Heavy Metal Youngsters UNLOCKING THE TRUTH Severing Ties With SONY

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According to Billboard.com, UNLOCKING THE TRUTH — the heavy metal band from Flatbush, Brooklyn made up of three African-American boys, guitarist Malcolm Brickhouse, bassist Alec Atkins and drummer Jarad Dawkins — is severing ties with Sony, less than a year after signing with the major label. "Our attorneys are working on our exit from Sony now," Malcolm Brickhouse said at the world premiere of "Breaking A Monster", a documentary about the band's rise to success. UNLOCKING THE TRUTH manager Alan Sacks confirmed to Billboard.com the group was in the process of leaving Sony. The members of UNLOCKING THE TRUTH famously got permission from a New York judge last July to sign the Sony deal. The musicians needed the judge's approval because they are minors. UNLOCKING THE TRUTH last summer recorded its first single, "Monster", but the song has yet to be released. As part of its guaranteed two-album deal with Sony, UNLOCKING THE TRUTH was reportedly due to receive $60,000 to record the first disc and possibly as much as $325,000 for the second CD. Sony reportedly had an option to release a total of five albums from UNLOCKING THE TRUTH that could have pushed the label's financial investment to around $1.7 million ($325,000 for the second album, $400,000 for the third, $450,000 for the fourth and $550,000 for the fifth). It should be noted, however, that the band was only supposed to see the real money after an initial $60,000 advance if their debut album sold more than 250,000 copies, a prospect that seemed highly unlikely in an age of diminishing record sales. UNLOCKING THE TRUTH has already played the Coachella festival and has supported GUNS N' ROSES. In addition, the band has appeared in a national ad campaign for Verizon Wireless. UNLOCKING THE TRUTH credits bands such as METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED, CHELSEA GRIN, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and ESCAPE THE FATE as its influences. "Breaking A Monster" is looking for distribution.



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