Music

Teen metal band signs $1.8 million record deal

by Tyler Munro

Unlocking the Truth have been talked about for years. In 2012, the band—then just a duo—made waves at New York’s infamous Apollo theatre, landing them stints on talk shows and a regular busking spot in busy Times Square. Two years later, their name still rings out as heavy music’s next big thing. Call it the benefit of youth—now a three piece, these Sabbath-infused metalheads are still waiting to celebrate their drummer’s 13th birthday.

But hard work pays off, and after a most recent stint playing at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center during the 2014 NBA playoffs the band has continued to ride that moment to the top. Today, it officially paid off. According to the New York Post, they’ve signed an absolutely massive contract with Sony Records worth a reported $1.8 million.

It’s big money for a band of virtually unknown tweens, but then you can’t blame the label for jumping on the risk. Because even as the novelty of seeing a bunch of pubescent kids clad in black, cross-covered gear playing crawling doom wears off, the music still shows an incredible amount of potential. They’re not there yet, but what’s the rush, really?

Even more impressive are the deal’s terms, which seem almost too fair for the current industry climate. According to entertainment attorney Richard Wolfe, they’ll earn a royalty rate of about 16%, which is reportedly a little more than the industry average. Still, there’s a catch: Major labels are an investment, and there’s the obvious worry that with millions of YouTube views under their belts, the Flatbush based band will have to sell more than 250,000 copies before they start to really see the money.

Luckily for them, there’s no rush. Combine their collective age and you’re still at a modest 38 years old. Do the same for Black Sabbath’s latest album, 2013’s 13 and the number is a much more startling 239—and that’s factoring in the relative youth of new drummer Brad Wilk. For now, Sony’s invested a pretty modest $60,000 in the trio. If it works out? Bank. If it doesn’t? That’s pocket change for Sony, who’ve regularly demonstrated a willingness to lose out early for future profits.