IGNITE Sign With ABACUS RECORDINGS

Southern California's IGNITE, who hail from Orange County, have officially inked a worldwide deal with Abacus Recordings, a subsidiary label of Century Media. IGNITE is one of the most recent signings to the L.A.-based label, who have also recently signed TURBONEGRO and THE JULIANNA THEORY. Singer Zoli Teglas proclaimed, "It feels good to get the deal we wanted with a great label like Abacus, who give us complete creative control and the ability to get our music everywhere."

Abacus plans to release IGNITE's first studio album since 2000's "A Place Called Home" during early 2006. The next IGNITE release will indeed be followed by an intense worldwide touring regiment for the boys from the O.C.

Bassist Brett Rasmussen stated, "We are really excited by the fact that we are signed to one label worldwide and that we will have domestic releases, with great distribution, in all of the territories around the world that we tour." IGNITE looks forward, most of all, to having a label in the U.S. that is going to push them and provide the support that they have always wanted but never received before domestically.

The four-piece band — Zoli Teglas (vocals),Brett Rasmussen (bass),Brian Balchack (guitar) and Craig Anderson (drums) — will be entering the recording studio in September with engineer/producer Cameron Webb (SOCIAL DISTORTION, MOTÖRHEAD, SUM 41, SILVERSTEIN). First, however, the new material will be road tested, to smooth out some final wrinkles, when the group ventures to Europe in August to play festivals in Sweden, Germany, Holland, Hungary and also a handful of club shows. "We did the same thing when we recorded our last CD. We did the European Warped Tour then came home and went straight into the studio. We were very prepared and very tight," said Teglas.

Formed in suburban Orange County in 1994, IGNITE, whose fan base has largely been developed through near-constant global touring, deliver an intelligent, socially and politically aware, melodic brand of hardcore that has taken them and their message to over 30 countries worldwide. Their high-spirited career includes critically lauded records, among them "A Place Called Home" (2000),"Past Our Means" (1996) and "Call On My Brothers" (1995). IGNITE has also released various live seven-inch, ten-inch records and split CDs in which all proceeds have been donated to many environmental groups that the group supports including The Sea Shepherd Society, Earth First and Orange County's own Pacific Wildlife Foundation.

Upcoming IGNITE shows:

Aug. 05 - Lindesberg, SWE @ Augustibuller Festival
Aug. 06 - Leisnig, GER @ Sucks'n'Summer Festival
Aug. 07 - Aarschot, BEL @ Hageland Festival
Aug. 08 - Bochum, GER @ Zwischenfall
Aug. 09 - Darmstadt, GER @ Krone
Aug. 10 - Stuttgart, GER @ Rohre
Aug. 11 - Augsburg, GER @ Musikkantine
Aug. 12 - Saarbrucken, GER @ Stoneage
Aug. 13 - Lierop, NETH @ Tuinfeest
Aug. 14 - Bielsko, POL @ Biala
Aug. 16 - Budapest, HUN @ Sziget Festival