American death metal rockers Rivers of Nihil have released a statement announcing that they must cancel their upcoming Japanese dates due to visa issues.

The band has released a statement explaining the situation…

“It is with extreme regret we must announce that we will be unable to make our planned tour of Japan in August. We were unable to obtain the necessary Japanese visas in time for the tour.

“While the promoter shared a post painting us as some kind of law-dodging criminals, the truth is that the process of applying for Japanese visas is extremely unruly and difficult, which was not clearly communicated to us until it was far too late, and our many other international touring commitments this year made it impossible to complete the process in time. We were forced to drop off the tour specifically BECAUSE we wanted to make sure we followed all applicable Japanese laws, not because we attempted to dodge them.

“To our Japanese fans, we are very sorry, as we were greatly looking forward to this tour! We will make it to Japan one day, we promise. On a final note, please go see our friends in The Zenith Passage and Psycroptic, as they are still able to play these shows.”

Show promoter Soundworks Direct Japan wrote, “we are truly sorry to announce that Rivers of Nihil has canceled their Japan tour in August.

“Working with a band that fails to fulfill contractual obligations and comply with Japanese law is untenable.

“We are deeply grateful for your unwavering support. To everyone who was looking forward to the performance, we extend our sincerest apologies. Psycroptic and The Zenith Passage will proceed with their Japan visit as planned. We would be delighted if you could come to the venue and show your support. If you would like a refund, please contact e+; those who purchased tickets through Square should email bastien@swdjapan.com.

“We also announce this to promoters around the world. We must report that contracting with Rivers of Nihil carries significant risks. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share this post to help promote the event. Thank you for your continued support.”