THERION Mainman: 'This Will Be Your Last Opportunity To See Band Perform In USA/Canada'

Mainman Christofer Johnsson of the Swedish metallers THERION has issued the following update:

"Philadelphia show is now cancelled. There was this known issue with the promoter announcing the wrong date. It was too late to correct the date to the same venue, but we tried to book it into some other place instead. This didn't work, so today we received the final decision that Philadelphia is off the schedule. New York City and Springfield is in the near, so it shouldn't be a big deal for you guys in this area to catch up with any (or why not both?) shows over there.

"The Detroit show was never any regular THERION show. Instead of having a day off we would be playing before TYPE O NEGATIVE, before their opening acts, and play some 30 min set or what ever. Due to what ever reasons, this won't be happening now and we'll have a day off and drive to the Niagara Falls instead.

"The tour we did in 2005 was not very successful due to us being overbooked with shows in areas where we don't do too well (which I pointed out before the tour, but I was talked into doing it) plus the fact that our tour bus broke down and we lost a bunch of shows.

"This time we tried a new concept (with a more professional American booking agent) and do only shows in areas where we do OK or good. We've had fun shows so far, but economically it isn't working this way either, the initial costs (work permit, visa, flights etc) are spread over too few shows and the budget was on the limit already when being planned. As unexpected costs always tend to pop out, the tour will now have a bit of minus and thus also this concept turned out to be not working. This means that unless the tooth fairy decides to sponsor us or some festival decides to pay us sick amounts of money to bring us over and carry the massive costs, this will likely be your last opportunity to see the band perform in USA/Canada. This decision is also pushed by the fact that we are becoming more and more of a show band and we don't play many venues over here in a size where the European production would fit. Starting from the next World Tour 2010, we want to standardize things and have an identical stage set up no matter where we play in the world."

THERION's latest studio album, the dual-disc "Gothic Kaballah", was released in North America on February 6 via Nuclear Blast Records.

THERION and THE VISION BLEAK will team up for a European tour in December.

THERION earlier in the year announced the departure of vocalist Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KRUX, TREAT, AT VANCE),which took effect prior to the band's appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in early August. His replacement in the group is Thomas Vikström, who is best known to metal fans as the voice behind CANDLEMASS' "Chapter VI" album (1992).

Watch fan-filmed video footage of THERION performing on October 17, 2007 in Hollywood, California: