Dallas goth-industrial band Course of Empire has finally shucked its Zoo 
Records deal and found a new record-company home: TVT Records, the New 
York-based independent label whose roster stretches from pop band the 
Connells to industrial pioneer En Esch.

It's a "done deal" says drummer Chad Lovell, with May being the target 
for a new release

"The record was done a year ago, but we want to add three or four more 
songs", he says. "TVT may want to hold off until fall - we haven't gotten 
close to talking about it."

This makes COE the second area band on TVT, after Gravity Kills.  That's 
not the only Dallas connection: Back when he worked at Arista, TVT talent 
scout Tom Sarig signed Funland.

Course of Empire was one of many casualties at Zoo.  The company recently 
closed its Los Angeles office and moved the remnants to New York.  But 
the band did get its own, fully equipped recording studio out of the 
deal.  There is just one condition they must observe.

"Part of our deal in leaving Zoo is that we can't make any disparaging 
remarks about them," Mr. Lovell says.