Black Country, New Road vocalist Isaac Wood has left the band.

The news was revealed ahead of the release this Friday (February 4) of the band's second album, Ants From Up There. They will continue as a six-piece, but have cancelled a number of upcoming live shows, including an appearance at London's Roundhouse next week, as well as tours of the US and Europe that were due to follow over the next couple of months.

A statement shared by the band, on Wood's behalf, said: "I have bad news which is that I have been feeling sad and afraid too. And I have tried to make this not true but it is the kind of sad and afraid feeling that makes it hard to play guitar and sing at the same time. Together, we have been writing songs and then performing them, which at times has been an incredible doing, but more now everything happens that I am feeling not so great and it means from now I won't be a member of the group anymore.

"To be clear: this is completely in spite of six of the greatest people I know, who were and are wonderful in a sparkling way. If you are reading this, maybe you would have seen some of that. It has been a great pleasure and I would like to say the words 'Thank You' to everyone."

A statement on behalf of the rest of the band said: "Although Isaac won't be part of the group any longer, the rest of us will be continuing to make music together as Black Country, New Road. In fact, we've already starting working on it.

"The things we'll miss about working with Isaac are too many and various to list here, but by listening to the music we made together, I'm sure you'll understand at least a few of them. It'd be difficult to overstate how much our experiences as a group have affected us. In fact, it's difficult to say anything at all coherent about what we've managed to do. But it has certainly been the greatest privilege to do it all together, as seven friends."

Black Country, New Road signed to Ninja Tune for the release of their first album, 2020's For The First Time. Their second album is still set for release later this week.