STATEMENT ON THE COPYRIGHT STRIKES AGAINST ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL AND LIGHTFOX'S YOU TUBE CHANNELS:
I'm going to comment on this:I got into a lot of black metal bands through these channels, I'm a subscriber. I post about these bands and projects to ITP V.018 via the bands and record companies official bandcamp and you tube channels. However, I'm sad to see these channels go. One band threatened to DMCA these channels last month. FU to whomever DMCA'ed these channels as at least 15% of these projects get either no label promotion or their distros and record companies have no bandcamp or you tube channels. The band that threatened to DMCA these channels via a facebook post was unsigned when these channels were promoting them.
Get an official you tube and bandcamp already. BANDCAMP pay better than SPOTIFY. Never bite the hand that feeds you, these YOU TUBE channels have gotten bands discovered and record deals. .
FROM SOJOURNER:
Like many other bands and fans, we are disappointed to hear that the Atmospheric Black Metal YouTube channel has been taken down. We owe the channel a lot for the original uploads of the 'Heritage...' single, 'Empires of Ash', and 'The Shadowed Road', which got a collective 350k views and were the reason a lot of people found us in the first place.
The best place to listen to our music is, as always, directly from the band at our Bandcamp page (link below), and both albums are also available on Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play as well. We are going to be launching our own YouTube channel soon, which will include official band-made uploads of all of our music alongside some extra material that we'll put up over time, such as future live footage and making-of content for our next album. Links to all official places to listen to our music are listed below:
Bandcamp: https://sojournermetal.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XFkf3NSP76nB7zhzPdM9X…
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/…/alb…/the-shadowed-road/1348456040
Google Play: https://play.google.com/…/album/Sojourner_The_Shadowed_Road…
FROM SAOR:
It has come to our attention that the 'Atmospheric Black Metal' and 'Lightfox177' YouTube channels have been terminated due to "multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement regarding material the user posted". Both channels launched promotion for all three of our albums, which got a collective 800k+ views and helped us reach new fans across the world.
Bandcamp: https://sojournermetal.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XFkf3NSP76nB7zhzPdM9X…
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/…/alb…/the-shadowed-road/1348456040
Google Play: https://play.google.com/…/album/Sojourner_The_Shadowed_Road…
FROM SAOR:
It has come to our attention that the 'Atmospheric Black Metal' and 'Lightfox177' YouTube channels have been terminated due to "multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement regarding material the user posted". Both channels launched promotion for all three of our albums, which got a collective 800k+ views and helped us reach new fans across the world.
...but don't despair! We have re-uploaded all three albums in HD quality to the Official Saor YouTube Channel. You can head over and subscribe + share the videos by following the link below.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/saormusic
Website: http://www.saormusic.com
Bandcamp: https://saor.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saormusic/
FROM UNREQVITED:
Yeah, he started charging bands towards the end. That’s where it all went downhill.
FROM ARKUUM:
As some of you may have noticed, the Atmospheric Black Metal Albums channel on youtube is no longer available and so is our last album "Trostlos". This channel had a great effect on Arkuum, reaching many new fans, so I'm sad to hear about that youtube strike.
To keep guaranteeing you the album on youtube, I uploaded it on our own channel.
FROM VIOLET COLD:
so i've got a few emails accusing me for reporting and forcing ABMA channel to be closed.
well i'm not going to lecture you - little posers about psychological disease when you're shift responsibility on someone for not being able to control your life and fears.
giving out your guesses as facts you look like stupid cunt, come back after 20 years when you PROBABLY be able to cooperate with your intellect.
have a nice day
"YOU ARE YOUR OWN ENEMY"
Please read this post carefully (i promise this is the last post about ABMA situation😁)
What we have as a result of blocking of ABMA youtube channel?
Tons of dissatisfied users around the world complaining they have lost the main source of music they love. But aren't you deceiving yourself? Weren't many of you also unsatisfied with content in the last few years when ABMA began to charge $ for posting music? Now please tell me, what is the difference between this channel which posts every paid music without filter and your ability to go to Bandcamp>Genre>New Arrivals? Aren't it the same?
FROM ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL ABLUMS (YOU TUBE):
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/saormusic
Website: http://www.saormusic.com
Bandcamp: https://saor.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saormusic/
FROM UNREQVITED:
Mixed feelings overall about the Atmospheric Black Metal Albums YouTube channel going under. If you’re familiar with the situation, what’s your stance on it?
Also just want to state that if you stream music, Spotify is ultimately the best place to listen to Unreqvited. All of the plays on there really add up in royalty payments and are extremely helpful. Thank you.
