For the Bats III: A Bat Conservation Fundraiser

Blame Bela, blame Bauhaus, but bring bats. Fling them at the sky. No creature ever cast a finer silhouette across the moon - the imagination they capture worth its weight in rabies.

And so it goes, leather winged icons that symbolise a scene and yet - even more than that. Perhaps a guidebook for an entire aesthetic. As each and every culture has found their analogue for the vampire, most have ascribed a totemic weight to the nocturnal gait of the humble bat. Celebrated, feared and revered. Slathered in ink on countless tibias, tits and t-shirts. Rethought, recaptured and endlessly redrawn.

But they are, nonetheless, mortal.

The sad truth is that numbers are down, with many species having flitted their way onto the endangered list. The destruction of rainforest habitats, caves and nesting areas, coupled with the affects of climate change have all factored into this decline. But work is being done. With the realisation of their importance to countless ecosystems (as well as their swish tattoo and crap jewellery inspiration potential), numerous organisations are working in tandem to support research and conservation efforts throughout the world.

Now, just in time for Halloween, comes your chance to do your bit. The For the Bats charity compilation brings together musicians from all corners of the globe’s gothic, post-punk, deathrock and dark wave communities as they rally to support Bat rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation.

Leading names such as The Eden House, The Danse Society, Red Sun Revival, and Bloody Dead and Sexy (featuring Gitane Demone) spearhead a cast of 25 bands and recording artists on ‘For the Bats Vol. III’ the final instalment of the successful fundraising compilation series, with all proceeds going directly to the Bat Conservation Trust .