NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records and kill iconic records are proud to announce their brand new partnership for 2025 and beyond. This partnership combines boutique-style care with larger label resources and experience. The eclectic full roster of current artists with additional signings includes Moondough, Lobby Boxer, Dwellings, Mella, Resilia, ahh-ceh and Gold Necklace.
“Donovan Melero is a force of nature,” Daniel Sandshaw of Equal Vision Records said. “After working with Hail The Sun for nearly a decade, I’ve seen firsthand the passion and drive he brings to everything he touches. Watching kill iconic evolve into a vibrant hub of art and culture has been incredibly inspiring. Now feels like the perfect time for EVR and kill iconic records to join forces, as we look to grow and support the next wave of groundbreaking artists together.”
Founded by Donovan Melero of celebrated California progressive rock dynamos Hail The Sun, kill iconic launched in January 2021 as a quarterly music magazine that featured must-hear artists in the realms heavy and progressive music. Melero soon partnered with Sinjin Ayat, veteran talent manager at the Artisan Alliance, and Joe Occiuti, bassist of Ice Nine Kills and long-term collaborator, to create the kill iconic record label, which shares the same goals as the magazine. The whole team was formed with the immediate addition of partners Sebastian Ramos and Matt Klein. A full-scale and multi-faceted creative hub whose founders are dedicated to fostering community between artists and fans, the services provided by kill iconic go far beyond the standard recording and distribution that most labels offer. Above all, kill iconic cultivates a spirit of trust, collaboration and mutual support among its artists, and between artist and label.
As with the golden days of Sub Pop, Fat Wreck Chords or Fueled By Ramen, fans can count on kill iconic to curate a diverse roster of cutting-edge talent, while artists can expect to receive unparalleled service and support. When kill iconic’s visionary team partners with a roster of groundbreaking artists, there’s no ceiling for what they can achieve together. kill iconic brings over current artists Moondough, Lobby Boxer, ahh-ceh and Gold Necklace, along with their new signings.
“I’ve been working with Equal Vision Records as an artist for over 10 years — over half of my professional music journey,” Melero says. “I grew up listening to EVR bands before I was signed to the label myself. One of the first larger artists I booked in my early agent career was an EVR band. What you get with this label is a group of real people with the best intentions. No bullshit.
“Equal Vision has watched me and my partners continue to grow kill iconic on our own out of a labor of love. Now with this new partnership, our resources and sense of community only expand. With kill iconic records, you don’t only get someone putting out a record, you get a full-fledged group overseeing all angles of an artist’s journey well past the money it takes to make an album. We are elated to partner up with such a wonderful crew of people.”
The first release under this new banner comes by way of Dwellings, the Sacramento, CA-based melodic post-hardcore quintet who just released their new single “IDGAF2,” a song about not judging a book by its cover and allowing the space for you to show who you really are.
“People often tell me that they didn’t imagine someone like me being the singer of the band, and although I assume they don’t mean anything negative about that, it can come across that way — the image you want to portray and not letting others paint that picture for you,” Dwellings vocalist Isaac Wilson said.
Dwellings will make the following appearances during May and June, supporting Dance Gavin Dance and The Home Team. The dates are below.
MAY
22 — Philadelphia, PA — The Fillmore ^
23 — Philadelphia, PA — The Fillmore ^
24 — New York, NY — The Rooftop at Pier 17 ^
25 — Worcester, PA — The Palladium ^
27 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore ^
29 — Toronto, ON — History ^
JUNE
01 — Minneapolis, MN — The Fillmore ^
03 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester’s Paristown Hall ^
06 — Ft. Lauderdale, FL — FTL War Memorial ^
07 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live ^
08 — Atlanta, GA — Coca-Cola Roxy ^
09 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore ^
13 — Houston, TX — Bayou Music Center ^
14 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom ^
15 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Criterion ^
