Metal Band Slam Aus Promoter In Tour Cancellation

Swedish death metal veterans Hypocrisy have cancelled their upcoming Australian tour and attacked the local promoter in a statement.

Dubbed the 'Hell All Over' tour, it was due to kick off in Brisbane on Wednesday 16 January but the band have issued a statement – via their label Nuclear Blast – cancelling the dates and alleging that promoter Oceanic Sharks Booking Agency failed to supply flights or working visas.

“It's with [a] sad, angry and pissed mind that I'm trying to find words to write this,” the statement reads. “Oceanic Sharks Booking Agency Sydney – Australia hasn't yet provided us with flights or working visa for this tour and we're forced to leave next Monday 14th Jan.”

They claim, “We have asked time after time after time, and even put up a deadline to deliver that, but he has failed to do so for three months now. It's so close that it's all too late now. We can't even get into the country even if we had flight tickets, cause he didn't fix working visa for us yet.”

Oceanic Sharks' Javier Martin told the theMusic.com.au today via email that he was waiting for “the tickets online” so “fans get back their money”. He did not comment on Hypocrisy's allegations.

Ocean Sharks were also promoting the October 2012 tour of Warbringer, of which dates were cancelled. Today local industry sources today described the agency as “inept”.

Hypocrisy, who have been playing since 1990, added, “I can only hope you get your money back for the tickets you bought, and that a real booker from Australia will invite us soon so we can finally go to your country.”

The original dates were as follows:

Wednesday 16 January – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane
Thursday 17 January – Amplifier, Perth
Friday 18 January – The Manning Bar, Sydney
Saturday 19 January – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne
Sunday 20 January – Fowler's Live, Adelaide