Currently on tour in the Middle East, Sepultura have reportedly been barred from performing in Lebanon next week. The concert's promoters said officials called the Brazilian metal band "devil worshippers" intent on "insulting Christianity" ahead of the show scheduled for Sunday (April 28) at Beruit venue the Palace.

According to Al Bawaba, Sepultura's "fans base in Lebanon explode[d] in anger" after event organizers Skull Session explained that the country's General Security Office denied the band's members visas for entry, prompting the concert in the capital's Hamra district to be canceled. Read the promoter's statement below.

"We are as outraged and angry as all of you will be," the promoters shared last week, outlining the country's move to scrap the show due to the act's perceived support for, and past travel to, Israel. The visa policy of Lebanon prevents visitors from entering the country if their travel documents contain Israeli stamps or seals.

In 1993, Sepultura filmed the music video for Chaos A.D. single "Territory" in Israel and Palestine, Blabbermouth noted. However, Skull Session held that Sepultura have never played a show in the  country. Still, even those without Israeli visas can be arrested and detained in Lebanon if previous travel to Israel is disclosed.

"Basically what we learned is that they are considered devil worshipers, that they have disrespected Christianity, and that they have performed in Israel," the organizers told The New Arab. "All of which are of course not true."

On Monday, Skull Session posted a message they received from a member of Sepultura's management team, Frank Hessing. In it, he contested accusations of "devil worship" and promised the band's return to the Persian Gulf.

"The band is not satanic," Hessing wrote. "Most of the band and crew members are Catholic. Yes, sometimes they criticize political or other injustices. That can occasionally include [criticizing] church, companies or institutions etc... but not in a destructive way. Artists are welcome everywhere, also in Muslim countries! We played in Indonesia and will be in Turkey and Emirates (UAE) soon!"

See Sepultura's current tour dates below.

Sepultura 2019 Tour Dates

April 22 — Almaty, Kazakhstan @ Hard Rock Cafe (Almaty)
April 24 — Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia @ UB Palace
April 26 — Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan @ Asanbay Center
April 30 — Istanbul, Turkey @ If Performance Hall Besiktas
July 26-28 — Saint-Nazaire, France @ Festival Les Escales 2019
Oct. 4 — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil @ Rock in Rio 2019

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