Moonspell drops off Cradle of Filth tour due to visas, Blackbraid steps in on "Majestic In Death II"
Portuguese metal band Moonspell has withdrawn from British band Cradle of Filth's upcoming North American "Majestic In Death II" tour because the required visas, according to an official announcement by the tour organizers and Moonspell itself, will not be processed in time. The change was announced on September 17, less than two weeks before the tour's planned start on September 29, 2026, in San Diego. At the same time, Cradle of Filth confirmed that American black metal project Blackbraid will take Moonspell's place on the bill, while Worm and Black Satellite remain part of the tour. For audiences who have purchased tickets, the most important information is that the tour has not been canceled: one of the main supporting acts is changing, while the announced series of Cradle of Filth concerts will continue as planned.
In a message shared on Cradle of Filth's official website, Moonspell stated that it must withdraw because its visas cannot be processed in time. The band also said that it is already working with its agent on returning to North America during 2027. No additional details have been released about the stage the process has reached, nor has it been stated that there is a problem involving any individual member of the band; the officially confirmed reason remains the inability to process the necessary documentation in time. Moonspell also urged audiences to support the tour and the artists remaining on the bill, specifically highlighting Blackbraid as the replacement.
Blackbraid takes Moonspell's place
Blackbraid's arrival changes the sonic balance of the evening but retains the emphasis on the darker and more extreme branches of metal. According to the project's official presentation, Blackbraid is an independent indigenous black metal project associated with the Adirondacks in the U.S. state of New York, whose music draws on nature, spirituality, and themes of rage and sorrow. In recent years, the project has built an international audience beyond the traditional boundaries of the American underground scene, and the album "Blackbraid III" was released on August 8, 2025, and contains ten songs. Its inclusion in "Majestic In Death II" is therefore not merely a logistical replacement a few days before departure, but brings to the bill an artist whose style fits naturally alongside Cradle of Filth and Florida's Worm.
Cradle of Filth's official announcement does not state that dates or the basic concept of the tour will be changed because of the lineup change. Blackbraid is expected to perform alongside Worm and Black Satellite, both of whom were also listed in the original lineup with Moonspell. Worm describes itself on its own channels as a Florida "necromantic black doom" project, and its current concert schedule includes a large number of stops from the tour, from San Diego and Phoenix to the U.S. East Coast. Black Satellite, a New York band fronted by Larissa Vale, describes its sound on its official website as a combination of industrial and metal influences and lists previous appearances alongside Cradle of Filth. Such a combination gives the tour a range extending from black and doom metal to industrial-tinged modern rock and metal.
The change was announced close enough to the start of the tour that some ticketing pages may still display the old lineup. As of September 18, 2026, some Ticketmaster and other ticketing listings for individual concerts were still listing Moonspell, while Cradle of Filth's official website had already announced that the band would not participate and that Blackbraid would replace it. For the current lineup, therefore, the latest announcement from the tour's headliner is authoritative, rather than necessarily older text on an individual ticketing listing. Dates and venues may also be updated, so it is sensible to check the website of the specific venue or the band's official channel before traveling.
Moonspell misses U.S. and Canadian shows following new album
The cancellation is particularly inconvenient for Moonspell because it comes only a few months after the release of the studio album "Far From God". According to the band's official discography and label Napalm Records, the album was released on July 3, 2026, and is the first new full-length release since 2021's "Hermitage". Moonspell recorded "Far From God" in Portugal with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano, and the release contains eight main tracks. The North American tour with Cradle of Filth was therefore supposed to be an important opportunity to present newer material to audiences in the United States and Canada, alongside a repertoire spanning more than three decades of the band's career.
Moonspell was founded in Portugal in the early 1990s and achieved its international breakthrough with 1995's "Wolfheart" and 1996's "Irreligious". The band's official history states that "Wolfheart" opened a period of more intensive international touring, while the later catalog expanded the blend of gothic, black, and dark metal elements. In 2026, alongside the new album, the band was also marking several anniversary points in its catalog, including reissues of older material. For that reason, the absence from the North American tour is not merely a change of one name on the poster, but a postponement of an already planned return before audiences in one of the important markets for international metal tours.
Nevertheless, Moonspell's announcement indicates that the band does not intend to delay its return for long. The group stated that it is already working with its agent on plans for North America in 2027, but dates, cities, and possible partners on that future tour have not yet been officially confirmed. This means that ticket holders for "Majestic In Death II" should not expect Moonspell at these concerts based on older advertisements. Any separate Moonspell tour in 2027 will be a new project that has yet to be announced.
Cradle of Filth marks 30 years of "Dusk... And Her Embrace" with the tour
"Majestic In Death II" was conceived as an autumn continuation of Cradle of Filth's concert activities in North America, with a particular emphasis on the 30th anniversary of the album "Dusk... And Her Embrace". In the original tour announcement, the band stated that it would perform selected songs from that release, rather than necessarily the complete album from beginning to end. "Dusk... And Her Embrace" was released in 1996 through Music For Nations and includes tracks such as "Heaven Torn Asunder", "Funeral in Carpathia", "A Gothic Romance", and the title track. In September 2026, Cradle of Filth additionally announced a new anniversary reissue of the album, confirming that the thirtieth anniversary is an important part of the current touring and recording cycle.