I do agree, however it wasn’t free anymore for the smaller artists. I never had to pay for promo on that channel, but that’s because he knew it would do well and would make money off it.Also just want to state that if you stream music, Spotify is ultimately the best place to listen to Unreqvited. All of the plays on there really add up in royalty payments and are extremely helpful. Thank you.
Yeah, he started charging bands towards the end. That’s where it all went downhill.
FROM ARKUUM:
As some of you may have noticed, the Atmospheric Black Metal Albums channel on youtube is no longer available and so is our last album "Trostlos". This channel had a great effect on Arkuum, reaching many new fans, so I'm sad to hear about that youtube strike.
To keep guaranteeing you the album on youtube, I uploaded it on our own channel.
FROM VIOLET COLD:
so i've got a few emails accusing me for reporting and forcing ABMA channel to be closed.
well i'm not going to lecture you - little posers about psychological disease when you're shift responsibility on someone for not being able to control your life and fears.
giving out your guesses as facts you look like stupid cunt, come back after 20 years when you PROBABLY be able to cooperate with your intellect.
have a nice day
"YOU ARE YOUR OWN ENEMY"
Please read this post carefully (i promise this is the last post about ABMA situation😁)
What we have as a result of blocking of ABMA youtube channel?
Tons of dissatisfied users around the world complaining they have lost the main source of music they love. But aren't you deceiving yourself? Weren't many of you also unsatisfied with content in the last few years when ABMA began to charge $ for posting music? Now please tell me, what is the difference between this channel which posts every paid music without filter and your ability to go to Bandcamp>Genre>New Arrivals? Aren't it the same?
ABMA isn't create music!!! From my perspective it was just a playlist that used youtube hosting. That's it! Try to look wider and you'll see how it was wrong to sell paid views and likes. You love black metal and automatically close your eyes to reality. It's always easy to manipulate public just giving them what they want playing on their love to specific genre preferences. Don't be a blind fanatic zombies! That's it, i will never return to this topic!
Now lets talk about the title of the post. Evolution: if you're not using any part of your body nature will get rid of that part in the future. Macroevolution makes the same with your perception. Everything going to be robotized and you will lose true passion of perceiving life as an adventure if you're making constant repetitive things which not evolve your interest.
Ask your parents (no matter what type of music they listened in the past) how did they feel finding new music in those times? How pleasant was the process of finding and acquiring it?
And that is the answer, simple psychology of human. We won't appreciate something we get too easy, comfortably and for free. That's why you are your own enemy. You are killing your passion and power of your perception.
Respect your ears! I suspect my English may cause your ears bleed more than youtube compresses and shits music quality, anyway listen to quality music.
Buy music! Yeah, a worn-out topic but it's not a secret that buying music you're helping new art to be born. Buying music you will also return that feeling of facing with sacral gem!
Lifehack!!! - Even listening to music via FREE Spotify account you making artist to get 10 times more than youtube.
Artists/Bands!!! Please share underrated artists you like at least once in a month, this will make community and genre revive and shine...
Thanks guys!!!
(pls share this post)
Now lets talk about the title of the post. Evolution: if you're not using any part of your body nature will get rid of that part in the future. Macroevolution makes the same with your perception. Everything going to be robotized and you will lose true passion of perceiving life as an adventure if you're making constant repetitive things which not evolve your interest.
Ask your parents (no matter what type of music they listened in the past) how did they feel finding new music in those times? How pleasant was the process of finding and acquiring it?
And that is the answer, simple psychology of human. We won't appreciate something we get too easy, comfortably and for free. That's why you are your own enemy. You are killing your passion and power of your perception.
Respect your ears! I suspect my English may cause your ears bleed more than youtube compresses and shits music quality, anyway listen to quality music.
Buy music! Yeah, a worn-out topic but it's not a secret that buying music you're helping new art to be born. Buying music you will also return that feeling of facing with sacral gem!
Lifehack!!! - Even listening to music via FREE Spotify account you making artist to get 10 times more than youtube.
Artists/Bands!!! Please share underrated artists you like at least once in a month, this will make community and genre revive and shine...
Thanks guys!!!
(pls share this post)
FROM ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL ABLUMS (YOU TUBE):
Hello everyone.
I apologize for not replying right away all the messages, comments, mails and all sorts of communication that have been sent and are being sent at the moment regarding the status of my channels. I mainly had to take the time to see if I could figure it out, fix it and talk to the people who reported me, yet I haven’t been able to establish a positive solution regarding this matter.
