The group also released a compilation album, Aurora, in 2020.
“Friends, family, and most importantly, the fans,” Foist began, “I’ve battled Hashimoto’s disease since 2017, facing fatigue, leg weakness, stiffness, weight changes, and overall drum playing control issues.”
Foist noted that things escalated during Breaking Benjamin’s recent Awaken the Fallen Tour, during which he experienced ” extreme leg fatigue and complications, making drumming nearly impossible.”
“We ran tests on my back that came out fine thankfully,” he wrote, “but tests confirmed Hashimoto’s had flared, pushing my thyroid into ‘hyper’ mode, causing weakness and weight loss.”
As such, after consulting his family and doctors, Foist “decided to step away from the road at this time to focus on healing.”
Foist continued his post by encouraging fans to “continue supporting the band and enjoying the shows.”
“I care deeply about our legacy, and I don’t want my health to affect performances,” he wrote. “Thank you for the years of love and support. I will play drums again.”
Breaking Benjamin Names New Drummer for Tour
In the caption of the post, Breaking Benjamin wrote, “We are thankful to @shaunwfoist for all the years of playing with us and being a part of the Breaking Benjamin family.”
The band further revealed that tapped James Cassells to play drums during the fall leg of their tour.
In an Instagram statement of his own, Cassells said he was “still wrapping my head around” the chance to play alongside Breaking Benjamin.
“They’ve shaped so much of who I am as a musician, and their impact on rock music speaks for itself,” Cassells wrote. “It’s a huge honor to be part of this, and I can’t wait to get out there and play for you all.”
Photo by Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images
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