Sepultura Drummer Quits the Band Without Warning, Replacement Announced

UPDATE (Feb. 27, 2024): Casagrande has now also delivered his own statement on the matter, which you can read here. Thanking Sepultura, he says "decisions needed to be made thinking about new cycles that will come. We are made of choices and they are not always easy. My departure will never erase my respect and gratitude to the band." Read the rest of the story below.

Sepultura on Tuesday (Feb. 27) announced the sudden departure of their longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande and named his live replacement, just eight months out from the planned start of the Brazilian metal legends' "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell tour.

Casagrande, seen above, had been with the band since 2011 and plays on all Sepultura releases from The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart (2013) to Sepulquarta (2021).

Replacing Casagrande for the upcoming Sepultura farewell shows is drummer Greyson Nekrutman, an American percussionist and internet personality based in New York.

READ MORE: Sepultura Announce First Dates of Their Upcoming Farewell Tour

In a statement, Sepultura explain, "Beginning of December the group clearly defined the intention of the [farewell tour] announcement; it is a 'conscious and planned death.' As poetic as it sounds, a tour of this magnitude took nearly [a] year of preparing and planning which would require a lot [of] commitment, ethics and loyalty to their fans, as well as respecting for the band's history."

They continue, "However, on February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving Sepultura to pursue a career in another project. The band [was] taken by surprise without prior warning. He immediately left the band, abandoning everything related to Sepultura."

Sepultura New Drummer Announcement

Sepultura add, "Luckily, American virtuoso Greyson Nekrutman will take the position of Eloy Casagrande and is welcomed as the band's new drummer for the 'Celebrating Life Through Death' farewell tour."

Attached to the statement, Nekrutman in his own remarks says he feels "heartfelt gratitude for the incredible opportunity to join the legendary ranks of Sepultura for their farewell tour. To contribute to this legacy is a privilege that fills me with both honor and excitement."

He adds, "Sepultura's fearless approach to exploring new territories in the metal sphere is something that I have always admired and strived to emulate in my own musical endeavors. I am eagerly looking forward to adding my own spirit and passion to the mix, to connecting with the fans who have supported the band through its evolution, and to the electrifying experiences we'll create together on stage."

See Sepultura's upcoming dates under the full statement.

Sepultura 2024 Farewell Tour Dates

Oct. 30 – Paris, FR @ Zenith Paris
Oct. 31 – Offenbach am Main, DE @ Stadthalle
Nov. 1 – Hamburg, DE @ Edel Optics Arena
Nov. 2 – Cologne, DE @ Palladium
Nov. 3 – Den Bosch, NL @ The Rock Circus
Nov. 5 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
Nov. 6 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal
Nov. 8 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
Nov. 9 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre
Nov. 10 – Belfast, UK @ Telegraph Building
Nov. 11 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom
Nov. 12 – London, UK @ Hammersmith Apollo
Nov. 14 – Zurich, CH @ The Hall
Nov. 15 – Ludwigsburg, DE @ MHP Arena
Nov. 16 – Munich, DE @ Zenith
Nov. 17 – Budapest, HU @ Barba Negra
Nov. 19 – Leipzig, DE @ Haus Auensee
Nov. 20 – Vienna, AT @ Gasometer
Nov. 21 – Katowice, PL @ Spodek
Nov. 22 – Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
Nov. 23 – Prague, CZ @ O2 Universum