NEWS

JANUARY 2009

2008 was a massive year for Skull and Bones Records, which saw the release of the debut EPs from BENNESON THEORY, THY ART IS MURDER, and GALLOWS FOR GRACE, as well as the dropping of debut albums from some of Australia’s finest names in heavy music, A SECRET DEATH, BLOODSPORT, ROBOTOSAURUS, and WISH FOR WINGS. Not content with only servicing Australian artists, the year also saw the Aussie release of the latest crushing album from Japanese hardcore leaders LOYAL TO THE GRAVE. However this was only a taste of what’s to come, as 2009 is already shaping up to be a bigger and even better year for Skull And Bones Records artists old and new, with a handful of releases already in the pipeline...

WISH FOR WINGS are continuing their assault across the nation on the back of their debut album ‘Afterlife’ and are booked out all the way through March. For dates and their latest video clip, check them out at myspace.com/wishforwingsxxx.

January 25 will see the release of ‘Greet The Sun’, the debut album from Brisbane hardcore group VALUES HERE. Featuring ex-members of Just Say Go!, From These Wounds, Lorna Slavin and Right Back At Ya!, VALUES HERE bring their unique take on thoughtful hardcore to the table with a sound comparable to the likes of Have Heart, With Honor and Dag Nasty. Having made their live mark with international support slots under Gorilla Biscuits, Ignite, Four Year Strong and FC Five, expect to see VALUES HERE touring across the nation in 2009.

Perth innovators ANIME FIRE recently completed production on their new four-track EP to follow up on their 2007 debut, ‘Where The Wolves Fear To Tread’. An eclectic mix of electronic samples and gripping metalcore, ‘On The Wings Of Hope’ was mixed and mastered by the renowned Tue Madsen (The Haunted, August Burns Red). Joined by a new second guitarist, expect to see the group hit the road in support of the release on the 28th of February.

Longstanding Brisbane deathcore group CROSS THE LIPS OF GRACE have finally finished work on their debut album ‘The Epilogue Of Suffering’. Fresh off a show with Whitechapel (USA) at the beginning of the year, you can grab the album when it’s out on the 28th of March and catch them on tour with HIROSHIMA WILL BURN later this year.

New Skull and Bones signing, Melbourne’s HIROSHIMA WILL BURN, is without a doubt one of the most technically relentless modern death metal bands rising through the ranks. Although finding their roots with the ‘deathcore’ sound, more recent times have seen the band take influence from the likes of technical death metal greats Decapitated, Origin and Necrophagist. Fans of all things brutal and crazy will have their faces melted with pure skill when ‘To The Weight Of All Things’ drops on March 28.

After relentlessly touring their arses off on the back of their Skull And Bones debut ‘A Churchwell Killing’, Newcastle lads COMA LIES have booked their flights to record with legendary producer Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Poison The Well) in Las Angeles this coming May. The band will do one more East Coast run from the 22nd of January to the 28th of February, so check out their MySpace for details. June will see the band tour both coasts of the USA before they return to Australia in July to prepare for a late 2009 release.

After touring the nation with US grinders Graf Orlock in late 2008 in support of their hectic Skull And Bones debut ‘Manhater’, ROBOTOSAURUS is gearing up for a crazy year of shows and touring, blasting into 2009 by playing at the Adelaide instalment of the long-running Big Day Out festival on January 30. February 27 will also see the hybrid of grind and metalcore playing with French doom-metallers Monarch. Not content with sitting still, April 23 to May 3 will see the band tour the country with The_Network from the USA – stay tuned for the finer details!

A SECRET DEATH are continuing their charge as Australia’s premier name in progressive and experimental metalcore, and will support Swedish post-metal titans Cult Of Luna on February 12 at The Tivoli in Brisbane. Pretty cool considering CoL drummer Magnus Lindberg mixed and mastered their debut self-titled album, released last August on Skull And Bones. Stay tuned for overseas tour dates in 2009!

BENNESON THEORY will soon announce further dates in support of their debut EP ‘Heavy Burdens Make Light Of This’. Stay tuned for March shows all across the country.