Back in April, All Shall Perish discovered that many of their fans were being sued by World Digital Rights (the company that somehow acquired the band’s digital rights) along with the support of Nuclear Blast Records and SKP Enforcement UG. Despite the band, their attorney and their manager’s protest against the lawsuit, fans were still being sued last we heard. However, now it looks like the band’s label is putting a stop to the lawsuit.
Nuclear Blast Records announced that they have ceased their lawsuit via the following statement:
“Nuclear Blast and SKP Enforcement UG, who are experienced in tracking illegal downloads and the file sharing of music, recently decided to cooperate with World Digital Rights to fight against file sharing piracy in the USA. In the United States, the providers are obligated by law to hand out the IP addresses of the computers from which the downloads / file shares were generated. By collecting this information these companies are also acting in the interest of our artists, which is essential to the future of both our bands and the label.
To be able to recoup the investments both parties have made, is crucial in order to produce new music and to survive in this business. Nuclear Blast, SKP Enforcement, and World Digital Rights want people to be aware that the peer-to-peer file sharing is illegal and hurts the bands and record companies they love.
That said, Nuclear Blast also respects bands such as ALL SHALL PERISH that do not wish to pursue file sharers. ALL SHALL PERISH was not consulted about this course of action and did not wish to participate in it whatsoever. When they learned about it, they immediately asked us to cease all legal action against their fans, file traders or otherwise, as soon as they learned this action had been taken in their name. Therefore Nuclear Blast and World Digital Rights decided recently to stop legal actions against the file sharing with songs from the band ALL SHALL PERISH.
In all other cases, the parties involved pursue those violating copyright laws to avoid the financial loss they incur and to protect the value of their copyrights. Nuclear Blast counts on the loyal fans which have been supporting the label and our bands for over 20 years now. Every sale helps support metal and the people that work hard to bring metal to the masses. For those that continue to buy music legally, that is something every loyal fan can be proud of.”
This statement is somewhat interesting, since previously it appeared that Nuclear Blast Records (at least the U.S. label manager and label president) claimed ignorance of the lawsuit. Either way, unless if the label misspoke in their statement (aka, World Digital Rights is still moving forward with the lawsuit), it looks like All Shall Perish fans (or at least those who torrented their album This is Where it Ends) won’t have to worry about getting sued for the time being.
[via The PRP]
