In response to the COVID-19 situation, Pitch Black Records has issued a statement encouraging fans to instead of buying from the label to consider buying from bands and underground festival organisers who have been affected by COVID-19. 

For those that do purchase from the label, 100% of all sales between April 5 and 15 on the label’s online store and Bandcamp will be donated to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund set up by the World Health Organization.

Full label statement: 

     "These are indeed unprecedented times we live in. It goes without saying that we as well are deeply concerned, not just for ourselves, our families and loved ones but also for our industry friends and associates and of course all our loyal fans and customers. We hope everyone is doing well and keeping safe although we do feel the need to urge everyone to do the simple thing that is constantly being repeated these days - #StayHome.

     The whole situation has undoubtedly disrupted plans and scheduling across the world, including ours as well. It actually hit just as we were about to announce our next release, so that will have to wait just a little bit longer…

     Thanks for all the orders that have been coming in but please keep in mind that shipping times at this stage are affected since a lot of flights and courier services are grounded. That’s why we kindly ask that you bear with us until this is sorted if you have recently made an order for physical items or are planning to. For the list of countries we are currently able to ship to please check our website.

     On that note, as many of you know, this crisis has hit a lot of people in the music industry, be it musicians and bands, record store owners and festival organisers (especially some of the awesome underground festivals around the world which have taken quite a hard hit). We hate seeing so many of our associates and friends being in such an unfortunate situation so one thing we would like to ask is that before buying from us you instead (or also) consider buying merch or something (anything) directly from bands who have had shows or tours cancelled, festival organisers who have seen their month-long hard work vanish into thin air  (consider also NOT asking for a refund) and others.

     Still, if you do buy from us, we are announcing today that for all sales at our online store and Bandcamp between April 5th and April 15th, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund set up by the World Health Organization. The sooner we manage to beat this thing, the sooner everything will start getting back to normal (for everyone) and every little bit we can contribute will surely help and is definitely better than nothing.

     We are offering a 10% discount on our online store (use code STAYHOME) while on Bandcamp we are offering the full digital discography, in case you want to consider that instead of individual albums or tracks, at an 85% discount (so $56.85 instead of $379).

Links:

Online Store - https://store.pitchblackrecords.com/
Bandcamp - https://pitchblackrecords.bandcamp.com/

     Humanity will beat this, without a question! We just have to be a little bit patient and disciplined. So once again, #StayHome, #StaySafe and always follow the guidelines and advice of your local authorities. One good thing is that you can take advantage of the situation to enjoy tons of great music, so why not go ahead and do just that!

https://www.pitchblackrecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/pitchblackrecords
https://twitter.com/pitchblackrcrds
https://instagram.com/pitchblackrecords

Non-profit organization, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) is excited to announce that they have partnered with Skullcandy for their newly launched MOOD BOOST program, designed in response to the growing mental health crisis among Millennials and Generation Z.
 
TWLOHA founder Jamie Tworkowski says that:-

     "Music can play a big part in coping with depression and anxiety. Music reminds us that it's okay to feel and it's okay to be honest, and those truths relate directly to mental health. We couldn't be more excited about this new partnership with Skullcandy. Our dedication to helping people find hope fits perfectly with their Mood Boost program."


Skullcandy Chief Marketing Officer, Jessica Klodnicki says:-
 
     "The statistics are startling, The World Health Organization reports more than 300 million people suffer from depression worldwide. As we looked to create our new take on moods and music, we wanted to listen carefully to the voices of our core customers. It became very clear that mental health is a critical topic for them. Mood Boost is our way of shining a spotlight on this issue and ways to seek help."
 
Every month for the next 12 months, Mood Boost will spotlight a positive mood and look to lift our collective spirits through:
 
●      Exclusive music artist content
Four fast-rising music stars have joined the campaign to represent a diverse range of music genres and world views: Rapper Rico Nasty; Latinx singer-songwriter, Cuco; Indie-pop singer-songwriter Gus Dapperton, and London-based pop sensation, Rina Sawayama.
 
