Animal-Rights Activist Who Inspired EARTH CRISIS Song Arrested On Arson Charges

Walter Edmund Bond, the 34-year-old animal-rights activist from Salt Lake City who inspired the EARTH CRISIS song "To Ashes", was arrested last week on suspicion of starting a fire that destroyed a sheepskin store near Denver which he allegedly deemed was cruel to animals. Federal prosecutors have charged him with one count of arson in connection with the fire at the Sheepskin Factory in Glendale in April.

According to The Huffington Post, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent said Bond called a friend that he hadn't seen in 12 years and referred to a web site associated with the Animal Liberation Front.

A posting on the web site claimed responsibility for the fire in Glendale, saying it was done "in defense and retaliation for all the innocent animals that have died cruelly at the hands of human oppressors."

Comments EARTH CRISIS guitarist Scott Crouse: "Our motivation behind writing the song 'To Ashes' was to show the passion and frustration of a man who reached his boiling point. The extremes that Walter went to save his brother's life we find inspiring, mainly because they were acts of property destruction against his adversaries, not acts of violence. We wanted to simply document what many in the straight-edge community already deemed as a heroic and selfless action.

"Regarding Walter's current arrest, we don't have much to say since right now they are merely accusations until he is proven guilty."

EARTH CRISIS is currently writing material for the follow-up to 2009's "To The Death" for a 2011 release via Century Media Records. Crouse states, "So far we have about four new songs written and are hoping to start working on vocals this fall. The plan is to have 10 new songs and re-record a few older songs that are live set staples.

"We are hoping to start recording in January 2011 with an as-yet-undetermined producer."

EARTH CRISIS' chugging riffs and barked declarations served as the mouthpiece of America's militant vegan, straight-edge movement throughout the '90s, detailing the ideas of animal and human liberation, drug-free living and personal empowerment through hardcore music. The group has continued along this path of breaking new ground, constantly working and reaching more people spreading their message to the masses.

After a lengthy hiatus, the band reformed in 2008 to the delight of the hardcore genre. They soon produced the vicious new offering, "To The Death", that undoubtedly proved that they have never been stronger from both songwriting and musicianship perspectives.

"To The Death" was released on May 5, 2009 via Century Media Records (April 20 in Europe). The self-produced CD was recorded at Castle Recording Studios in Utica, New York and was mixed by Tue Madsen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MOONSPELL, THE HAUNTED). Artwork for the effort was handled by Paul Romano (MASTODON, GODFLESH).