CRADLE TO GRAVE Forced To Cancel U.S. Tour

CRADLE TO GRAVE, the Vancouver, British Columbia-based band featuring ex-AGGRESSION guitarist Denis "Sasquatch" Barthe, has been forced to cancel its recently announced tour of the West Coast after the group was detained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security "for suspicion of either sneaking drugs in or attempting to seek work illegally, despite the fact that the band had valid working papers in their possession," according to a press release. The group "was detained for more than five hours at the Blaine, Washington border facilities, where bored security agents strip-searched one of the members, and refused to listen to the bandmembers' account of why they were there. Singer Greg Cavanagh was held for four hours, then refused entry to the U.S. because of suspicion of 'rampant drug use, voluminous encounters with prostitutes and satanism' after the border agents reviewed the band's MySpace page. At one point, Barthe was held at gunpoint by five officers. He was asked to lay down on the ground, was handcuffed and returned to Canada in a U.S. Border Protection vehicle. After almost five hours of screaming, door slamming and accusations, the rest of the band was asked to return to Canada."

Last year, CRADLE TO GRAVE were refused an entry visa allegedly because the State Department felt their name might "incite violence" and this after they were allowed to tour in 2005. However, in 2002 and 2004 the band were refused entry to the U.S. due to an alleged "lack of artistic merit".

Cavanagh commented: "Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. doesn't welcome all foreign musicians with open arms. We regret to say this, but the tour is over before it even started. Thanks to everyone that worked so hard to bring us down there for the shows we had booked. We'll hopefully have better luck next time and be able to play for all you crazy West Coast metalheads."

CRADLE TO GRAVE recently released its new album, "Texas Medicine", through Year of the Sun Records. The album was mixed and mastered by Devin Townsend (LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR) and hailed by the Vancouver Straight as "the soundtrack of choice for your trip to the electric chair." The band is currently streaming tracks from the album online at this location.