Dez Fafara, frontman of DevilDriver and Coal Chamber, has revealed for the first time that he has a tumour in his head, discovered around two years ago after he suffered a sudden bout of vertigo. Speaking publicly about it for the first time on Suicide Silence guitarist Chris Garza's podcast, Fafara explained that the vertigo episode left him incapacitated for almost a year and led to the postponement and eventual cancellation of a Coal Chamber tour at the time. The tumour is noncancerous, but its location makes surgery too dangerous to attempt at present.

Fafara said doctors need to see the growth increase in size before an operation would be safe, as removing it now risks damaging his speech and other faculties, so he undergoes check-up scans every six months. He credited a healthy diet, regular intermittent fasting (currently a four-day fast) and prayer with keeping the tumour stable, noting that at his most recent scan a couple of months ago doctors observed it had actually shrunk slightly. He said he had chosen to withhold the news previously so as not to affect touring plans or business deals, but felt it was time to share his story.