Statues Team Up With Perth Peers For 'Sanctuary: Vol 1' Compilation

Statues team up with a bunch of Perth pals for a compilation release to help raise funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

One of my favourite records from 2017 was Statues powerful second LP, the musically chaotic and emotionally harrowing 'No Grave, No Burial'.

It was a heavy and political record that thankfully wasn't thankfully too politicised nor overly preachy and really honed in on the human struggles and traumas that refugees face in the exodus from their homelands, the hopelessness of their dire situations, and the prosecution they suffer from many Western citizens and bodies.

As I mentioned in my initial album review of 'No Grave, No Burial' last year, the world right now is in a refugee crisis according to the UNHCR (that's the UN Refugee Agency). We're currently experiencing the highest number of displaced people since World War II, with an estimated 22.5 million refugees and over 64 million people forcibly displaced from their home due to conflicts around the world. Which is beyond fucked up when you think about it.

However, in order to help do their little part out here in Australia, Statues have decided to aid this ever-growing issue in some small way with 'Sanctuary Vol. 1'. On this recently released 17-track compilation, the violent and energetic hardcore/metalcore act has teamed up with a bunch of their Perth peers to make a joint album where all proceeds made will be donated to Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC); an Australian organisation who do good work by helping out integrating refugees with legal aid, jobs, education, and so on.

[caption id="attachment_1098676" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Statues, 2017. [/caption]

As for the compilation itself, it features material ranging from fellow Perth hardcore crew Ratking, metalcore newcomers Worlds Apart, intriguing prog-instrumentalists Yomi Ship, New Talk (who I actually hadn't heard of before, but who are now an interesting punk band sitting high up on my radar), the indie-spoken-word-screamo sounds of Treehouses, and the grungy garage-rock of FOAM. This solid playlist full of upcoming local WA talents then concludes with Statues very own song, 'Sanctuary', the hard-hitting third track from the band's brilliant sophomore effort.

This noble charity album also comes in support of Statues upcoming headline show at Amplifier Capital this weekend on May 5th, with supports from Ratking, Worlds Apart, Displacement and Yomi Ship. (Find all further event info on that particular gig right here).

Straight up, I'm all onboard for this! Because it's the Perth outfit putting their money right where their mouth is and backing up the all-too-real narrative behind 'No Grave, No Burial'; someone fleeing their war-torn home and journeying to a country like Australia now as a refugee with next to nothing on their backs but their clothes. Which is not only great to see Statues doing so and standing by their lyrics, but so too is how plenty of their Perth pals have chipped their own songs in for this release and gotten around something selfless and community driven.

Check out 'Sanctuary Vol. 1' below and dig a little bit into your pocket for the album's 'pay-what-you-wish' model to help support a great cause. Who knows, you might find some pretty cool new bands in the process. And that's always a win!