NEWS

SKULL AND BONES RECORDS UPDATE – AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2008

Wish For Wings
Since their inception in the then burgeoning North Coast Hardcore Scene, WISH FOR WINGS have become a force to be reckoned with in the national hardcore community and Skull and Bones Records is proud to announce them as the newest signing to the label. After gaining popularity off their frenetic and devasting live show, WISH FOR WINGS gained admiration from peers and fans alike when they dropped the punishing debut EP ‘From the Past to the Grave’ through Washed Up Records in 2005, which then allowed them to accomplish numerous successful national tours and play with the cream of the Australian crop like Parkway Drive, I Killed The Prom Queen and Day Of Contempt. Their loyal fan base has also garnered them major support slots for international acts like Madball, Raised Fist, Hatebreed, Evergreen Terrace and more.

Now, in 2008, WISH FOR WINGS are ready to step things up again with a new, more focused line-up and their debut full length album, ‘Afterlife’. Featuring thick and heavy guitar riffage, a tight and furious rythym section and a vigorous vocal attack, ‘Afterlife’ sees WISH FOR WINGS doing what they do best; playing hard and fast with plenty of mosh. The album also sees the band taking on an even larger and more dynamic approach by incorporating melodic elements, epic chrouses and loads of sing-a-longs to make sure that their music stands out in this life and the next. ‘Afterlife’ will be out November 12th on Skull And Bones Records through STOMP Distribution.

A Pirate’s Life – SKULL AND BONES RECORDS SAMPLER
After a very busy few months to kick off 2008, Skull And Bones Records is now proud to announce the release of “A Pirate’s Life”, the first sampler to showcase the label’s best in upcoming metal, hardcore, and screamo acts.  The compilation represents great value with a list of 21 tracks from the bands that have made up and been added to the diverse Skull And Bones roster since its beginning.

“A Pirate’s Life” features dynamic selections from Australian staples like The Amity Affliction, A Secret Death, Art Vandelay, Anime Fire and The Rivalry, as well as overseas phenomenon’s like the United Kingdom’s Johnny Truant and Japan’s Loyal To The Grave. This is also supplemented by incredible previously unreleased tracks from A Secret Death, Western Decay, The Abandonment, Infinite Thought Process, The Daylight Curse, Cross The Lips Of Grace, Coma Lies, and Bloodsport. Comparable to the likes of the True Till Death and Trial and Error Hardcore/Metal compilations of yester year, “A Pirate’s Life” represents the best in upcoming hardcore and metal bands in Australia and around the world. Pick this bad boy up for cheap from April 26th 2008.

A Secret Death
From their humble beginnings as an up and coming Australian band, ASECRETDEATH have always been inspired to write timeless and eclectic music. Priding themselves on harnessing and crafting songs with emotion, the group has blended dark, expansive and metallic elements to develop their own definitive and unique soundscape. Hailing from the unsuspecting sunny grounds of The Gold Coast, ASECRETDEATH wowed fans critics alike when their second EP, “Fear Is The Driving Force”, was unleashed to a wealth of salivating fans in 2005.

On the back of their frenetic and skillful live show, the group then gained notoriety through multiple international supports, including The Dillinger Escape Plan, Sick Of It All, Converge, Story Of The Year, Unearth, Darkest Hour, Escape The Fate, Give Up The Ghost, Strike Anywhere, The Bled, From Autum To Ashes, The Audition, Pilot To Gunner, Boys Night Out, Atreyu, Off Minor, Evergreen Terrace, Clutch, Shai Hulud, Eighteen Visions, Boysetsfire and Envy. In this time they have also toured nationally with the likes of Norma Jean, Every Time I Die and Parkway Drive.

Now, after an arduous recording process spanning across two years and two continents, the wait is finally over and ASECRETDEATH have released their debut self-titled album. The album was mixed and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (drummer and producer of the critically acclaimed Swedish act Cult Of Luna) at Tonetknik Recordinds in Umea, Sweden and is out now on Skull and Bones Records through STOMP Distribution, available from JB HI-FI and all good independent retail outlets.

