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It’s not often that a big label head posts a link to illegally download a release from another label. But that’s exactly what Digby Pearson of Earache did with Burzum’s new album, which comes out in March, on Friday on Twitter. (Interestingly, Earache almost signed Burzum back in the day. See here for the story of the meeting between them at a pizza joint with Varg Vikernes dressed in armor.)
Pearson has gone through an interesting change of heart regarding downloading. He once called mediafire “media-nazi-fire,” and Earache’s download promo site for journalists has login credentials along the lines of “file sharing is evil.” But late last year Earache released Gama Bomb’s new record as a free download. Recently, Pearson used mediafire to illegally download Wormrot’s album before he acquired the rights to it and signed the band. Now he’s posted a mediafire link to a release that’s not his, i.e., file sharing.
Now, illegal downloading is the world’s worst kept secret. Everybody but my mum does it. But it’s unprecedented for a big label head to blow up someone else’s spot this publicly. I doubt he’d like it if, say, Metal Blade’s Brian Slagel posted a download link to the upcoming Annihilator album on Earache. Maybe Pearson is gambling that Byelobog, which I’m guessing is Vikernes’ own label, doesn’t have the resources to take him on. Or maybe he just wasn’t thinking.
In reality, the practical effect of this probably isn’t much. Burzum’s album would have leaked all over the Internet without Pearson’s help. And I’m wondering how much damage leaks actually do these days. Those who take advantage of them probably wouldn’t buy albums anyway. Defenders of physical formats are going to buy them anyway. Pre-release leaks might hurt MP3 album sales — but all it takes is for one post-release leak to sink that boat, and would/wouldn’t buy anyway arguments would still hold true. Probably the biggest takeaway from this is the age-old maxim to watch what one says.
(Thanks to Robert N for the tip here.)
The record isn't garbage but it isn't amazing either. Feels more like a demo and lacks cohesion, would make more sense as Burzum's debut album than their seventh, though I'd need to listen it more and more carefully before saying that assuredly.
I can more assuredly say that mr. Earache is a disingenuous person, though. That doesn't make his opinions worthless, much the opposite actually, as long as one reads between the lines.
Wow, thanks for the tip, Dig!
You sure are blogging a lot about Burzum, Cosmo.
What's Digby's deal? Fucking hypocrite. That said, I think the new Burzum is a solid album – far better than anything Mayhem's put out since DMDS.
Maybe he promoted a leak for the same reason I did – Vikernes is a scumbag whose work shouldn't be funded.
regardless of what anyone thinks about Vikernes politics this strikes me as spiteful and irresponsible. sure the album might leak, and people are going to download it illegaly. and yeah people who are going to buy it will still buy it. but you don't go aiding and abetting that process just to mess with bands you don't like. he didn't leak the new Graveland or some other politically dicey metal band's record. it seems like he has some personal bone to pick with Burzum. it's really irresponsible for someone in his position, who probably has a lot of followers on Twitter, to do something like this. what about being a fucking professional? he runs one of the biggest metal labels out there, this is something a 15 year old kid would do.
I wouldn't say that experimenting with releasing just one of your own titles is the same as condoning filesharing – surely the whole point is that it's up to the label/copyright holder to decide how their titles are made available? And I think we can say that the ends justified the means as regards downloading the Wormrot album – clearly he wasn't doing it to simply avoid paying for the album. That said, I agree that it's inconsistent and unfair to post the Burzum link.
Sounds like an immature thing to do for someone in his position.
Wow. Very strange indeed. I actually decided to stop covering Earache releases months back because their digital promo area states that all files are watermarked for security tracking purposes, and I didn't want to potentially get hassled for posting a track or two along with write-ups.
And while I can totally understand the "political views not worthy of being supported financially" type of thinking, even that is the reason here, I have to agree with the comments above that this move just doesn't make a great deal of sense coming from someone that runs a label that isn't particularly open to file-sharing.
Burzum fucking sucks
The dude has been a goof for 18+ years now, and his label has put out 15 worthwhile records in that time. As much as I am in favor of bashing the Aryan keyboard metal Svengali this just reeks of a lame attempt at generating some press for whatever terrible metalcore or rehash thrash hunk of crap he's releasing this month. Reissue Mighty Force and shut it tubby!
He's right guys, the new Burzum is no Oceano.
