EPICA guitarist/founder Mark Jansen has issued the following blog:

"I just read that one wacko guy from Nigeria 'tried to blow up' an airplane. The US authorities state that everything should be done to increase the safety on airports.

Hasn't been enough done yet?

Airports are nothing more than prisons nowadays. I hate to be in airports nowadays and to go through all the 'safety' procedures every time again. All these (sometimes) humiliating procedures and restrictions. We're not a bunch of sheep! Drinks are not allowed anymore, so you are 'able to' buy new water and spend a fortune or you have to wait very long to finally get some new drinks inside the airplane.

The guy who tried to create an explosion in the airplane probably is just gonna be used to increase the safety procedures once more (probably a set of new rules was already made and just waiting for a new incident to happen in order to get active). And everybody agrees once more and thinks it's normal!?

Sometimes we have to take off our shoes and sometimes not, sometimes we have to take our laptop out of our laptop bag and sometimes not. Sometimes it's no problem to have an iPod and other electronics in your bag and sometimes it's suddenly suspicious and you have to open your bag so they can get through all your personal belongings and make a mess out of it. Sometimes these people are friendly (hey, it is actually possible to have such a function, wear a uniform and be friendly! This is the way to go :))

One time I had to take a flight and there was a religious person with a big cross around his neck who had to take the same flight. He didn't need to wait in the line and didn't have to go through all safety procedures. He was guided straight to the hall where I saw him again, in the plane he sat close to me. So some people get a different treatment!? God doesn't make any bombs apparently but we are all potential terrorists.

It's about time that the safety procedures get decreased. I'm fed up with this shit."

Jansen and his bandmates will endure the inevitable increase in airport security procedures in January when they bring their Design Your Universe tour to North America, featuring BLACKGUARD and THREAT SIGNAL as support. Go to this location for ticket links and additional details. The tour schedule is as follows:

January

26 - Jaxx - W. Springfield, VA
27 - Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA
29 - The Blender Theater at Gramercy - New York, NY
30 - The Palladium - Worcester, MA
31 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC

February

1 - MOD Club - Toronto, ON
3 - Peabody’s - Cleveland, OH
4 - The Pearl Room - Mokena, IL
5 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
6 - Station 4 - St. Paul, MN
8 - Royal Albert Arms - Winnipeg, MB
10 - Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB
11 - Warehouse - Calgary, AB
13 - Sugar Nightclub - Victoria, BC
14 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
15 - Hawthorne Theater - Portland, OR
17 - Slims - San Francisco, CA
18 - The Key Club - Hollywood, CA
19 - U.B’s Bar - Mesa, AZ
20 - The Rock - Tucson, AZ
22 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
23 - Marquee - Tulsa, OK
24 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
25 - Scout Bar - San Antonio, TX
27 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC
28 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA

Go to this location for Epica's complete tour schedule.