Earth Crisis once again continue to be the mouthpiece of issues like militant animal liberation, drug-free living and personal empowerment through chugga chugga hardcore. As if they would have it any other way!

The band wrote a song, 'To Ashes,' about a man named Walter Bond who once burnt down a meth lab. Bond was arrested and charged with torching a sheepskin factory store last week. Bond, the so-called 'A.L.F. Lone Wolf,' is currently being held without bail on the latter arson charges. He is also a suspect in a case where a fois gras restaurant was burned down and a leather factory arson, as well. He has plead not guilty in the sheepskin factory case. You can read more about his plight. Earth Crisis spoke to Noisecreep about the issues at hand.

"Basically, we met Walter in Denver in 2008. He told us his story of him burning down the meth lab," guitarist Scott Crouse told Noisecreep about why they were inspired to write a song about Bond's actions. "He explained how he attempted to confront the dealer face-to-face, go to the police -- and that both were ineffective. He decided to take things into his own hands because he saw the only way to save his brother was to stop the problem at the source. It's an amazing story whether you agree with his actions or not, enough so that we thought we'd write a song around it. A lot of Earth Crisis lyrics have always come from 'real life' inspirations. We've had songs about Paul Watson from Sea Shepherds, the Black Panther Party, animal liberation actions we have read about, and also the writings of Edward Abbey."

Crouse also said that the band wanted to show the passion and frustration of a man who had reached his boiling point with their song, and that they found his actions inspiring, mainly because they were acts of property destruction against his adversaries, not acts of violence. However, the band did not comment on his current arrest, saying they are merely accusations at this point.

The members of Earth Crisis, however, don't worry that fans -- both passing and die-hard -- might be turned off to animal rights issues because they talk about extreme actions such as Bond's most recent activities. "I think the dangerous thing about direct action is that it creates a villain and a victim in the public eye," Crouse said. "The media rarely shows behind-the-scenes fur farm or slaughterhouse footage to go along with the story about the actions. I think if they did, people may understand the outrage and frustration a little more. To see this 'victim' senselessly beating, skinning, and mutilating a living creature would change a lot of public opinion on what took place, I think."

Rogue actions such as burning down a sheepskin plant -- or a meth lab -- might seem like vigilante justice to the casual observer, but Earth Crisis believe that such actions are inevitable. And while they aren't the ones out their setting fire to buildings, they are instead encasing the message in songs to get the word out, which is equally as pro-active and not to mention legal. "My opinion is, when people choose to deal in death and violence for profit, they shouldn't be surprised when negativity finds its way to their front door," Crouse said. "We, as a band, support a vegan/vegetarian, drug-free and environmentally friendly lifestyle. We write songs about things we find interesting and inspiring and that is how we choose to further that message."

Earth Crisis have written four new songs and are expecting to start tracking vocals in the fall. They plan on writing and recording 10 new songs and to re-record a few classics that are live set list staples! They may record starting in January 2011.

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