ArtistDirect News
Japanese Metal Band Kruelty to Hit Canadian Circuit with Dead Heat, Anhedonia, and Dying Remains
Tokyo’s metallic‑hardcore powerhouse Kruelty is setting its sights on Canada, announcing a full‑scale tour that will weave together a trio of extreme‑metal acts across eight cities from late August through early September 2026. The headline show begins in Quebec City on August 27, and the tour’s lineup will evolve as the band moves westward, offering a progressive showcase of the genre’s most ferocious sub‑styles.
The first leg, running from August 27 to 30, will feature crossover‑thrash outfit Dead Heat as a constant support act, while the death‑metal band Anhedonia will open the first several dates. The tour kicks off at L’Anti Bar & Spectacles in Quebec City, where Kruelty, Dead Heat, and Anhedonia will share the stage. The following night, the trio will head to Montreal’s iconic Foufounes Électriques, a venue that has hosted a succession of touring metal bands. Ottawa’s Westboro Legion will host the show on August 29, and Toronto’s Primal Note Studios will be the final stop of the opening leg on August 30.
From September 1 onward, the lineup shifts. The first Canadian date of the second leg takes place in Thunder Bay at Bloom, with the death‑core outfit Dying Remains joining the roster alongside Dead Heat and Kruelty. Winnipeg’s Sidestage hosts the September 2 show, followed by Saskatoon’s Black Cat Tavern on September 3. Edmonton’s Infest will stage the September 4 performance, and Calgary’s Palomino Smokehouse will be the venue for September 5.
The tour continues west with a September 6 show in Kelowna at Jackknife Brewing, and it concludes in Vancouver on September 8 at The Cobalt. Each date is scheduled for a single evening performance.
Kruelty, formed in Tokyo in 2015, fuses Japanese hardcore, beatdown, and metalcore into a sound that blends aggressive vocals, palm‑muted riffs, and breakdowns reminiscent of both Eastern beatdown and Western metalcore. The band has released three full‑length albums and has toured extensively across Asia and Europe.
Dead Heat, a crossover‑thrash collective from Oxnard, California, signed to Metal Blade Records in 2025, dropped the album Vs The World on May 23, 2026. The release showcases the group’s blend of thrash metal and hardcore punk, noted for its high‑energy performances.
Anhedonia hails from Toledo, Ohio, and is known for heavily distorted guitars, blast‑beat drumming, and guttural vocals. Their style aligns with the traditional death‑metal framework described by Encyclopaedia Metallum, featuring low‑tuned guitars and aggressive rhythmic structures.
Dying Remains, a death‑core outfit active since the early 1990s, has a catalog that includes Hung and Drawn and Merciless Suffering, both of which exhibit the band’s signature mix of death‑metal heaviness and metalcore breakdowns.
The tour’s structure—Anhedonia opening the early shows and Dying Remains joining for the closing stretch—offers a progressive showcase of extreme‑metal subgenres and underscores the cross‑border collaboration between Japanese, American, and Canadian acts. Industry observers note that the Canadian leg follows a trend of international metal bands touring the country’s major cities, including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. The venues selected are well‑known in the local metal scenes: L’Anti Bar & Spectacles is a staple for punk and hardcore acts in Quebec City; Foufounes Électriques has hosted numerous touring metal bands in Montreal; Westboro Legion and Primal Note Studios frequently host hardcore and metal acts in Ottawa and Toronto.
Tickets for the tour are available through the venues’ box offices and online ticketing partners. Fans can consult the official tour page for updated ticket availability and any potential changes to the lineup or schedule.
In sum, Kruelty’s Canadian tour represents a significant cross‑genre collaboration that brings together Japanese metallic‑hardcore, American crossover‑thrash, death‑metal, and death‑core acts across eight Canadian cities. The itinerary offers a comprehensive look at the spectrum of extreme metal and hardcore music in 2026.
The first leg, running from August 27 to 30, will feature crossover‑thrash outfit Dead Heat as a constant support act, while the death‑metal band Anhedonia will open the first several dates. The tour kicks off at L’Anti Bar & Spectacles in Quebec City, where Kruelty, Dead Heat, and Anhedonia will share the stage. The following night, the trio will head to Montreal’s iconic Foufounes Électriques, a venue that has hosted a succession of touring metal bands. Ottawa’s Westboro Legion will host the show on August 29, and Toronto’s Primal Note Studios will be the final stop of the opening leg on August 30.
From September 1 onward, the lineup shifts. The first Canadian date of the second leg takes place in Thunder Bay at Bloom, with the death‑core outfit Dying Remains joining the roster alongside Dead Heat and Kruelty. Winnipeg’s Sidestage hosts the September 2 show, followed by Saskatoon’s Black Cat Tavern on September 3. Edmonton’s Infest will stage the September 4 performance, and Calgary’s Palomino Smokehouse will be the venue for September 5.
The tour continues west with a September 6 show in Kelowna at Jackknife Brewing, and it concludes in Vancouver on September 8 at The Cobalt. Each date is scheduled for a single evening performance.
Kruelty, formed in Tokyo in 2015, fuses Japanese hardcore, beatdown, and metalcore into a sound that blends aggressive vocals, palm‑muted riffs, and breakdowns reminiscent of both Eastern beatdown and Western metalcore. The band has released three full‑length albums and has toured extensively across Asia and Europe.
Dead Heat, a crossover‑thrash collective from Oxnard, California, signed to Metal Blade Records in 2025, dropped the album Vs The World on May 23, 2026. The release showcases the group’s blend of thrash metal and hardcore punk, noted for its high‑energy performances.
Anhedonia hails from Toledo, Ohio, and is known for heavily distorted guitars, blast‑beat drumming, and guttural vocals. Their style aligns with the traditional death‑metal framework described by Encyclopaedia Metallum, featuring low‑tuned guitars and aggressive rhythmic structures.
Dying Remains, a death‑core outfit active since the early 1990s, has a catalog that includes Hung and Drawn and Merciless Suffering, both of which exhibit the band’s signature mix of death‑metal heaviness and metalcore breakdowns.
The tour’s structure—Anhedonia opening the early shows and Dying Remains joining for the closing stretch—offers a progressive showcase of extreme‑metal subgenres and underscores the cross‑border collaboration between Japanese, American, and Canadian acts. Industry observers note that the Canadian leg follows a trend of international metal bands touring the country’s major cities, including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. The venues selected are well‑known in the local metal scenes: L’Anti Bar & Spectacles is a staple for punk and hardcore acts in Quebec City; Foufounes Électriques has hosted numerous touring metal bands in Montreal; Westboro Legion and Primal Note Studios frequently host hardcore and metal acts in Ottawa and Toronto.
Tickets for the tour are available through the venues’ box offices and online ticketing partners. Fans can consult the official tour page for updated ticket availability and any potential changes to the lineup or schedule.
In sum, Kruelty’s Canadian tour represents a significant cross‑genre collaboration that brings together Japanese metallic‑hardcore, American crossover‑thrash, death‑metal, and death‑core acts across eight Canadian cities. The itinerary offers a comprehensive look at the spectrum of extreme metal and hardcore music in 2026.