But seriously this album sounds really good in my opinion. Does track 4 sound like a metal 'dance song' to anyone else here?
yes, I,Monarch. haha. That riff made me think the same thing, but not in a bad way. I've given this one listen and I think it's pretty good. I could care less about his politics, views, whatever. The record is allllright.
Yeah, I don't think it's a bad song at all, I actually really like it.
surely this is only going to generate more interest and press for Burzum than there was going to be already?
People are so terrified of some of Vikernes' ideas that they automatically sink to the lowest possible level in order to discredt and ridicule him.
Nazism is actually pretty terrifying.
Even if this thing was the most brilliant record ever made it would still only be worth an illegal download.
Varg isn't a nazi to my knowledge.
Anything to fuck over that little piece of skinny white trailer trash is good. Burzum sucks and has always sucked – the dipshit can't even keep a proper quarter note beat on the drums.
As for his politics, they are about as idiotic as his incredibly shallow take on pagan mythology. If you "dont' care" about racist, murderous politics, you are either ignorant of how the world actually functions and living in a fantasy (like Varg) or an asshole.
I could give a shit about his politics and am amazed that so many people seem to have forgotten that he murdered a better artist. maybe thats why mayhem never did better than dmds? all the outrage over his "politics" is really bizarre in light of this. He was not jailed for being a racist.
It's very probably that Snorre was the important quality in De Mysteriis too, not Aarseth. Something to think about.
Right, 'cause if Snorre was the important guy, then the murder's no big deal at all!
[/sarcasm]
http://deathrowfortraitors.blogspot.com/ (anti Vikernes)
And on that note, watch me never pay for another Earache release again.
BULLSHIT on this guy. Earache has released almost every single Anal Cunt record. Varg might have some bad politics but his music is a-political and can stand completely separate from the beliefs of the person making it. Seth Putnam, on the other hand, goes out of his way to make racist statements and has made a career out of being a piece of shit. He plays in a white power band and brings them on tour with him. Earache has made boatloads of cash off of a guy whose music is directly tied to his racist, violent beliefs. This guy is a hypocrite.
Beyond that, he's also a bully. Varg is self-releasing this album and I am sure he has neither the resources nor the knowhow to take action against this guy for doing it. If a big label was releasing this album, he'd never have done that for fear of the repercussions.
Even if everyone steals the new Burzum album by downloading it illegally, Varg will still be paid more of the royalties he's due than if he'd signed to Earache. They've never paid a bill. Ever.
Dig regularly steals from musicians, so it's no surprise he's encouraging us to as well.
This is Thor again.
Varg is a shitstain on the ass of the universe. He deserves no money, goodwill or credit. All the gods up here hate his little pansy ass. Even Freya says she wouldn't do him. Shit, even the friggin giantesses say they'd only fuck him with a strap-on. He murdered his anal friend after playing too much D&D; and puts out shitty records with no skills. Odhinn keeps asking me to kill him out of embarassment, but I think it's funny so I let him live out his pathetic little excuse for a life.
It's appropriate that he named his record after Baldur cause guess whose hog THAT pretty little goddess has in his mouth while I type this? Yep – MINE! Oh Varg – Baldur says "murph hmph murph" to you.
It's Burzum. People expected a lot more from it because it's been so long since the last 'metal' album. Of course, some of this material is old and isn't really indicative of the full potential of Varg these days. I guess the follow-up to this one (as there will be one) might be even better. I am still very pleased with it and will consider buying it now that I heard a full version of it. I wasn't sure at first but now it's clear. Beherit did well with their return album and so does Varg with Belus. Nothing ground breaking but it could have been a lot worse, too.
Oh, and what about Varg's views? People being offended by his ideas can skip the album and buy something else. He can do well without you.
I'm not sure I'd give a damn if Varg actually were running around murdering jews and colourful people.
Dig founded a great label and published a lot of great bands. I'm not in a hurry to speak ill of him.
While Burzum put out some great stuff, and is really important to black metal, "Belus" is not great. Even if the profits are going to Haiti earthquake victims as rumor has it, the album is hollow and vapid and clearly designed cynically to make money.
I also think it's possible to suggest that diversity is not a good course of action WITHOUT stooping to racism. Just say diversity doesn't work. Don't attack black people and Jews for being victims of the same system.
My two cents. Great article.