Fresh of a three-week European headlining tour, Eyehategod will return to North American stages this week for the second leg of their tour supporting Black Label Society and Corrosion Of Conformity. Scheduled to begin on July 18th, the journey will wind its way through more than two dozen cities and includes a handful of headlining shows as well as an appearance at this year's edition of Heavy Montreal and Psycho Las Vegas.

The band will be playing as a four-piece. Longtime guitarist Brian Patton, who's been missing in action on the last few Eyehategod tours, recently issued a statement regarding his decision to leave the band.

"Touring and being away from my family started to get harder after my daughter was born. Then soon after the arrival of my son, I left for a six-week tour. While I was away, both kids had some serious health scares. Being away from my family while that happened, along with an increasingly busy tour schedule, I decided the best thing for me was to step down. To concrete this decision, after a visit with my wife's parents earlier this year, it became clear that my in-laws' health was rapidly fading and they needed our help. So my family and I have moved to Greensboro, North Carolina to care for them full time.

"Trust me when I say that this has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. After being in this band for twenty-five years - over half of my life - to say that I will miss it is a huge understatement. I already miss it. Ultimately, I want to be at home with my family. But more importantly, I am truly needed at home. I love my brothers in Eyehategod, of course, and wish them nothing but the best. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and the music I have played throughout the years. I hope to see you all soon. I plan on playing again in some form or fashion. But for now, my family comes first."

Catch Eyehategod live in concert at the following shows:

July
18 - Monroe Live - Grand Rapids, Michigan
20 - The Bourbon - Lincoln, Nebraska
21 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
22 - The Cotillion - Wichita, Kansas
23 - The District - Sioux Falls, South Dakota
25 - Clyde Theatre - Fort Wayne, Indiana
27 - SI Hall - Syracuse, New York
28 - The John St. Pub - Arnprior, Ontario
29 - Heavy Montréal - Montréal, Québec
30 - The Queen - Wilmington, Delaware

August
1 - The Mill & Mine - Knoxville, Tennessee
2 - The Fillmore - Charlotte, North Carolina
3 - Phase 2 - Lynchburg, Virginia
5 - The NorVA - Norfolk, Virginia
7 - Rebel - Toronto, Ontario
8 - M Telus - Montreal, Quebec
9 - Sherman Theater - Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
10 - The Paramount - Huntington, New York
11 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, New Jersey
18 - Psycho Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada

October
4 - San Diego 1455 - Santiago, Chile
5 - The Roxy Live - Buenos Aires, Argentina
6 - Bluzz Live - Montevideo, Uruguay
7 - Refugio Guernica - Córdoba, Argentina
11 - Célula Showcase - Florianópolis, Brazil
12 - Stonehenge Rock Bar - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
13 - Fabrique Club - São Paulo, Brazil
14 - Cais da Imperatriz - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

(Photo - Dean Karr)