●      Insightful athlete content
As a brand founded at the intersection of music and board sports, Skullcandy will also profile its rich roster of surf, skate, and snow athletes through interviews designed to offer uplifting stories. Followers will hear from iconic professional athletes like surfer Coco Ho, snowboarder Mark McMorris, and skateboarder Jenn Soto, among others.
 
●      Limited-edition product/art bundle drops
The hottest Skullcandy true wireless products will be released in small-batch, custom colorways and bundled with free limited-edition art prints by renowned graphic designers and pop-culture artists, including London-based Tina Touli and design duo Rude, as well as New York City artist Queen Andrea and France/Asia-based Paiheme Studio.
 
Part of every bundle sale will benefit TWLOHA to help directly fund treatment and recovery for youth suffering from depression and addiction.
 
Since its start in 2006, TWLOHA has donated over $2.6 million directly into treatment, has responded to over 250,000 messages from over 100 countries, and traveled more than 3.8 million miles to meet people face-to-face at nearly 3,000 events. Each month, they connect with 5 million people online through social media and their FIND HELP Tool fields 5,000 searches made by people seeking affordable, local mental health resources.
 
Last fall TWLOHA wrapped up their 8th annual campaign to honor World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) and National Suicide Prevention Week (September 8 - September 14). With the help of supporters from around the world, the organization was able to raise more than $250k for treatment and recovery, surpassing their initial goal of $150k. Over 5,700 people donated to the "You Make Today Better" campaign, in addition to the sale of over 4,600 World Suicide Prevention Day packs. The money raised will help sponsor over 4,100 counseling sessions and fund 60,000 FIND HELP searches.
 
Skullcandy is the original lifestyle audio brand with the mission "to unleash the visceral power of music for all." Based in Park City, Utah, Skullcandy designs, markets, and distributes audio products around the globe. The company's web site can be found at www.skullcandy.com.

Following the declaration of national emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak in Italy,  Metalitalia.com and Spaziorock.it joined forces to support the Italian Red Cross and the constant commitment of its thousands of employees and volunteers in the current struggle.

GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN

The Italian Red Cross has been active at the forefront of the emergency since the start of the Covid-19 alert with multiple roles, including relief, health, psychological, logistical, information, control, screening and is carrying out many other crucial activities in the battle against this epidemic that is bringing the country to its knees. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Italian Red Cross is safely managing the transport of the sick to and between the relevant health structures, through the use of special high bio-containment means prepared in case of health emergencies like this.

We ask all of you fans, artists, record labels and music professionals to support our cause. The rock community has always been united and aimed at mutual support. A small gesture to help people who need care and support to return to their normal lives as soon as possible. With the hope of seeing each other again in a music venue soon!

The Trooper Heavy Metal Truants, a charity cycle ride co-founded in 2012 by former Metal Hammer editor-in-chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, is set to depart from London’s Alexandra Palace on the morning of Wednesday, June 7th for its fifth annual pilgrimage to Download Festival to benefit three children’s charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins, and Childline. To date, they have raised £338,000.

Now in its fifth year, the three day, 164-mile ride consists of 50 cyclists from every walk of life - fans, industry, and bands who’ve included Paradise Lost, Amon Amarth, Trivium, Orange Goblin, Pendulum, Tesseract, The Raven Age and more.

To kick off their week of fundraising, The Trooper Heavy Metal Truants announced titular sponsorship from the award-winning Trooper Premium British Beer created by Iron Maiden and hand crafted by Robinsons Brewery. They have also teamed up with long-time supporters and rock/metal cabaret sensations The Lounge Kittens to record a charity single, which sees this year’s cyclists adding their vocals to a cover of 'Bicycle Race', by Queen. The single, which was mixed Olli Daffarn at Blue Dot studios, will be available via Amazon and other online retailers, and it will be followed by the launch of the Monster Rock Auction on June 6th at 6pm (6/6 @ 6). 

