Greg Puciato Releases Debut Solo LP 'Child Soldier: Creator Of God' Early Following Online Leak
Monday, 05 October 2020
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Jim Louvau
Greg Puciato has released his debut solo album early due to an online leak.
The former Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist, who also leads Killer Be Killed and the Black Queen, made 'Child Soldier: Creator Of God' available to stream and download via Bandcamp on October 2, three weeks ahead of its intended release on October 23 via his own Federal Prisoner label. It'll arrive on streaming services on October 9.
Puciato explained the situation in a post to Federal Prisoner's official social media channels on October 1. Take a look below and check out our review of the record here.
"Everyone, I just wanna take a minute to talk directly to y'all. You might think I'm bummed over this leak, but honestly, it's a relief to get this thing out into the world, and I'm happy to be in a position where we can pivot so quickly to make sure that the people who have paid for it are getting the highest quality version of the album right away. Really one of the perks of running your own thing, is that you can move and adapt quickly. Nothing would make me freak out harder than if this would have happened and left me stuck waiting for October 23rd to come, with some shitty stream rip of my record being all over the place for three weeks beforehand. So we spent one day trying to get a handle on the leak, and then the next day I woke up, and before I even got out of bed I was able to say "fuck it" and hit "release" on our Bandcamp. And it felt great. I'm always game for an unforeseen challenge.
"This time is a critical time for supporting independent arts and culture. Besides the effects of Covid-19, the entire industry is being bought up top to bottom by people who have, and never will be, artists themselves. Very few artists, or independent artistic or cultural ventures, are able to survive without making deals with "the man" in some way. Sometimes here's a way to play ball with them, to get what you need out of them, to help get to where you want to go, without losing yourself completely to them. But you have to dig your heels in. Whether you're an independent artist, promoter, venue owner, label owner, booking agent, or manager, this year is going to accelerate the artistic third-world economy. It is, has been, and always will be, a struggle to maintain independence without concession, but it's a struggle that gives you purpose, and it comes from, and also feeds, a feeling of "fuck you" that, if you're a certain type of person, never leaves the cells of the blood in your veins. That feeling gets me the fuck up in the morning.
"My record leaking only made me feel more of this feeling. It didn't make me feel powerless. It made me feel even more driven. Our ability to intercept it and counter it quickly, with no regard for "plans", or any "making sure all of our first week sales are coordinated" nonsense, felt correct, and powerful, free without template, and reinforced how I've always felt inside.
"So to everyone who has thrown ten bucks at this record on the Bandcamp, a record that I've spent the last eighteen months working on and readying, you are appreciated. Money isn't easy for anyone to come by, especially in these times, but I promise you that money spent supporting honest, risk taking, independent art and expression is worth it, and I mean whenever you can, whenever I can, I'm not talking about my record, I'm talking about in general. All of us refusing to let truth die. It's one of the only ways that we can resist being dumbed down into the ground as a society.
"Also, the album is a difficult record, and I know 65 minutes is a long time, but it is an album, and it is made to be listened to from front to back, at least once. Then....go ahead and do whatever the fuck you want, listen to whatever songs you want, but for me, at least once, just give it a front to back listen.
"I love all of you, don't buy into all the manipulative division happening in the world right now. It's sickening. We are human family, all of us. It would be cool if we didn't fuck that up."
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