June 27 [14:00 EDT] -- Goth-rock gloom-merchants The Sisters Of Mercy will play their first U.S. concert in six years this weekend at a festival dubbed Dark Harvest 3 in Philadelphia.

While the appearance of these goth pioneers might seem like a dark blessing, not everyone is happy about the Sisters' involvement in the concert. Two bands in particular, Sunshine Blind and The New Creatures, are especially steamed at Sisters frontman Andrew Eldritch.

The groups say Eldritch heard their music and booked each of them as opening acts for the festival sight unseen, and then dumped them after he spotted their pictures on the Internet and decided they looked, "too gothic."

So now drummer Tiger Kern of New Creatures is threatening to sue Eldritch over the dumping, claiming it's damaged his band's reputation.

The band's are also still reeling from Eldritch's parting comment about the two dismissed groups, saying that one might "put their heads on F'in' pikes for all I care."

Eldritch was unavailable for further comment.

• Sisters of Mercy