Cruz Del Sur Music lauch a fundraising campaign for Rich Walker from Solstice on their Bandcamp

Cruz Del Sur Music lauch a fundraising campaign for Rich Walker from UK epic doom metal legends Solstice, who is in desperate need of a surgery costing between 15000-20000 GBP that NHS will not cover.

You can contribute by downloading exclusive compilation »Allies Vol. I – For Ale, For Albion, For Richard« on Cruz Del Sur Music’s Bandcamp featuring bands such as Pale Divine, The Wizar’d, SpellBook, Smoulder, Orodruin and more. All proceeds go to Rich Walker and since today is Bandcamp fee waiver Friday, there’s no better time to do it!

“When we first found out that our brother Rich Walker from Solstice was in truly dire straits, our instinctive reaction was to band together to help in any way we could, as you do – in the Metal community. We discussed an array of options, and each one of them comes with its own realities: most existing fundraising platforms take a percentage; online digital music platforms again, take a percentage; manufacturing physical products takes time – plus there’s the initial costs and taxes. All that said, being that time is of the essence, we decided the swiftest course of action to generate the harrowing amount of money needed for his surgery was to start a fundraising campaign – which we have done and we’re making genuine progress… but there’s still a long ways to go, so we decided on a multi-phase campaign – and thus phase two begins:

Today we are announcing a series of online-only compilations curated by Cruz Del Sur Music where 100% of the income generated will be sent directly to Rich to supplement the fundraiser and provide a little more of a buffer during these difficult times. This first volume features a selection of tracks from recent, current, and even-near future releases from the label. In some instances, this means we are premiering brand new tracks for the first time!

We will be following up with a second volume that delves deep into the CDSM archives – something of a “greatest hits” if you will – and we will also be including submissions from many of Rich’s friends outside of the label roster too. If anyone wishes to contribute a track to this, please contact me or Enrico directly!

There is more news to come regarding some special physical releases (phase three), and I want to also remind everyone that they can always support Rich directly by visiting the https://solstice-englander.bandcamp.com page! Remember you can always “name your own price” above and beyond what is listed!

And again, anyone who wishes to join in the fundraiser campaign may do so via: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rich-walker-surgery-fund.

Thanks to everyone who has graciously contributed already – you make me proud to be a Metalhead!”
~ Tom Phillips (While Heaven Wept, Cruz Del Sur Music)

“I believe in people. I believe in personal, true relations. I believe in loyalty. I believe in the given word. If I look at this sort of “community” that Traditional Heavy Metal is, these are the values that move me, and I believe move us all.

I don’t like the term “Brother” specifically. It’s not something I am used to say. But as said I believe in people, I believe in friends, I believe in Friendship. And when Tom PhilIips phoned me to see how we could help out Rich, as Cruz Del Sur Music but specifically as a FRIEND, I didn’t hesitate for a second.

Maybe Rich hasn’t always been the kindest person around. We all know his outspoken opinions and sometimes even more outlandish comments have created issues with some of you for sure. But we all have issues, haven’t we? Maybe we act or react in different ways but we all have had issues with someone at some point.

What is important here, I think, is that, in the moment of need – these issues should be left aside. Because Rich really represented and represent a stronghold, a bastion for the true Heavy Metal Spirit.
The bands you now hail, some of them would not be here if he hadn’t carried the torch almost alone in the darkest time. And that’s the truth, nothing else.

In the end, like it or not, Rich is ONE OF US. This compilation, is a small first step to help and more will come in the future. I would like to thank all the bands that given us permission to use their songs, it is much appreciated and won’t be forgotten.”
~ Enrico (Cruz Del Sur Music Srl)

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well