SUICIDE SILENCE Guitarist MARK HEYLMUN Is Sitting Out Fall 2026 Tour To Focus On His 'Sobriety And Mental Health'

Guitarist Mark Heylmun is sitting out SUICIDE SILENCE's fall 2026 tour in order to focus on his "sobriety and mental health".

The trek, which features support from EMMURE, ANGELMAKER and SYNESTIA, kicked off on Friday, November 6 in Riverside, California and is scheduled to conclude on December 13 in Los Angeles, California.

Earlier today (Saturday, November 7),Mark released the following statement via social media: "After A LOT of thought, I've decided not to go on the 'Reminders Of Hell' tour. Right now I need to put my sobriety and my mental health first.

"I'm not stepping away from SUICIDE SILENCE. I'll still be involved behind the scenes. I've had to accept that life on the road has always been a difficult environment for me, and if I want to keep doing this for years to come, some things need to change.

"With 'Graceless' coming out, this definitely wasn't an easy decision. But I know I need to build a solid foundation in my sobriety before I can confidently get back out there.

"I'm grateful for everyone who's supported me, for the band standing behind me, and to Jordan for stepping in.

"I've got work to do... it's time to level up and come back stronger than ever."

In a 2023 interview with "The Rockman Power Hour", Heylmun was asked how the culture on the road has changed since the band started more than two decades ago and whether rock musicians in general are now a little more health-conscious now than they used to be. He responded: "I think it goes both ways. Younger bands… Speaking specifically about younger bands, some younger bands already have figured it out that it's not going to work out for them to be partying super hard, and they're looking at it as a business almost immediately, which is respectful. But also, you can come from the other side of it, and it's, like, if you're a rocker, you come from the punk rock [scene], you're, like, that's not as cool; the edge is kind of lost. Depends on how you feel — if you want music to be dangerous or do you want music to be cut like a razor-sharp business and be smart and intelligent…"

He continued: "I think the older bands — and there's levels of older bands; a decade, 20 years, 30-year bands — I think there's always somebody in that band that is sober and living a sober lifestyle. And it allows for the younger bands to see that, and if they're needing to maybe seek support, there's usually that support system in that. And from what I kind of can dissect from it all, from kind of being in the middle of that, where it's, like, I used to party super hard; I've hard to reel it in. I've been sober; I've been 'California sober'; I've gone through all of that. There's usually the partiers and the people that are taking it easy, and there is a respect there. And it is evolving; I've seen it evolve. And I think that people taking care of themselves is becoming a little bit more cool and accepted. I think when we first started — maybe I'm wrong, 'cause I was in a haze — but it felt like sex, drugs and rock and roll were alive and well."

SUICIDE SILENCE's new album, "Graceless", is set for release on November 20 via Century Media.

SUICIDE SILENCE's longtime drummer Alex Lopez exited the band in April 2022. Ernie Iniguez, who recorded drums on SUICIDE SILENCE's "Become The Hunter" album, has been sitting behind the kit for the band for the past four years.

This past January, SUICIDE SILENCE announced it had recruited Ian Waye (SOREPTION) to fill in on guitar for Chris Garza while the latter guitarist was taking "hiatus" from the group.

In addition to playing for SUICIDE SILENCE, Garza is well known as the host of "The Garza Podcast", where he interviews other musicians about metal history, culture and creativity.

SUICIDE SILENCE's lineup has seen several changes over the years, but key members have included Garza, Heylmun, Mitch Lucker (vocals),Dan Kenny (bass) and Lopez.

Vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (ALL SHALL PERISH) joined SUICIDE SILENCE in 2013 following the passing of frontman Mitch Lucker. Mitch died on November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach.

Photo credit: Chris Michael