Anime Fire
After coming off a slew of incredible international supports including Bring Me The Horizon and The Devil Wears Prada this year, the boys in ANIME FIRE have decided to knuckle down and continue work on their next release, which will be a 4-track EP showcasing all new material. As posted on the band’s Myspace blog; "the new material is going to be a change from their current formula, as always, a constant growth should be expected."  The boys have also announced that acclaimed international producer Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Aborted, Sick Of It All, Himsa) will be taking on the mixing/mastering duties for the EP, so expect to be amazed with ANIME FIRE’S bold new sound in early 2009.

Benneson Theory
Having to cut their recent national EP release tour with SA screamers, Nazarite Vow short so they could play the Brsibane support slot for USA heavyweights UNDEROATH, BENNESON THEORY are ready to show the rest of the country how to play a crushing and emotive mix of screamo, hardcore and metal and why they have been likened to a furious combination of Evergreen Terrace, Alexisonfire and Misery Signals. Showing a steadfast penchant for maturity, these young lads have already shared the stage with many popular local and international acts such as The Rivalry, Her Nightmare, Faker, He Is Legend (USA) and The Amity Affliction and now they’re ready to release their crowning achievement, the debut EP titled “Heavy Burdens Make Light Of This” which is out now on Skull and Bones Records through STOMP Distribution, available from JB HI-FI and all good independent retail outlets.

Bloodsport
Fresh off a recent East Coast tour with NZ’s Saving Grace, BLOODSPORT are on the verge of smashing their way into the forefront of the Australian hardcore scene. Their aggressive debut album ’Imprisonment’ upholds Adelaide’s legacy of brutal hardcore originally forged by legendary bands such as Day Of Contempt, I Killed The Prom Queen, and Shot Point Blank. ‘Imprisonment’ is out now on Skull and Bones Records through STOMP Distribution, available from JB HI-FI and all good independent retail outlets.

Coma Lies
Newcastle’s kings of dissonant hardcore, COMA LIES, have absolutely smashed the road in support of their debut EP ’A Churchwell Killing’ since it was released on Skull And Bones in 2006. The band recently recorded a new track for the ’A Pirate’s Life’ compilation, and a four track demo whilst on tour in Brisbane, and have made it available at their recent shows in VIC, SA and WA. The boys are now fast at work tracking new material to make up the framework of what will be their debut album, slated for release in mid-2009.

Cross The Lips Of Grace
CROSS THE LIPS OF GRACE are on a path of brutal destruction, one fueled by a razor-edged attack of hardcore and death metal influences. After supporting All Shall Perish last year and playing with The Red Shore, Gallows For Grace and Thy Art Is Murder on their recent QLD shows, including a crushing DEATHFEST performance; the devastating five-piece are putting the finishing touches on what will become their debut album entitled ‘The Epilogue Of Suffering’. Recorded and produced by Dan Field of Studio 454 in Brisbane, the album will feature artwork by France’s HEADSPLIT design and mastering by Alan Douhes of Westwestside Music in the USA (Neurosis, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Katakylsm, Ion Dissonance and Suffocation). The album is expected to be released late 2008 and the boys will be showcasing songs from the album when they support Psycroptic on the Brisbane leg of the Ob(Servant) tour in October.

Deathfest
August 31st saw Skull And Bones Records hold our first ever DEATHFEST show at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane! Featurings performances from prominent national metal acts such as The Red Shore, Thy Art Is Murder, Gallows For Grace and local Brisbane acts like Cross The Lips Of Grace, Among The Vanished, Signal The Firing Squad, Apex Null and Horizons Of Chaos. We’d like to thank everyone for coming out and making it a wicked first time for us! We’ve got plans to make DEATHFEST are more regular gig, so stay tuned and watch this space!