The tour also follows Cradle of Filth's 14th studio album, "The Screaming of the Valkyries", which Napalm Records released on March 21, 2025. The label describes the album as a combination of recognizable elements from the band's earlier phases and a newer sound, while the official discography lists nine songs. This gives the current concert program two parallel foundations: current material and a return to the album that strongly marked the development of Cradle of Filth's recognizable blend of extreme metal, gothic atmosphere, and symphonic elements in the 1990s. The announcement that selected songs from "Dusk... And Her Embrace" will be played on the tour remains in effect even after Moonspell's withdrawal.
Cradle of Filth announced the change of supporting act without any indication that it would affect its own performance or the planned anniversary component of the tour. For a band that has been active since the early 1990s, such a program connects two very different stages of its career: the 1996 album and its latest studio chapter from 2025. This is precisely why "Majestic In Death II" has not been presented as a tour devoted exclusively to nostalgia, but as a combination of new repertoire and a selective return to material from one of its key early releases.
The tour begins September 29 in San Diego
According to the schedule Cradle of Filth published when announcing "Majestic In Death II", the tour begins on September 29 at The Observatory North Park in San Diego and then moves to Phoenix. The program also includes an appearance at the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento on October 2, followed by concerts on the West Coast, in the U.S. interior, Canada, and cities on the East Coast. The final part of the originally published schedule runs through Cleveland and Cincinnati to Colorado Springs on October 28. Current ticketing services meanwhile also show a concert in Albuquerque on October 29, so the schedule may differ from the first announcement and should be checked against the latest information from organizers and venues.
The originally published tour schedule includes the following stops:
- September 29 - San Diego, California - The Observatory North Park
- September 30 - Phoenix, Arizona - The Van Buren
- October 2 - Sacramento, California - Aftershock Festival
- October 3 - Portland, Oregon - Hawthorne Theatre
- October 4 - Seattle, Washington - Substation
- October 6 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Vogue Theatre
- October 7 - Spokane, Washington - Knitting Factory
- October 8 - Boise, Idaho - Knitting Factory
- October 9 - Butte, Montana - Covellite Theatre
- October 11 - West Des Moines, Iowa - Val Air Ballroom
- October 12 - Davenport, Iowa - Capitol Theatre
- October 14 - Toronto, Ontario - The Opera House
- October 15 - Montreal, Quebec - Théâtre Beanfield
- October 16 - Norwalk, Connecticut - District Music Hall
- October 17 - Sayreville, New Jersey - Starland Ballroom
- October 19 - Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore Soundstage
- October 20 - Boston, Massachusetts - Big Night Live
- October 21 - Wilmington, Delaware - The Queen
- October 22 - Brooklyn, New York - Warsaw
- October 24 - Allentown, Pennsylvania - Archer Music Hall
- October 25 - Cleveland, Ohio - House of Blues
- October 26 - Cincinnati, Ohio - Bogart's
- October 28 - Colorado Springs, Colorado - Sunshine Studios Live
The note for audiences is particularly important because of the short interval between the announcement of the change and the start of the tour. Ticketing platforms, promotional materials, and venue websites do not always update their artist lists at the same time, which can also be seen in current listings where Moonspell still appears alongside individual dates. On the other hand, AXS already lists the combination of Cradle of Filth, Blackbraid, Worm, and Black Satellite for some concerts. The ticket itself remains tied to the specific event, while rules on any possible refunds depend on the organizer, ticketing service, and terms of the individual concert; Cradle of Filth's official announcement did not announce a general cancellation of the tour.
A change just before the start, but the tour concept remains the same
The biggest change to "Majestic In Death II" is therefore the absence of Moonspell, a band that had a prominent place among the guests in the original announcement. Blackbraid brings a different identity and a newer generation of American black metal, while Worm and Black Satellite preserve the continuity of the already announced program. For Cradle of Filth, the focus remains on its own catalog, the current album, and the celebration of three decades of "Dusk... And Her Embrace". According to the currently available official information, there is no indication that Moonspell's visa problem should jeopardize the tour itself.
For Moonspell, by contrast, the planned return to North America will have to wait. The band has clearly stated that it is aiming for 2027, but without announcing specific dates. Until then, "Majestic In Death II" continues with Blackbraid on the bill, and because of the recent change fans should check the latest information for their city. The tour begins on September 29, just eleven days after the date of this announcement, so the alignment of promotional and ticketing pages will probably take place within a very short period before the first concerts.
Sources:
- Cradle of Filth - official announcement on Moonspell's withdrawal and Blackbraid joining the lineup (link)
- Cradle of Filth - official announcement of the "Majestic In Death II" tour and the concept of celebrating the album "Dusk... And Her Embrace" (link)
- Cradle of Filth - official discography and information about the album "Dusk... And Her Embrace" (link)
- Moonspell - official band history and overview of the development of its discography (link)
- Moonspell - official information about the album "Far From God", released on July 3, 2026 (link)
- Napalm Records - information about Cradle of Filth's album "The Screaming of the Valkyries" and its release date (link)
- Blackbraid - official Bandcamp, project description, and information about the album "Blackbraid III" (link)
- Worm - official Bandcamp with a description of the project and current concert schedule (link)
- Black Satellite - official band biography and overview of previous tours (link)
- AXS - current Cradle of Filth ticketing schedule and some updated lineups featuring Blackbraid (link)
- Ticketmaster - current tour schedule and examples of listings that still show the earlier lineup (link)