Victory Recs, Torgue Recordings sign distro deal

Official press release: Saskatchewan, Canada's Torque Recording Company has entered into an exclusive distribution deal with Victory Records for the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The deal will include Canada in 2009. Torque has launched the careers of a number of developing Canadian bands. With the new deal in place, Kevin Gales, Owner of Torque, sees an expanding horizon for the label. "Coming under Victory's wing is something that our entire roster is excited about. Every Canadian label’s struggle is to find a strong, enticing distribution solution to keep their bands. The last few years has seen our label explode due to the great growth by an untapped but extremely healthy artistic pool. We can now offer our bands a viable way to remain signed to our label in Canada, and now reach a much wider audience. Tony and his staff have demonstrated a mastery of breaking new bands on a worldwide level. We're excited to be part of that." The first releases under the new arrangement will arrive January 22 from The Emerson Letters and Blind Witness. Along Way Home and Open Eyes Elysia will release albums on February 19. Tony Brummel comments: "Canada is a great market with fantastic, hard working artists and stellar, passionate people to work with. Kevin has an exciting, robust and diverse roster of artists releasing albums in 2008. It is a privilege to work with a music entrepreneur that is not jaded by the old rules. Collectively, we do not adhere to the doom and gloom prophecies that so many expel. We see opportunity. I look forward to being challenged by Kevin’s tenacity which is also reflected by the artists he works with. In an era when so many are complacent and distraught it is an honor to be affiliated with those that remain hungry."