Coal Chamber drummer Mikey "Bug" Cox has suffered a broken femur after a basketball fall, requiring emergency surgery. The 49-year-old drummer, who previously disclosed a stage three cancer diagnosis in April 2025, will not perform with the band at its upcoming shows. Cox confirmed the injury in a social media post, stating he was playing in a pickup game with his son when a collision sent him crashing into concrete. The injury has left him unable to walk for at least six weeks, and he said his fragile bones could not withstand the impact following prior medical treatments.

Cox will not appear at the Sick New World Texas festival on October 24 in Fort Worth, Texas, or at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California on October 31, both of which feature COAL CHAMBER with P.O.D., CRADLE OF FILTH and BLACK SATELLITE. DEVILDRIVER drummer Davier Pérez Ortega will fill in for Cox at these events. The drummer expressed his deep disappointment at missing the shows but emphasized his commitment to recovery and future performances.

COAL CHAMBER canceled its Louder Than Life festival appearance in 2025 to allow Cox to complete final cancer-related surgeries. The band played its first live shows in eight years at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas in May 2023 and at the Inkcarceration Music And Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio in July 2023. The injury marks a significant setback for the band, though Cox has stated he will return and remains determined to perform at future events.