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Dallas metal legend Bruce Corbitt announces retirement following cancer diagnosis

On Wednesday via an emotional Facebook video and a detailed, heart-wrenching, Facebook post, Warbeast lead singer Bruce Corbitt announced his retirement from performing as the result of the esophageal cancer diagnosis he received on Wednesday morning.

The diagnosis came after tests were run on Tuesday, two days after he was rushed to the hospital when he passed out at his home on Sunday, May 21. Through the week Corbitt has posted several messages on his Facebook page with details of his progress and diagnosis, offering vulnerable and honest comments regarding his emotional pain as well as gratitude to those who posted loving notes and pictures to his Facebook page.

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Going back to the '80s, Corbitt has been at the forefront of Dallas-bred heavy metal talent. His band then, Rigor Mortis, flirted with national stardom, on the heels of its 1988 self-titled record. Released by Capitol, that album, though not a major seller at the time, is now widely considered a speed metal classic. In 2013 it was inducted into Decibel's Hall of Fame for all-time great "extreme records" alongside seminal offerings from titans such as Megadeath and Slayer, with the magazine citing the album's "teeth-jarring" capabilities.

He's also featured prominently in Texas Jam '78, the 2014 documentary detailing the first ever Texas Jam concert, which serves as a capable representative of not only local metal heads, but headbangers nationwide (Corbitt attended that concert as a fan). In recent times, he has worked with Irving's Texas Musicians Museum to highlight the state's prominent metal heritage with memorabilia from Arlington's legendary Pantera as well as his own bands.

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In 2006, Corbitt formed Texas Metal Alliance, which would go on to be renamed Warbeast in 2009, eventually releasing three well-well-recieved records. In 2012, during a Rigor Mortis reunion show celebrating Corbitt's 50th birthday, his longtime bandmate Mike Scaccia died of a heart attack he suffered onstage. And in 2015, Corbitt underwent successful heart surgery to address his history of heart-related complications.

"I'm going to do everything I can to beat this," said Corbitt in the video. "I know it's not looking good for the long term outcome, but I will try my best, and I promise all of you that."

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Warbeast is slated to perform at the Fort Worth Metal Fest this weekend. Corbitt confirmed in a separate Facebook post that the show is still on, and Corbitt will be in attendance if he is able.  "The other release shows will unfortunately be canceled," he added.

The band is still set to release its new full-length album, Enter the Arena, later this summer.