Anyway, here is my official statement, it’s a little bit long but it’s essentail and of vital importance to read it entirely so you can understand many facts that have been said about me and my Youtube platforms. I really appreciate your time and thank you if you get a chance to read it all. If you feel like this channel may have helped you in some kind of way, please give it some minutes and read the whole statement. I will be eternally grateful for this.
First of all, I would like to thank each and every single one of you for the thousands and I truly mean, thousands of messages that I keep receiving regarding how sorry and sad you are about my channels being closed. It truly means the world to me that this channel and my platforms after all these years (10 approximately) reached so many of you and successfully accomplished its true purpose, which was connecting people to the music and music to people.
I’ll try to summarize and at the same time speak in a very detailed way so everyone can understand, because there are certain technical matters and aspects here that we have to go through, so this whole situation can be understood in the best way possible. I always think and believe that it’s always good knowing both sides of the coin and not just what one of the parts have to say, this way we can have a better comprehension of the whole situation and a better perspective when it comes to an analysis and solution for a better judgment.
Since long time ago, I’ve been a youtuber, making and uploading videos, a pioneer in a way, when it comes to uploading metal videos to Youtube. Since back then in 2007 I started some channels and one of them was Lightfox17, where I used to make Atmospheric Black Metal Compilations #1, 2, 3 …. 29, etc. Pure Fucking Satanic Blasphemic Black Metal videos, Compilation metal videos channel and more. All of them were made back then when Youtube videos were 10 minutes max and 360p was the best quality possible (yes how old are we eh?...)
I kept on making videos through the years, just uploading music that I liked. I started gaining notoriety, I started uploading music which had not been uploaded before to Youtube. This particular aspect was one of the main reasons why so many people started following me in the first place, because of the exclusive material. Even since back then, I started connecting and contacting bands and labels, mainly because I was trying to get material and files in the best quality possible and at the same time, so there wouldn’t be any problems at all with copyright and permissions.
Everything kept on going really good, I even started making the famous “Atmospheric Black Metal Compilations”, a compile of bands (10) appearing on each video, 10 different bands on each video every single time, working as recommendations and suggestions, including really nice pictures of forests and landscapes, all of which had the approval from the respective artists. Amazingly, some of these compilations reached to big numbers like 150k views and 100k views. For a Black Metal compilation video, I think it was a lot.
They were really successful until one day a band requested a full stream of their release. If I recall it was an EP with a maximum length of 12 minutes. Well I started with this release and I said to myself, I love Atmospheric Black Metal releases, it’s possibly my favourite subgenre within the Black Metal genre and since the option of posting videos with more than 15 minutes was enabled, I started asking bands and labels about uploading full streams. This is how it all started basically.
Atmospheric Black Metal Albums started in 2010 if I recall with the sole purpose of portraying full releases with the objective of giving the listener the chance of going through the whole release, including all official links in the description such as direct store shopping link, bandcamp links, social media, etc. and hopefully, having the listener to get a small taste of the release and encouraging him to buy what he was listening to, if they liked it.
Oh how much I loved and felt satisfied by reading comments like:
- “Thanks, just ordered it.”
- “First song and ordering immediately.”
- “Thanks to you, I’m poor and my wallet is empty but I’m happy because my collection keeps on growing.”
- “Thank you, you are the best, this is the kind of music I’ve been searching for, it’s ordered now.”
- “I hate you because you empty my wallet with your uploads.”
- “I love the recommendations, thanks.”
- Etc.
Comments like these ones are the ones which totally made my day, actions and gestures that truly made every single moment worth it of taking the time to make a video and uploading it.
This kept on going through many years, even band members contacted me and told me, “Hey thank you so much, thanks to you and the exposure you gave my little release, now a big label signed me, I have a really nice record deal and I’m touring.”
Reading these comments and messages are the expressions that totally filled my soul and made every little thing worth it when it came to music. I’ve never ever asked for anything in return, I’ve always been delighted with such expressions with the result of saying to myself “work done”, since it’s the ultimate achievement, to read that a little unknown band was signed by Nuclear Blast Entertainment for example. This was the cherry on the top of the ice cream.
Anyway, for such a long time and many years this kept on going and I’ve had no problem, even when some of you, knew exactly how each day has been with this channel and all the time it takes to manage.
You see, it’s not as simple as people may think or imagine. It’s a channel with 2500+ videos, over 20 million views in total and 141,000 subscribers. I even received my Bronze Play Button for surpassing 100,000 subscribers, which I don’t think it’s an easy task when it comes to Black Metal. I supposed I did something good.
