It wasn’t too long ago when Crystal Lake solidified its new five-man lineup, but unfortunately, on September 28, Crystal Lake’s vocalist Ryo announced that he would be leaving the band after having been a part of it for 10 years.
The reason for Ryo’s departure is related to a mental disorder called adjustment disorder, with symptoms such as stress, sadness and hopelessness, which then can lead to other physical symptoms.
-
- Vocalist Ryo
Even though the news itself is shocking, the uncertainties already began in September last year when Crystal Lake commenced hiatus, stating the reason being Ryo’s medical treatment. Now, after suffering from the illness yet another year, Ryo ultimately made the difficult decision to leave the band, as “it will be extremely difficult for [him] to continue as a member of the band in the future”.
You can read Ryo’s own words here:
I have decided to leave Crystal Lake.
I sincerely apologize to all the fans and everyone involved for whom I have caused a great deal of trouble since the hiatus from September last year.
As previously mentioned in the hiatus announcement last year, I have an illness known as adjustment disorder, and I have decided that it will be extremely difficult for me to continue as a member of the band in the future.
It was certainly not an easy decision, but I believe I made the best choice by taking the time to reflect on myself. I struggled for 10 years and continued to fight. didn’t have many allies, and relied only on myself and the voices of the fans.
I have been suffering from adjustment disorder for about 5 years. Some days I can’t sleep, some days I can only sleep. Sometimes everything becomes pitch black and you can’t move like a corpse. There were many times when I couldn’t stop crying before a live show.
But I am proud of what Crystal Lake has achieved around the world and what we have achieved with the help of our crew, staff and everyone.
Crystal Lake has been the number one live band in the world for the past decade, without a doubt.
Thank you very much to all the fans who supported me during the 10 years I was around.
Ryo
It’s really a shame to see Ryo leave the band in this type of circumstance, but there’s no doubt that Crystal Lake meant the world to him.
As for me personally as a fan, Crystal Lake has been one of my favorite bands since Ryo joined, and I believe his contribution was one of the key components for the band’s exponential growth in the past years. He is an extremely skilled, versatile, and unique vocalist, so for me, his absence will leave a big void in myself and surely the metal scene too.
-
- Crystal Lake interviewed by JROCK NEWS in 2019.John Gyllhamn
Crystal Lake vocalist audition
As the band will continue to march forward, we can expect to see a new vocalist join the band in the future. Currently, there’s already an open audition where the remaining members talk about this in a short video. They mention how the core of Crystal Lake still remains while describing the lifestyle of the band among other things.
