Having newly secured the services of ex-Inferi drummer Spencer Moore, Canadian technical death metal band Archspire have turned to crowdfunding to get their next album out to the masses. The band expect hit the studio this June to finish off the sessions for that record which began earlier this year. Announcing the new campaign for the album, the band stated today, May 29th:
“After 13 incredible years signed with Season of Mist Records, we’re now officially independent.
No label means no safety net. We’re now financially responsible for everything ourselves: studio time, vinyl pressing, artwork, videos, PR, distribution, and more.
Independence gives us full control of our future, but it also means we’re relying on our fans more than ever before to make it happen.
If you believe in supporting bands directly, now’s your chance. Claim your exclusive vinyl variant and merch today for our upcoming new album!
Our Kickstarter is now live: let’s make this album together.”
The group are aiming to raise $174,000 CAD ($125,644 USD) for that project and are well on their way, with over $50,000 raised as of press time. You can contribute via Kickstarter. Speaking on the aforementioned campaign page, the band provided some more details on what they’ve set out to accomplish with this undertaking. The campaign page also provides a detailed breakdown of the budget they’ve set out for this project.
“For the past thirteen years, we’ve had an incredible journey with Season of Mist Records. They helped us build our brand, fund our albums, and guide us through countless industry challenges. Without them we would have had a much harder time getting through the adversity we faced early on in our career, and for that we’re grateful for their support. But now, it’s time to take full control of our future, and go completely independent.
Going independent means managing everything ourselves: album production, PR, distribution, recording budgets, music videos; you name it. It’s a massive step, but we’re ready. And we need your help to make this a reality.”
“Did you know the industry standard royalty split is 80-85% in favour of the label? This means if an album sells for $29.99, after manufacturing costs and the label cut, the band might get as little as $3.00. Labels provide an advance on royalties, but it often takes years (or never) to recoup.
Archspire wants to break free of that cycle. By going fully independent, we can take 100% control of our business, fund our own record, and never again rely on advances or unfair royalty splits.”
“Of course, funding an album on our own is risky. Instead of leaning on a label, it’s on us to cover the costs of studio time, artwork, advertising, and physical album production.But risk is nothing new to us. From day one, we’ve quit jobs, crashed on couches, and emptied personal bank accounts to keep the music going. Our music has always been about pushing boundaries, and now, so is our career.”