THE INFINITE DESTRUCTION TOUR - Gallows For Grace & Thy Art Is Murder
Over late August and Early September, Perth’s metal merchnats GALLOWS FOR GRACE and Sydney’s death dealers THY ART IS MURDER made a trek across the East Coast on the INFINITE DESTRUCTION TOUR to celebrate the release of their respective debut EP’s. With plenty of furious riffage, irresponsilbe antics and drunken mayhem, the boys played spectacular sets and managed to punish their crowds night after night.  Both the ‘Infinite Death’ and ‘The Process For The Destruction Of Tomorrow’ EP’s are out now on Skull and Bones Records through STOMP Distribution, available from JB HI-FI and all good independent retail outlets.

Loyal To The Grave
Japan’s mosh-heavy hardcore band LOYAL TO THE GRAVE now have their latest album “Still Climbin’, Still Believin” available now now on Skull and Bones Records in Australia through STOMP Distribution, available from JB HI-FI and all good independent retail outlets. The group, who has aspirations of US and Australian tours in the near future, also recently released a three way split EP with xARMEDFORBATTLEx and Winds Of Plague, released on Seventh Dagger Records in the US. “Still Climbin’, Still Believin” features four bonus live tracks, and is in stores now!

Skulls Team
Want to help promote local independent music? Join the Skulls Team by emailing your name, postal address, and mobile phone number to skullandbones.team@gmail.com for stickers, posters, and CD’s to help spread the word!

Values Here
Drawing inspiration from seminal bands old and new such as Sinking Ships, In My Eyes, Ambitions, With Honour and Turning Point,  VALUES HERE are a brand new signing to Skull And Bones will bring their own take on intelligently written, melodic hardcore to the Australian table.

Formed in early 2007 with the intention of injecting passion and sincereity back into the flailing Brisbane hardcore scene and having an awesome time between newfound friends, VALUES HERE have managed to achieve quite a lot in their mere 18-month existence.  Fresh off the back of self-releasing their own 4-track demo, VALUES HERE gained a steadfast reputation for their invigorating live show and bold sound. They went on to support notable Australian acts such as Miles Away, The Dead Walk!, Just Say Go! and 50 Lions before being given the chance to support their international peers in bands such as IGNITE, BLACKLISTED, FC FIVE and FOUR YEAR STRONG. Using their past experiences as the catalyst to further evolve their sound, VALUES HERE knuckled down in the studio over much of 2008 to complete what would become their debut album, ‘Greet The Sun’. With an integral theme of facing daily life, ‘Greet The Sun’ melds catchy guitar riffs, punchy drumwork along with thought-provoking lyrics and delivers it all through the organic chemistry of punk rock.  Dealing with dark issues of regret and frustration, VALUES HERE provide an uplifting spin on today’s traditional hardcore sound. ‘Greet The Sun’ is out November on Skull And Bones Records through STOMP Distribution.

Western Decay, Call It A Day
The members of one of the bands featured on our 3-way split release with Naked Burn and Infinite Thought Process, WESTERN DECAY have decided to amicably part ways as a band. Below is a statement from the band explaining the reason behind the break up that was featured on their Myspace page: “Western Decay played our final show in December 2007 at Rosies with The Dead, Defamer, Nefaria, and Violent Green. It was after this show that our then-guitarist Josh left the band. Since then we have tried out a number of new guitarist and attempted to keep it progressing. However, after a large period of stagnation, we have decided to call it a day. It has become clear over recent months that as a band we shared different ideas when it came to the direction we wanted to take the band and how seriously we wanted to take it. The vibe has faded and the collective passion is no longer there. We had nearly completed the writing of our album, and we had a bunch of songs that no one outside of the band has ever heard, but unfortunately we feel that it was no longer worth pushing something uphill that was going to obviously going to die sooner or later. Thanks to everyone for the support over the years. Massive thanks to everyone who came to a show, put us on a show, and to anyone that ever purchased a CD, shirt, or even bought us drinks. Thanks to Greg and Josh for previously being a part of this with us, and thanks to Skull And Bones Records for believing in our potential.”