Trustkill Records

infobox record label


parent =
founded = 1993
distributor = Universal Music Group
genre = Hardcore punk, metalcore, alternative rock
country = U.S.
url = [http://www.trustkill.com/ Official site]

Trustkill Records is an American record label that started as a hardcore punk fanzine in April of 1993. It started releasing hardcore, metal and rock records in 1994.

Distribution

On January 9, 2007, Trustkill signed a deal for exclusive distribution in North America with Fontana, which is under the Universal Music Group umbrella. Trustkill is also distributed by SPV (Europe), Shock (Australia), JVC/Howling Bull (Japan), David Gresham (South Africa), and Liberation (Brazil).

Controversies

Hopesfall

After their breakup at the beginning of 2008, Hopesfall began releasing negative comments about Trustkill including "I hate Trustkill and its owner. Hahahaha. He's not the reason we broke up but I (we) do hate him." [http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=10138 Trustkill responds to Hopesfall accusations] Retrieved on June 6, 2008] The band claimed to be $20,000 in debt due to Trustkill's President, Josh Grabelle, and also claimed that Trustkill "ripped off the band" by removing songs from their final album Magnetic North without discussing it with the band first. The album was recorded, mastered, and ready to be released when the songs were removed by Trustkill. Hopesfall later released a downloadable file containing b-sides and demos from "Magnetic North". In an interview on Ryans Rockshow, drummer Jason Trabue stated that Grabelle added Hopesfall to Warped tour in 2005, then two weeks into the tour Grabelle stopped paying for the bus. The band had to take out a loan to pay the driver and get home. [ [http://www.ryansrockshow.com/podcasts/hopesfall_1.m4a Ryans Rockshow interview with Hopesfall] Retrieved on June 6, 2008] In the same interview, Trabue stated that Grabelle "pretty much owed every band on that label money."

In response to these issues, Grabelle stated that, " [Trabue] does not speak a shred of truth... I heard those guys got into some pretty hardcore drugs... and they are just miserable."

Bleeding Through

In 2007 Bleeding Through suggested to Trustkill that they would like to release a reissue of their 2006 release "The Truth" but the idea was rejected for various reasons. In 2008 Trustkill reissued "The Truth" with bonus tracks and a bonus DVD of which the band had no knowledge of. Bleeding Through believes that the reissue is a "fast and overt attempt to pay some bills." [http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008/06/06/guest-blog-bleeding-through-reveal-truth-about-trustkill-records-announce-song-titles-for-new-album/ Bleeding Through Reveal Truth About Trustkill Records, Announce Song Titles For New Album] Retrieved on June 6, 2008] Bleeding Through also had issues with Trustkill and their upcoming new album "Declaration". Trustkill violated the band's contract by letting them enter the studio in March 2008 and only funding less than 25% of the recording costs, the rest was paid via loans from the lead singer's father and the band's management. Bleeding Through commented on the current state of the label, "Trustkill no longer employs his sales guy, his art director or his publicist. 'Trustkill' is now Josh and one employee in his basement, as far as we can tell."

Throwdown

Throwdown ended their three album contract with Trustkill Records in 2007 with their release of "Venom and Tears". Nearly a year after the release, the band felt it was necessary to "air out years of dirty laundry with Josh Grabelle of Trustkill Records," [Werkheiser, Seth [http://www.buzzgrinder.com/2008/throwdown-has-beef-with-trustkill-records/ Throwdown Has Beef With Trustkill Records] "Buzz Grinder". Retrieved on July 25, 2008] or publicly release their feelings about the label. On March 31, 2008 Trustkill breached the band's contract, and as of July 2008 despite sending the label a notice of breach, nothing was resolved. The label owes Throwdown "tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties for CDs sold" [http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008/07/25/guest-blog-throwdown-singer-dave-peters-decides-to-air-out-years-of-dirty-laundry-in-hopes-of-brighter-future/Throwdown Singer Dave Peters Decides to ‘Air Out Years of Dirty Laundry’ in Hopes of Brighter Future] "Head Bangers Blog". Retrieved on July 25, 2008.] and has a history of not paying the band their royalties on time. The band expressed that the start of their contract with Trustkill was "very positive," however numerous issues over the years changed their minds. They had to drop off of several dates of Warped Tour in 2006 when Trustkill failed to pay the bus driver on time, and also failed to make payments on time while recording "Venom and Tears".

President Josh Grabelle dismissed the band's concerns by continuously saying that Throwdown "was never happy with anything [I] do." The band left the label with hopes that Trustkill could fix itself and stated, "we hope that by making this situation public, Josh will be motivated to get his business in order and set things right with Throwdown and everyone else who has been burned by the increasingly difficult situation."

Label roster

Currently signed artists

* Adversary
* BEDlight for BlueEYES
* Bleeding Through
* Bullet For My Valentine
* City Sleeps
* Crash Romeo
* Fightstar
* First Blood
* It Dies Today
* Memphis May Fire
* Most Precious Blood
* Nora
* Open Hand
* Roses Are Red
* Sick City
* Soldiers
* StoneRider
* This Is Hell
* Too Pure To Die
* Walls of Jericho

Formerly signed artist

* Another Victim
* ArmsBendBack
* Brother's Keeper
* Burn It Down
* Campfire
* Cast Iron Hike
* Despair
* Disembodied
* Eighteen Visions
* Endeavor
* Fight Paris
* Harvest
* Hopesfall
* Idle Hands
* One Nature
* Picturesque
* Poison the Well
* Racetraitor
* SeventyEightDays
* Shai Hulud
* Shenoem
* Spark Lights The Friction
* Terror
* The Great Deceiver
* Throwdown
* Turmoil

See also

* List of record labels

External links

* [http://www.trustkill.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.lambgoat.com/features/interviews/trustkill2.aspx Interview w/ Trustkill President, Josh Grabelle]

References