San Diego County, California-based deathcore band, Carnifex, is one of the many recording artists whose touring has been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As previously reported in The Prp, “Carnifex were among the artists hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, having been forced to cancel their spring North American co-headlining run with 3TEETH. That bill was also set to feature The Browning and Skold.”

Carnifex’s last musical offering was last year’s World War X marking the collective’s seventh full length studio album, via Nuclear Blast Records. Carnifex’s current touring lineup consists of frontman Scott Ian Lewis (lead vocals), Cory Arford (guitar/backing vocals), Fred Calderon (bass) and Shawn Cameron (drums and keyboards).

Carnifex frontman Lewis was highly critical of a recent interview with U.S. Secretary of Treasury under President Donald Trump’s administration, Steve Mnuchin. As previously reported on Metal Sucks, “Mnuchin has now done it again in this latest interview, during which he suggested that Americans can live on just $1,200 — the amount offered by the incoming coronavirus stimulus checks — for ten weeks.” According to the aforementioned The Prp article Lewis went into extensive detail on the losses the band endured with the cancellation of their recent headlining tour, in a series of Twitter posts.

Carnifex lost over $250,000 with our tour cancellation. I personally lost about 60K. I don’t get to tour for 6 more months. Burn these people alive. https://t.co/NvUaE3fIxl

— Scott Ian Lewis (@ScottIanLewis) April 16, 2020

Debt incurred from cancelation.
Bus deposit $3700
Merch printing $45,000
Rehearsal costs $3000
Production costs $6500
Total active tour debt $58,200

Total financial damage will top 300K when the dust settles.

It took Carnifex 15 years of touring to earn our highest confirmed guarantees ever, only to lose it all. Shout out to our amazing agent JJ at 33&West

— Scott Ian Lewis (@ScottIanLewis) April 16, 2020

There are many occurrences of tour and music festival cancellations and/or rescheduling of live concert performances. As previously reported here on mxdwn, “Add the Wacken Open Air and Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals to list of those cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both festivals were slated to take place this summer in Germany and celebrate various anniversaries.

From The PRP, both festivals released statements outlining the cancellations and causes behind them. Broadly, it’s the current pandemic. More specific to Germany, its government recently passed legislation banning mass gatherings until at least August 31.”

Despite their losses Lewis added encouraging words to their fans and their home label Nuclear Blast Records. The aforementioned The Prp article concluded with, “Despite the staggering loss, Lewis does remain somewhat hopeful for the future:

We’ll survive. Our fans and our label Nuclear Blast have our backs like no other. The whole thing is fucked though, so much great talent that needs a chance.

— Scott Ian Lewis (@ScottIanLewis) April 16, 2020

Should you want to help them out, you can donate directly to Carnifex at this location as part of fundraiser launched recently by their label Nuclear Blast.”

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat