Polish death metal veterans Decapitated have announced they’re taking legal action against Earache Records for unpaid royalties.

Decapitated got their first big break from Earache Records in the early 2000s, releasing four records (including the modern classic Nihility) with the label from 2000-2006. Decapitated claim Earache has not paid them a cent in royalties in the past 10 years, forcing the metallers to take their grievance to court.

Decapitated guitarist Vogg shared the news with fans in a video message. “In 1999, we signed a four album deal with Earache Records,” Vogg begins. “We have, as a band, fulfilled all the requirements of the contract. We recorded four albums, promoted them, played shows, etc. However, they haven’t paid us a penny in royalties since the deal ended 10 years ago. For that reason, we’ve decided to begin legal action against the label.”

The band also tells MetalSucks, “Due to on-going disputes with the label regarding these unpaid royalties and contested breaches of contract we find ourselves in a position whereby we need to pursue legal action to rectify already very overdue issues, not only to get justice for the band but more importantly for Vitek’s widow and daughter and Covan and his careers.”

To help out with legal fees, Decapitated have released a limited edition t-shirt and hoodie that fans can purchase for $22 and $44, respectively. Earache has not yet issued a comment on the lawsuit.

Back in 2015, Decapitated won a dispute against Earache which led to the band’s first four albums being removed from streaming services like Spotify. Despite this, Decapitated’s Earache releases are still available on Spotify and iTunes in the U.S. as of this posting.

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