Dez Fafara Reveals He Has a Tumor in His Head

Dez Fafara, frontman for both DevilDriver and Coal Chamber, has revealed that he has been living with a tumor in his head for nearly two years. The news came during an appearance on Suicide Silence guitarist Chris Garza’s podcast, where the metal veteran spoke openly for the first time about the condition that sidelined him from touring.

The diagnosis supplies context for the abrupt 2023 cancellation of a Coal Chamber tour, originally postponed and then scrapped, after what was described at the time as a near-death medical episode involving blackout and vertigo. Fafara had already been forced to pull DevilDriver from overseas shows in 2021 due to heart problems following a bout with COVID.

“They found a tumor in my head,” Fafara said, explaining that the vertigo attack led to extensive MRIs. Because of its location, immediate surgery is not an option—removing it now could risk loss of speech and other functions. Doctors monitor the growth every six months, waiting until it becomes large enough to be safely operable. A recent scan, however, showed the mass had decreased slightly, which Fafara attributed to fasting, a low-carb diet, and abstaining from alcohol. The tumor is noncancerous.

Despite the gravity, Fafara described a measured optimism. He continues to track the tumor’s progress and maintains a strict regimen. The disclosure reframes his recent public silences not as neglect but as a personal medical holding pattern—one he says he’s determined to overcome.