Mastodon Guitarist Battles Pancreatitis, Band Cancels Summer Dates

Mastodon have canceled nearly a month of European dates while guitarist Bill Kelliher receives treatment for a recurring case of pancreatitis.

"Bill's medical team [is] optimistic and expect a full recoery in the weeks ahead, and the band looks forward to being part of [the] BlackDiamondSkye [tour], also featuring Alice in Chains [and] Deftones."

That tour is scheduled to begin on Sept. 16 in Chicago and run through Oct. 15 in San Diego.

Kelliher was first diagnosed with pancreatitis in October 2008 while on tour in Europe on the Unholy Alliance Tour with Slayer, Trivium and Amon Amarth.

"I started getting this awful pain in my upper abdomen and stomach area," he said in early 2009. It was burning and I thought my appendix had burst, it hurt so bad. It felt like someone was jabbing hot knives into my stomach. It was horrible ... I had a raging fever and my body was shutting down and going into shock. If I hadn't gone to the hospital I easily could have died."