CLUTCH have been forced to cancel a series of US shows after frontman Neil Fallon was told a recurring back problem meant he needed surgery.

The band have rescheduled most of their September dates in January, with one in October and one called off altogether.

The band are touring in support of well-received tenth album Earth Rocker, which was released in March and is nominated for Album Of The Year at the 2013 Classic Rock awards.

They recently released a video for their track Crucial Velocity, below.

Fallon reports: “I’ve learned that a childhood injury to the neck, a genetic predisposition for spinal disease, and 20-some years of head banging will exact a toll.

“I’ve been diagnosed with an ugly case of cervical spinal stenosis and two herniated discs. In some instances these conditions can be treated non-surgically. This is not the case for me.

“I have been advised by several neurosurgeons that my spinal cord has already been damaged and that I risk further damage were I not to address the situation.

“For this reason, I’ve decided to take care of this ASAP. Rescheduling a tour turns my stomach, but I believe this is the wisest choice given the prognosis.”

Fallon will go under the knife next week, when surgeons will connect three vertebrae together using a titanium plate.

He reports: “I have faith that I will be back in the saddle for our October-November tour. On behalf of my spine, deepest apologies to those who had been looking forward to seeing Clutch over the next two weeks. We’ll make it up to you.”