Butcher Babies are parting ways with founding co-lead singer Carla Harvey.
The alternative metal act announced the news on social media while wishing Harvey the best in her future musical endeavors. The lineup change comes after Harvey had been absent from Butcher Babies’ social media presence in recent months, leading to speculation among fans.
The band’s statement, as posted on Instagram, reads as follows:
“As you may have already guessed, it is confirmed that Carla Harvey and Butcher Babies have officially parted ways.
Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band. We are grateful for the incredible memories we’ve made together and the impact she has had on our music and our fans. We will miss her greatly and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
We deeply appreciate your support over the past 15 years. We feel incredibly fortunate to keep making and playing music as our career, and we are excited for this new era of Butcher Babies!
See you on the road.”
Harvey, who got engaged to Anthrax/Pantera drummer Charlie Benante earlier this year, also shared a statement regarding her exit from Butcher Babies. She also added that she will continue making music in some fashion:
“Over the last 6 months You may have noticed my absence from Butcher Babies posts. After 15 years of dedication, I wanted to let you know that I will not be rejoining the band for any future endeavors.
I am super proud of my work with Butcher Babies…2 EPS, 5 Full lengths albums and countless tours with our metal heroes! To all of our incredible Butcher Babies friends and fans…you have provided me with some of the greatest experiences of my life! I have loved every second of writing and performing all over the world for you! I have loved meeting you. WOW. I still can’t believe this kid from Detroit got so lucky.
I am not done making music and performing. I WILL see you soon.”
Harvey co-founded Butcher Babies in 2009 alongside co-singer Heidi Shepherd, who will presumably take over as the group’s sole lead vocalist for the time being.
Harvey has battled vision problems throughout her life, and she was forced to sit out Butcher Babies’ European tour in 2023 to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye. The news of her permanent exit from the group comes as the band readies for another European trek that kicks off July 27th at the Stonehenge festival in The Netherlands.
You can view the respective social media posts from Butcher Babies and Carla Harvey below.