January 20, 2020 - The Church, one of our most trusted institutions, continues to find itself at the center of unforgivable scandals often sadly overlooked by established leaders. At the center is always an abuse of power riddled with aching stories of people failing to report cases of child molestation due to an institute’s problematic power dynamics. Ink to Spill’s heated new track ‘Robes On Fire’ focuses on the failure of these systems which once were renowned for their purity and have since been hijacked by predators on the children of their own parishioners. In the song, an intensified drum pattern with descending guitar riffs and prominent synths, creates the high energy backdrop for their captivating music video. The video, set to release on January 28th, pairs a chilling animation of the devil himself with band member Gus’s narration in the foreground. As the video progresses, we are presented with real-life newspaper clippings, covering stories of abuse being allowed in the church. The band puts its primary focus on the most recent account in Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic Church. In 2018, it was made public that accounts of sexual abuse by 300+ priests over the course of 70 years had been covered by the church. The report included six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1,000 identifiable victims.
“Robes on fire, flames burn higher, Rome’s desire, Satan’s delightful pyre / Reach at once higher and higher, Deceitful priests burn best who won’t confess, For all that is seen and unseen”
Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability. Ink to Spill’s video also touches on the Penn State scandal, which concerned allegations and subsequent convictions of child sexual abuse committed by Jerry Sandusky, an assistant coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team, over a period of at least fifteen years. Unfortunately, the widespread epidemic of abuse in Pennsylvania barely scratches the surface. These incidents pop up all over the world on a daily basis. Ink to Spill takes a bold stance with “Robes On Fire” by raising awareness to the anger and lack of trust that these incidents have caused.
“The Vatican collections, Seek their legal protection / So they may spread their infection, Or at least protect the fleece/ That warms the shoulders of Peter’s priests”
The band members of Ink to Spill live coast to coast, creating highly prolific content remotely. Their soulful vocals and elegant guitar pair seamlessly with world-renowned drummer Ernie Adams’ signature percussive sound. They present a poignant examination of our world through an eclectic, alternative rock sound with influences from Soul, R&B and Funk. The group leaves no stone unturned, with lyrics that range from the deeply personal, to the socially conscious, to the downright ridiculous.
