MISERY INDEX Forced To Pull Out Of Mexico's MEZCAL METAL FEST

Baltimore, Maryland metal masters MISERY INDEX have issued the following update:

"Instead of being in Mexico City to play the Mezcal Metal Fest on Sunday (September 13),we are sitting here in Baltimore wondering why the festival organizers did not follow through with their agreements.

"Way back in May when we accepted the invitation to play the show, we asked them to apply for work visas for us so we can enter the country legally and perform at the show.

"In our experience, when traveling to many destinations outside the U.S., work visas are a basic requirement. Promoters routinely have to get them so the bands they invite will be able to pass through immigration without any issues. Having been to Canada, the U.K., Russia, Japan, etc., we are very familiar with the visa process and have no desire to run afoul of the local authorities.

"As working foreign nationals attempting to enter Mexico illegally as tourists (as the Mezcal Metal Fest organizers requested),we would face hefty fines, jail, or being flagged to never enter the country again. It's obvious when you arrive with guitars, merchandise, and other equipment that you are not just on vacation. With the ease of finding information on a band's activities via the Internet, we don't like taking chances by trying to fool the immigration authorities. However, after assuring us many times over the past few weeks that the necessary paperwork would be taken care of, the promoter failed to take any action on the visas (as described here). Yet, he still expected us to enter Mexico illegally as 'tourists.'

"We all love playing the metal, but when we are expected to take risks due to a promoter's negligence, we are left with no choice but to make the unfortunate decision to cancel the show in question. Such is the case with the Mezcal Metal Fest.

"We are very unhappy to have to pass up this opportunity to travel to Mexico City and play the gig.

"Apologies to everyone who had expected to see us there and we hope to finally get the chance to play there at some point in the future.

"Thanks for your understanding."

Mexico's metal podcast Familia Perro recently conducted an interview with MISERY INDEX bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton. The podcast can now be streamed using the audio player below. (Note: The program is in Spanish, but the actual interview was conducted in English.)

MISERY INDEX has been touring almost non-stop since the release of "Traitors" in September 2008. The follow-up to "Discordia" was recorded in May 2008 at Godcity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts.

The band's video for the album's title track was shot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with director David Brodsky of My Good Eye.