Havok’s fall tour started without one of its openers. Scottish blackened thrash act Hellripper missed the opening Havok tour date on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at Metro Music Hall in Salt Lake City because the band’s U.S. visas still haven’t been approved, according to a statement from Hellripper mastermind James McBain published by Lambgoat. The shows are going ahead without them, and McBain says he hopes Hellripper can join for the second half. Nothing is confirmed.
Havok Tour Lineup and Dates
Denver thrashers Havok are headlining, with Hellripper, Slackjaw and Xoth in the opening slots. The run was announced in August, per ThePRP, and goes from Oct. 21 in Salt Lake City to Nov. 20 at the Gothic Theatre in Denver.
There’s no San Diego date on this Havok tour. The closest stops for local fans:
- Wednesday, Oct. 28: The Regent Theater, Los Angeles
- Thursday, Oct. 29: Strummer’s, Fresno
- Friday, Oct. 30: Backstage Bar & Billiards, Las Vegas
- Saturday, Oct. 31: Nile Theater, Mesa, Ariz.
Tickets for the Havok tour went on sale Aug. 21, per ThePRP. It isn’t known yet whether Hellripper will make the L.A. show. If you’re going for Hellripper specifically, watch the band’s socials before you drive up.
McBain’s Statement
Here is McBain’s statement, as published by Lambgoat:
“Some unfortunate news regarding our US tour with Havok, Slackjaw and Xoth, which starts today. Unfortunately, you may have heard that due to visa issues, our arrival in the States has been delayed.
“We’ve been looking forward to our first US tour for a long time, and I know there are a lot of people who were looking forward to seeing us. I’m genuinely sorry that we won’t be there as planned.
“We started the visa application process well in advance and paid for premium processing, supplying all the necessary documents and supporting evidence. Unfortunately, numerous delays at different stages of the process, including administration, mail and securing embassy appointments, have meant that our visas are still yet to be approved.
“It’s been an incredibly frustrating, stressful and expensive process, with a huge amount of work and effort put into trying to make this happen. I apologise for the late announcement; unfortunately, we’ve had very little information or clarity throughout and were still hoping to expedite the process and make it on time for the first week until we were told yesterday evening that our applications were delayed further.
“At this stage, we’re still hoping to join the second half of the tour, but nothing is confirmed yet. I wish I had more concrete information to share, but unfortunately, I don’t right now.
“Once again, I’m sorry to everyone in the US who was looking forward to seeing us, and to the bands, promoters and agents involved in the tour. Everyone has been incredibly helpful and supportive throughout this process, and we’re gutted that things have not worked out the way we’d hoped.
“The show must go on though, so dates are still going ahead without us, and I encourage you all to get out to a show and support the bands for a great night of metal. Hopefully, we’ll see you all in a couple of weeks! And I will update you all whenever I know more!”
What Hellripper Have Been Up To
According to NextMosh, Hellripper just released a cover of the Arctic Monkeys B-side “If You Found This It’s Probably Too Late,” following two covers of songs by Seattle punk band Zeke. The band is supporting Coronach, released March 27, 2026 through Century Media, its first album for the label. NextMosh says Hellripper’s appearance at the remaining Havok tour dates, including the Nov. 14 show at Racket in New York, hasn’t been confirmed.
NextMosh’s list of Hellripper’s own dates also runs past the end of the Havok tour, with Canadian shows in Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto from Nov. 25 to 28. Its 2027 schedule includes a Jan. 30 show at Dragon Rojo in Tijuana, the closest announced Hellripper date to San Diego.
Havok Tour: Still Unknown
- When, or whether, Hellripper’s visas will be approved
- Which Havok tour date Hellripper would join first
- Whether any replacement act has been added. None has been announced.
SDMETAL