Another band has pulled out of the Soundwave 2014 lineup, with just five days left until the annual hard and heavy festival’s kick-off in Brisbane.

American metal band Whitechapel have confirmed that they are cancelling on their Soundwave 2014 commitments, the six-piece making the announcement to their fans via Facebook today.

“Whitechapel unfortunately have to withdraw from upcoming visits to New Zealand and Australia due to the death of an immediate family member,” it reads. “The band apologies to promoters and the fans for any inconvenience caused and asks for understanding at this time”

Whitechapel are the fourth band to pull out Soundwave 2014 lineup. The first was American metal band Sevendust, who pulled the plug on their appearance in early January – a move that Soundwave boss AJ Maddah labelled “pissweak” in a public spat with the band.

Then top-billed act Stone Temple Pilots cancelled on their festival appearance (and sideshows) just four weeks out from the event’s kick off, citing commitments to recording a new album only to reveal a week later that the “initial statement citing ‘recording delays’ wasn’t true.”

The latest pull-out was Megadeth, with frontman Dave Mustaine announcing the metal masters were cancelling on their Soundwave commitments just days after Newsted – the titular band of ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted – were dropped from Megadeth’s Sidewave shows.

Whitechapel were originally tipped to replace Newsted on the Megadeth Sidewaves (along with Volbeat) after Soundwave announced Newsted had been dropped “at the request of Megadeth”.

News of Whitechapel’s cancellation arrives as Maddah has stated that the Soundwave 2014 set times that were released last week were “unacceptable,” with newly revised timetables to be released later today (Monday 17th February).

In more positive news, the Soundwave 2014 lineup has also grown with the addition of the five winners of the Triple J Unearthed competition, with each leg of the hard and heavy festival getting an additional band who will open the event in their respective hometown.

Opening in Brisbane will be five-piece band Chronolyth, Sydney will get punk rockers Trophy Eyes, quartet Ceres will start in Melbourne, Sierra will be added to the Adelaide bill, while Xenobiotic will be the first act at the newly-moved Arena Joondalup on the closing Perth date of Soundwave 2014.

The last minute Perth venue change, following in the footsteps of Big Day Out, sees Soundwave moving away from the Claremont Showgrounds to Arena Joondalup following battles with Claremont Council. A shift enabled by Future Music and Frontier Touring, who will swap their own Good Life festival with Soundwave, a swap they “felt strongly” about.

“So excited! Finally no ridiculous sound restrictions or thugs closing down stages!”enthused Maddah recently.

Soundwave 2014 Lineup

Triple J Unearthed Winners

Brisbane – Chronolyth. 
Sydney – Trophy Eyes
Melbourne – Ceres
Adelaide – Sierra
Perth – Xenobiotic

Joining the already announced lineup of:

Green Day
Avenged Sevenfold
The Living End
A Day To Remember
Alice In Chains
Rob Zombie
Megadeth
Mastodon
Placebo
HIM
AFI
KoRn
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
Filter
I Killed The Prom Queen
The Ghost Inside
Authority Zero
DARKC3LL
The Defiled
The Danger Kids
Alter Bridge
Trivium
Pennywise
Jimmy Eat World
Down
DevilDriver
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Glassjaw
Panic! At The Disco
Eagles Of Death Metal
Less Than Jake
Mayday Parade
Newsted
Biffy Clyro
Rocket From The Crypt
Asking Alexandria
Clutch
Alkaline Trio
Baroness
Five Finger Death Punch
August Burns Red
Testament
Living Color
Letlive
Motionless In White
Gwar
Crosses
Suicide Silence
The Porkers
Gojira
Black Veil Brides
Zebrahead
Satyricon
Dream On Dreamer
Mutemath
Desparecidos
Stiff Little Fingers
Thy Art Is Murder
Graveyard
Dir En Grey
Deez Nuts
In Hearts Wake
Breathe Carolina
Defiler
I Call Fives
Hacktivist
Devil You Know
Soil
The Boss Hoss
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
Nostalghia
Upon A Burning Body
Black Dahlia Murder
MushroomHead
Finch
Pulled Apart By Horses
Ill Nino
Nancy Vandal
Bowling For Soup
Trash Talk
Skindred
Volbeat
Amon Amarth
Terror
Whitechapel
TesseracT
The Story So Far
Hardcore Superstar
10 Years
Walking Papers
Our Last Night
Coliseum
Your Demise
Heaven’s Basement
Real Friends

Soundwave 2014 Dates, Tickets

Saturday 22nd February – Brisbane, RNA Showgrounds
Sunday 23rd February – Sydney, Olympic Park
Friday 28th February – Melbourne, Flemington Racecourse
Saturday 1st March – Adelaide, Bonython Park
Monday 3rd March – Perth, Arena Joondalup

Tickets on sale via: soundwavefestival.com, oztix.com.au & other outlets

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