Cape Town deathcore solo project Severance has joined the Arson Theory roster. The announcement lands right after “Mirrors of a Broken Reality”, the new single featuring Ross Sinclair of Aliens in Oceans, and it follows our February interview where Anthony Hawkins talked through the grind behind the project, his self-run Osmium Sonics setup, and his push to help move South Africa’s heavy scene forward.
“I’m genuinely grateful to be included among artists I respect.”
“This partnership means a lot to me,” Hawkins commented to AFRICA.ROCKS. “I’ve been working on music for about 15 years, mostly teaching myself and picking things up from people who showed me the ropes along the way. Like most independent artists, I’ve released projects that didn’t land the way I hoped. There were plenty of moments where it felt like I was just missing the mark. If I’m being honest, Severance was close to being my last serious push before I stepped back and kept things smaller. Seeing this project finally connect the way it has… that’s meant a lot to me.”
On the roster, he adds: “I grew up looking up to bands like All Shall Perish, so being connected to that broader circle now is something I don’t take lightly. And with PeelingFlesh being one of my current favorite bands on the label, I’m genuinely grateful to be included among artists I respect. I know how tough this road can be when you’re building for years and things don’t click right away. Sometimes it really does come down to the right people noticing at the right time. I’m very thankful to the team at Arson Theory for taking a chance on me and for having my back this early in the journey.”
“I spent years learning, missing, and trying again. If you are in that cycle right now, stay with it.”
Hawkins also told AFRICA.ROCKS: “I spent years learning, missing, and trying again. If you are in that cycle right now, stay with it. Sometimes the project that changes everything is the one you almost did not make.”
Arson Theory calls itself a “creative ecosystem” for independent artists. They build around three lanes: distribution, publishing administration, and digital rights management. Distribution is the obvious one, but their angle is control and reporting. Arson Theory says releases go out to 200+ platforms, and they push the idea of a single dashboard for analytics, splits, and payouts. They also put a big line in the sand on ownership: artists keep 100% ownership of their music, and the platform is meant to be a base you can build on.
Publishing is the less glamorous piece, and it’s usually where independent artists get tired fast. Arson Theory positions this as admin: registering songs with global societies, collecting royalties across territories, keeping it organised in the same reporting system, and handling licensing questions when they show up. They also mention pitching for placements in film, TV, and games when the fit is right.
Rights management is the third leg, and it matters more every year. This is the stuff that catches usage across platforms where music gets reused constantly. Arson Theory lists YouTube Content ID, Meta Rights Manager for Instagram and Facebook, and coverage that includes TikTok. They also mention neighbouring rights collection through SoundExchange and other collectors, aimed at digital radio and non-interactive streaming royalties.
If you’re building from Cape Town, this setup can genuinely boost your efforts. Not that it eliminates labor, rather it streamlines the background processes as you push forward. That lines up with how Hawkins has been running Severance from the start, with Osmium Sonics credited on mixing, mastering, and sound design, and a clear focus on owning the full picture.
Looking ahead, Hawkins says: “Right now I’m focused on continuing the work and letting Severance grow naturally from here.”