My daily routine regarding the channel:
- Checking and replying channel’s mail regarding requests for uploads. - Coordinating files upon requests for an upload. - Validating approvals / permissions from all parties involved (band and label) - Replying comments on youtube. - Checking the Facebook fanpage inbox. - Replying to fanpage inbox upload requests. - Replying to fanpage inbox normal questions such as (can I make you an interview, how does the copyright thing work? , Can you recommend me bands similar to xxxx ? and a big etc. - Replying to Facebook comments. - Checking the recommendations people send. - Answering to labels regarding the new schedule of uploads. - Answering to artists regarding their premieres. - Updating official links to old videos as requested by artists / labels. - Artists contact me so I can file a dispute because a false copyright claim was made on their musical composition, I need to follow the case and contact youtube about these matters. - Schedule posts. - Checking for new releases. - Contacting labels regarding permissions / approvals - And a big ETC.
Besides the fact of living my life, working and solving my own personal issues. Trust me, It does take a considerable amount of time to manage a platform of this level.
THE FAMOUS FEE.
It's been 8 years since I ever asked for anything in return yet, a while back some bands / labels started sending albums, vinyls, tapes, merchandising, etc. I had no problem with that, since this is something that they voluntarily decided to do as a retribution. I thanked them for that. In some cases, when I placed an order from their store (because yes I do buy and support and spend $ on music, you can see all the pictures from my personal collection on my page,)
Often labels told me:
“Hey I will attach also these albums for free to your order thanking you for the support given through your channel to our bands”.
Even in some cases, bands told me:
"Hey I'm going to send you this amount of money because thanks to you, we got signed and we are touring now"
and I was like:
"No please, that's not necessary”.
Nothing of this would have happened if I wasn't making a good promotion / support work regarding the exposure of a band / release. I believe this was the way they recognized the work done.
But anyway, the time came when matters that escaped from my hands happened, a life changing matter and basically I had nothing left. An disaster emergency which made me start from scratch. When this happened I said to myself, I don't want to end this amazing platform which helps tons of people from all over the world and most importantly, it helps music to get to places where you can't ever imagine. Can you imagine a band from Iran or Brunei getting sales on bandcamp or being signed by a european label? I think that's amazing and being part of that and knowing that you've collaborated to that development, it's just incredible and will always attach a smile to my face. When this happened, a friend of mine from a really well known label told me:
“Hey, look, you offer a great service, totally free, don't you see that bands / labels choose your channel for the amazing people who follow it? It's a great way for them to produce sales and exposure and at the same time for them to be known since your channel is a referent regarding this specific genre. You should definitely start charging a fee and try to get something from it in return, so you can build your life back to where you were, at least, to get a little help (Obviously since this isn't a great amount). Bands and labels do this all the time, they hire PR teams, they pay really well known sites to make premieres, etc. and all of these costs go even beyond of what you may charge here and I’m sure the benefit they will get from your platform will always be bigger than the initial investment”.
I knew he was right about one thing, the benefit that many bands / projects / labels have received via my channel has been quantified in return through the years. Exponential growth in every single aspect. Well I was very skeptical about this option, since for so so long (10 years) I never asked anything in return, yet I needed something. Something because I had nothing, literally nothing and some people here know about it. With all my embarrassment, all my guilt and in the most humble and honest way, I made a post a while back about the fee. I felt really sad because I knew it wasn't something that I wanted to do exactly, yet I was forced in a way, so I could continue with the promotion and so my channel wouldn't die. I thought about it for so long and well, I went ahead and decided to do it since I couldn't risk the chance of having this channel inactive for a year or more, plus I had my facebook inbox, youtube inbox, gmail inbox and many other social media inbox FULL and I mean FULL. You have no idea how many messages I received per day about requests and stuff. Listen to this, do this, upload my albums, do this, do that, basically as if people were my bosses. This doesn't mean at all that I felt something against them, no, I've always taken my time to reply to each and every single person, from the tiniest project to the mega known projects. I think you all know about this, I've always delivered.
Anyway, going through this, the decision was made, people started collaborating and getting their albums uploaded. While time started passing by, many bands / projects told me,
"Hey are you sure you are asking $10?" , "Dude that's nothing, I will give you $40 since what I get in retribution is basically 800% more than that, I actually can't thank you enough for having my video on your platform, it opened so many doors to me", etc.
