Ink to Spill Honors Lives Lost at the Hands of Racial Injustice in New Single “Chalk Lines”

Alternative rock band Ink to Spill greets the new year after an impressive wave of momentum in 2020. Having received high praises from Grit Daily, The Hype Magazine, Medium Magazine, Thrive Global, Tattoo Magazine and many more, the coast-to-coast-to-coast band was primed for a remote-recording process during one of the craziest years of our lifetime. In a continuation of impactful singles, their new track “Chalk Lines” tackles our society’s ongoing battle with police brutality. Slated to release on January 12th, “Chalk Lines” drew its original inspiration from the tremendous sense of loss for all of us as Americans immediately after the shooting of Philando Castile in 2016. “As a young person, I had a few scrapes and traffic stops with the authorities, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to be concerned that one of those events could turn into loss of life in an instant.” says Ink to Spill songwriter Bob Sauer.

“Dotted across the landscape, Urban centers of pain // Mother’s weep for justice, But their tears fall in vain”

Ink to Spill expresses deep respect for those who put their lives on the line every day to police our communities. That being said, this doesn’t come without deep concerns for the ongoing tendency for some officers to display excessive use of force, legally defining the act as a civil rights violation. The happenings of 2020 shed light on a lot of our country’s demons. After the killing of George Floyd, our country erupted with anger and frustration as we confronted our complacency and instead fought back for equality. In June alone, over half a million people turned out in nearly 550 places across the United States in protest of the unjust killings against black people at the hands of police. According to polls, the organic turnout to these protests makes the Black Lives Matter movement the largest movement in our country’s history.

“And though it pours, There’s still not enough rain / To wash away the chalk lines, As they describe another lost soul’s frame”

Ink to Spill’s new video begins with raw footage from the memorials of the victims that have fallen. The jarring look into the emotional experience greets listeners with a harsh reality that millions fought against in 2020. Paired with footage from the protests, Ink to Spill revives the importance of ‘Saying Their Names’ in order to further humanize the victims who many have fought to dehumanize in order to distract from a very real problem in our nation. Ink to Spill’s visual displays a moving collage of horrific as well as inspiring content; when we see people standing together to fight the good fight, we are left hopeful for brighter days. Since the protests, we have seen the introduction of police reform and accountability bills as well as proposals to end qualified immunity and the banning of war weapons like tear gas. While we are excited to see progress being made, we also recognize that we have a long way to go and artists who step up, like Ink to Spill, have the potential to make a tremendous impact in the process.