Killswitch Engage have been forced to cancel a string of scheduled tour dates so Jesse Leach can undergo vocal chord surgeries.

Says the band: "Earlier today we found out Jesse needs to have surgery to repair an issue with his vocal chords. He is expected to make a full recovery and be fine for any future touring, but to avoid any future risk we unfortunately have to pull off these dates now. Our intention is to postpone the headline shows in Sayreville, Louisville, Cleveland & Poughkeepsie and get back to our fans as soon as possible. New dates for those cities will be announced soon, so please hold onto your tickets.

"In the meantime our friends in Hatebreed, Candiria and The Word Alive still plan on continuing forward with these shows. Show them your support.

"Below are all the shows impacted by this. Tickets will be available for refund at your original price of purchase for the headline shows as noted below ***.

Cancelled dates:

April
26 Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom***
28 Jacksonville, FL - Welcome To Rockville Fest
29 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Fort Rock Fest

May
1 Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom***
2 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre***
3 Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance***
5 Mexico City, Mexico - Hell and Heaven Fest

"Thanks for your endless support and understanding. We'll be doing all we can to get back to these places to see you all again soon."

Chef Brian Tsao, known for his appearances on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped shows, has announced Small Bites Of Hope, a fundraiser event on May 9th at Vandal, the restaurant from Executive Chef and Food Network star Chef Chris Santos.

The event will be a fundraiser for the non-profit Hope For The Day, a Chicago-based charity whose mission is to achieve proactive suicide prevention through mental health education and outreach. Tsao supported the cause in 2017 with the inaugural Small Bites Of Hope held in New York's Hit Factory Studio on May 18th.

This year's Small Bites Of Hope fundraiser features returning host Jesse Leach, who had this to say about the event: "I'm honoured to be a part of Small Bites Of Hope once again. Raising awareness and keeping the topic of mental health on the forefront of our community is crucial. It helps people realize they are not alone in this struggle."

Tsao is teaming up with Santos to deliver their staple menu of street food and small-bite hors d'oeuvres and signature cocktails. Santos added, "It's been a pleasure to have Chef Brian Tsao not only a part of our family at Beauty & Essex but also in the music industry! We're excited to host this fundraiser and to bring attention to the help that is needed for all of those affected by mental health issues. I'm excited to join Chef Brian Tsao on shedding light on this cause."

Tickets will be sold online here, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting mental health education and proactive suicide prevention programs around the world.