On January 13th 2009 UNION was pre-released in digital format via the iTunes Music Store. Lead track ‘Evacuate’ became the first global iTunes Single of the Week–generating a staggering 560,000 downloads in seven days. The album went Top 5 on both the iTunes US and UK Albums Charts within 48 hours of release, resulting in the Boxer Rebellion becoming the first unsigned band to break into the Billboard Top 100 Albums Chart on a digital-only release.

UNION also knocked My Morning Jacket off the iTunes US Alternative Albums No. 1 that week, and at one point was outselling the likes of Coldplay and Kings of Leon. The album was only made available on CD thanks to the help of HMV who agreed to finance it’s creation because they didn’t like telling customers that the CD wasn’t available to buy.

Includes the tracks: “Evacuate,” “Flashing Red Light Means Go,” “Soviets,” and “Spitting Fire”.[info sheet from distr.]