Hawthorne Heights Sign With Wind-Up

02/02/09 5:00pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Ohio emocore band Hawthorne Heights have signed a comprehensive deal with Wind-Up Records.

Wind-Up will release all the band's future recordings and will also handle sales of the band's music and merchandise on tour and online. It will also publish the band's music and work with the band on upcoming tours and appearances. They will release their first Wind-Up album later this year.

"It was very important for us to choose a label that has maintained a consistent staff and who understands who we want to be as Hawthorne Heights," says singer/guitarist J.T. Woodruff. "We are thankful to everyone we have worked with in the past, and are incredibly excited about the future.

"As musicians, it is crucial to be inspired by your surroundings, and right now we feel exactly that."

Hawthorne Heights sued former label Victory Records in 2006 for fraudulent accounting practices. Victory filed a countersuit for breach of contract and libel, and said the band still owed it two more albums.

Although a judge ruled in March 2007 that Victory didn't have exclusive rights to the band and they could record for any label they chose, Victory said Hawthorne Heights still owed it two albums.

Hawthorne Heights eventually dropped their suit against Victory last June and released Fragile Future for the label two months later.

Guitarist Casey Calvert passed away when he accidentally mixed prescription drugs while the band were caught up in legal limbo .

Hawthorne Heights currently consist of Woodruff, guitarist Micah Carli, bassist Matt Ridenour and drummer Eron Bucciarelli.