The fee was raised in a proper way, comparing it to other channels and platforms which did the same thing and measuring what you could get in return and at the same time, so I could invest in equipment and at the same time, coming back to life from what happened a year ago. This kept on going and it stayed that way. I have to mention and clarify that the fee ISN'T an obligation at all. Many times artists told me: “Sorry bro I can't afford that.”
and I told them “Hey that's no problem, let me listen to your album, we can definitely make a video. “ So to clear this thing out, THE FEE ISN'T AN OBLIGATION, it's just a matter for people who can or want to support. 85% of the uploads I’ve made have been uploaded for free in the normal way. I have still kept on contacting labels and artists asking for permissions and uploading material that I liked for the sole fact of contributing to the development of the music in general, no charge, no fee asked.
VIOLET COLD CASE:
Just as everyone can make a mistake, I did make a mistake, I used the image of a band, which had a video with many views as a reference on the brief I worked upon that was showed to bands that wanted more information regarding the services that were offered. It was my mistake of using the image of the band as a reference and for that I did apologized to Violet Cold and his sole member Emin Guliyev. Everything was established in mutual agreement and that matter was resolved in a public letter I made about this subject.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHANNELS?
Well, after a while of keeping this big promo machine going on and everyone was happy with their music getting to places where they never thought they could reach, I knew not everyone would be satisfied or happy with this idea, since we all know that not EVERYONE in this world can be happy, because if not, we wouldn’t have wars.
Anyway, Pest Productions (1 of the guys) whom which I’ve worked and collaborated with for so many years and helped him develop exposure for their releases, went ahead and made a post about me monetizing videos and saying that charging bands was an awful idea. He had his reasons, which I totally respect and at the same time I can understand.
I saw this post appearing on their facebook fanpage, which is totally fine because people can speak freely about anything they want, yet I always believe its good knowing both sides of the coin so you can know straight the whole situation from all angles. I was never allowed to reply back to it, even when I tried sending a clarification message on that post. My posts always appeared as “Hidden” and simply weren’t shown to the public. I think that a “right of reply” is always needed whenever someone mentions someone else.
In this specific case I can totally understand the discomfort that he may have felt knowing about this fee, yet that isn’t a reason to report me on Youtube.
I tried talking to him, yet he didn’t understand and didn’t want to comprehend my points, basically I was a liar and I wasn’t worth his time. He politely asked me to delete ALL Pest Production videos that I’ve uploaded through the years. (I’m attaching the screenshot of the conversation.)
I said, that I totally understood his decision and position and if that’s his wish, I will VOLUNTARILY do it. So I went ahead and started searching for all Pest Production videos and started deleting them. Trust me, it’s not that easy going through 2500 videos on Youtube and searching for specific videos from an specific label, even with the limited search option from Youtube, it’s a very very difficult task, because most likely, you’ll miss some videos, especially the old ones. I went to Metal Archives and their respective page to see the whole catalogue and remember which videos were uploaded from Pest Productions. REMEMBER AND PLEASE NOTICE, all of these videos were uploaded with the exclusive permission and approval from Pest Productions and in some cases from the bands themselves, since they were, in some cases, upload requests. Videos since 2013 til 2018 if I recall.
In total, I believe they were more than 35 videos. I went through all my uploads day by day, double checking, taking the time and making sure nothing was left from Pest Productions. After a while I received a message from Pest Productions saying:
“I CHECKED ALL THE VIDEOS SOME MINUTES AGO AND IT WAS ALL DELETED, INCLUDING THE ONES I CHECKED SOME HOURS AGO, SO, DO NOT WORRY, YOUR BUSINESS IS SAVED, BYE.” (I’m attaching a screenshot of the conversation)
When I read this, I immediately said to myself, okay well, all videos must have been deleted since he (Pest Productions) is confirming this. So I didn’t worry about anything since by using my own logic, one can assume all is okay now, issue surpassed, everyone can move on with their lives.
I even told him (Pest Productions) please, understand one thing, this is a big platform with lots of material, so if by any chance I missed 1 or 2 videos from Pest Productions which are left somewhere in this universe of 2500++ videos, if you find it, please let me know and I will voluntarily delete them, since I know most likely some videos will still remain because there are 2500++ videos and looking for specific ones, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. He replied to me:
“I will check your channel in the next days and see if everything is deleted, then if I see something, I will let you know.” (Attaching Screenshot of conversation)
But no, one thing happened. Some days after this conversation took place, I received a COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT NOTICE on my mail, saying that these respective videos were taken down
The claimant was Pest Productions (As you can see in the screenshot I’m attaching).
https://www.facebook.com/notes/atmospheric-black-metal-albums/atmospheric-black-metal-albums-channel-deleted-official-statement/2101579606722751/
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-