02/09/10 – Forgiven Rival (Australia) Sign up With Indianola Records
Boys and girls, drum roll please…
Forgiven Rival and the gang at Cartel Music Management are excited to announce the union of Forgiven Rival (Australia) and Indianola Records. Indianola Records, credited for uncovering and releasing bands including Evergreen Terrace, A Day to Remember, Across Five Aprils, This Runs Through and Casey Jones, discovered Melbourne’s Forgiven Rival amongst a mountain of label applications and were unanimously keen to get the ball rolling on a US release. Matt Shelton of Indianola Records said “Signing a band of this calibre and work ethic is why Indianola Records was started in the first place. We are extremely excited to be working with Forgiven Rival and bring them to the United Sates. Joel, Simeon, Peter, Andrew and Lee have worked very hard to get to where they are and we want to help them take the next step”. After a short and painless negotiation, Forgiven Rival are proud to be the first non-US band to be released through Indianola, and are excited about working with the team. In the coming months, Indianola will release “This is a War” in the US, with bonus tracks, The Grey (previously unreleased), and a new forthcoming single, recorded at Complex Studios with Roman Koester exclusively for the US release. Distributed through number 1 independent US distributor Koch, the album will also include bonus video footage and new artwork. Forgiven Rival are excited about the year ahead and look forward to taking their music into the United States backed by the fine team at Indianola Records.
Anchored in the aggression of bands like Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying while channelling the pop sensibility of Story of the Year and Cartel, Australia’s Forgiven Rival are quickly gaining momentum and drawing the attention of international audiences, sharing the stage with UnderOath, Story Of The Year, Escape The Fate, Haste The Day, Blessed by a Broken Heart, The Audition, Parkway Drive, Silverstein, Project 86, THSD, Sights and Sounds, Boys Night Out, MxPx, I Killed The Prom Queen, The Getaway Plan, and more.
In 2006, Forgiven Rival independently released their debut EP ‘The Symphony of Words’ before signing to Australian label, El Shaddai Records. 2008 saw the successful Australian/Japanese release of their Debut Album ‘This is a War’ which was followed by the release of the first film-clip ‘Like The Effects of the Wind’. In the following months, the band inked a deal with Cartel Music Management and picked up endorsement deals with Zildjian, Roulette Custom Drums, Vic Firth, ESP, Hughes & Kettner and Dean Markley. Their music appeared on a number of Extreme Sports films including Extreme Velocity, Adaptions Encore, and Freesurf DVD. With constant touring, charity events, festival appearances and heavy media/radio attention, Forgiven Rival carved their mark on the Australian music scene.
In mid 2008 the band received an invitation to perform at Canadian Music Week in Toronto alongside The Holly Springs Disaster and Sights and Sounds. On return to Australia in late March, Forgiven Rival began pre-production for the next album. A sit down meeting with Australia’s foremost booking and touring agency, Premier Artists, resulted in the band teaming up with this iconic agency to continue the bands spiralling growth in Australia. In early June 2009, Forgiven Rival introduced Andrew Hennesy as their new bassist, freeing up frontman Joel Thornton, taking the live show to exciting new levels.
Shortly after, Rearranged Freestyle Productions approached Forgiven Rival with a request to appear on their forthcoming FMX DVD. The DVD – showcasing riders Bilko, Cam Sinclair, Carey Hart, Robbie Adelberg, Schuie, Robbie Maddisson, Matt McFerran, Steve Mini, and Robbie Marshall – features tracks ‘The Grey’ and ‘We are all Soldiers’.
In September, the band announced the departure of guitarist Adrian Brown, who was heading back to Canada. He rocked out in typical fashion on a national tour with Haste The Day and Shadows Chasing Ghosts to mark his goodbye.
In November, the band entered Complex Studios to record two new singles for release in the US and Australia (through El Shaddai Records) in 2010. In the same month, behind closed doors, Forgiven Rival inked a deal with US label, Indianola Records, credited for uncovering and releasing bands including Evergreen Terrace, A Day to Remember, Across Five Aprils, and Casey Jones. Forgiven Rival are proud to be the first non-US band ever to be released through Indianola.
Shortly thereafter, Forgiven Rival spotted the uncanny talents and manly moustache of Lee Omond while he played at an all ages Freeza event. After an invitation to audition, a few laughs and a live trial, it was unanimous: Lee Omond had won himself a permanent position on the stage alongside Forgiven Rival, and four became five.
With their future in their hands, Forgiven Rival, are geared up to unleash the new singles and get back on the road at both home and abroad.
Keep watching – it’s gonna get brutal.
“This Is A War is a blueprint for modern Australian, accessible music.” – Blunt Magazine
“Heavy with melody and aggression, the debut by Melbourne four-piece Forgiven Rival is nothing short of first class.” – The Adelaide Advertiser
“The big heavy hardcore breakdowns and metallic edge to their sound ensures that the band have plenty of power behind them, while the melodic choruses showcase the commercial appeal within the band’s song writing… a well-rounded and likeable release, and one that’s sure to attract more than a few listeners in the band’s direction” – The Blistering Webzine