Featuring high-end items personally donated by the world’s biggest bands, the auction will be staggered, and the first round of items will include a bass guitar donated by Geddy Lee of Rush, handwritten 'Livin’ On A Prayer' lyrics written by Jon Bon Jovi, rare original and signed Grateful Dead artwork, a signed Metallica Les Paul guitar, and a rare original oil-on-canvas portrait of The Beatles’ George Harrison by famed pop and rock artist Barry Novis. A second and even larger lot is to be announced on July 4th.

“This is all about community and doing some good in the world,” says Smallwood. “It’s that sense of community that’s at the core of heavy metal culture, and it’s also been key to the success of the Heavy Metal Truants, because people at every level of our world have truly pulled together to make this happen.”

“In five short years, the Heavy Metal Truants has truly taken on a life of its own,” adds Milas. “From our 164-mile battle with the hills and the heat next week, to our first-ever charity single, to a truly one-of-a-kind memorabilia auction, it’s testament how metal fans respond when they see good causes worth fighting for. Please help us spread the word, and help support these charities who do such inspiring work every single day.”

For more info and to donate, head to:
http://www.heavymetaltruants.com

Get the Heavy Metal Truants vs. The Lounge Kittens cover of
BICYCLE RACE here:
http://smarturl.it/bicyclerace

The Monster Rock Auction:
https://www.charitystars.com/foundation/heavy-metal-truants/comingsoon

Learn more about TROOPER Beer at:
www.ironmaidenbeer.com

Imminence Records will be fundraising this year during the 2016 edition of Extra Life. Extra Life is an event where gamers usually stream themselves playing games for 24 hours, usually on the official Game Day which is November 5th this year, in support of their chosen Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. While Imminence Records currently has no plans set for the streaming portion, they have set a donation goal of $500 by November 5th to support their local CMN hospital of James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital.

          “Imminence Records has always cared about a lot more than just music. That along with the fact I am a gamer has led us to decide to take part in this year’s Extra Life event. It also lets us give back to our local community which was just ravaged by Hurricane Matthew and is currently expecting flooding not seen since Hurricane Floyd.” – Ryan Williford (Owner)

IMMINENCE RECORDS LINKS

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

The Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu recently released a collection of music entitled “The Quest For A Morning Star”, to raise funds for the victims of the recent tragedy at Club Collectiv, in Bucharest (30.10.2015)

All proceeds raised from the paid digital downloads were donated to a foundation collecting funds for the victims.

His campaign ended on 27.11.2015, and Avantgarde Music took over now a physical release in Deluxe A5 digipack: again all profits will be collected and transferred to the Foundation.


Chioreanu is well known and highly respected for his graphic works for At The Gates, Arch Enemy, Napalm Death, Arcturus, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Ulver and many others. A musician himself, he has collaborated with various artists to create “soundtracks” to accompany his exhibitions in the past. These soundtracks have been made available via BandCamp until 27.11.2015, with all proceeds to be donated to help with medical bills and funeral expenses of those who have been affected by the fire.


What happened:

The Colectiv nightclub fire was a deadly fire in Bucharest, Romania, on 30 October 2015, which killed 60 people (26 on spot, 34 in hospitals) and injured 151. The fire, the worst incident in Romania happened at an entertainment event, occurred during a free concert performed by the Metalcore band Goodbye to Gravity to celebrate the release of their new album. The band’s pyrotechnics, consisting of sparkler firework candles, ignited the club’s flammable polyurethane acoustic foam, and the fire spread rapidly.

Most of the victims were poisoned by toxins released from the burning foam. Overwhelmed by the high number of victims, Romanian authorities transferred some of the seriously injured to hospitals in Israel, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, UK, Norway, Germany and France.

An all-stars benefit project whose profits will be entirely donated to the victims of the 30/10/2015 arson in Bucharest, Romania, where 60 metal fans died while attending a concert by local band Goodbye to Gravity.

Costin Chioreanu, worldwide known visual artist and musician, together with nonetheless than David Tibet (CURRENT 93), Rune Eriksen “Blasphemer” (ex-Mayhem guitarist), Attila Csihar (Mayhem) and Mirai Kawashima  (from SIGH) have forged a marvelous album, both musically and visually. Marvelous, intimate and obscure soundtrack-like music adorned with 8 stunning arts / designs made by Costin.