Metal Blade Records

Last updated

Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records.jpg
Founded1982;40 years ago (1982)
Founder Brian Slagel
StatusIndependent
Distributor(s) RED Distribution (US)
Warner Music Group (outside the US)
Riot Entertainment (Australia)
Sony Music (CAN)
BMG Rights Management (Europe)
Diamante Music Group
Genre Heavy metal, extreme metal
Country of originUnited States
Location Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
Official website metalblade.com

Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the US by RED Distribution, and in Canada by Sony Music Entertainment. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Records in the United States from 1988 to 1993.

Contents

History

Metal Blade Records was founded by Brian Slagel, who at the time was a record store employee in suburban Los Angeles, as a way to increase the recognition of local metal bands. The label's first release was a compilation album called The New Heavy Metal Revue presents Metal Massacre, and included Metallica, Ratt, and Black 'n Blue. [1]

Metal Blade artists that have appeared on the Billboard 200 chart include Goo Goo Dolls, Amon Amarth, Trouble, As I Lay Dying, Behemoth, the Black Dahlia Murder, Cannibal Corpse, Fates Warning (the first Metal Blade band to have achieved this), Lizzy Borden, Anvil, Gwar, King Diamond, Job for a Cowboy, Whitechapel, Armored Saint, The Red Chord, Unearth, Between the Buried and Me, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Corrosion of Conformity and Cattle Decapitation.

From 1985 to 1998, Metal Blade had a sublabel called Death Records, which released recordings by, and signed bands like D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Civilian Terrorists, Mission of Christ, School of Violence, Cryptic Slaughter, The Mentors, Cannibal Corpse, Atheist, Angkor Wat, Loss for Words, Dr. Know, Beyond Possession, and Dark Funeral. [2]

In 2010 Metal Blade Records joined the RIAA.

IronClad Recordings is an imprint.[ citation needed ]

On January 18, 2017 Metal Blade Records was inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History for their large contribution to the Heavy Metal library. Brian was inducted by special guest Kerry King of Slayer. [3] On August 29, 2017, BMG Rights Management published The Sake of Heaviness: the History of Metal Blade Records, a book on the label's history, co-written by Mark Eglington and the label's founder Brian Slagel. [4]

Notable artists

Current

Former

See also

Related Research Articles

Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work. The lyrical subject matter often includes criticism of The Establishment and concern over environmental destruction, and at times shares a disdain for Christian dogma with that of black metal. The language is typically direct and denunciatory, an approach borrowed from hardcore punk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flotsam and Jetsam (band)</span> American thrash metal band

Flotsam and Jetsam is an American thrash metal band that was formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1981. Before settling on its current name in 1984, the band had existed under three different names, Paradox, Dredlox and Dogz. Their current lineup includes vocalist Eric "A.K" Knutson, guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, bassist Bill Bodily, and drummer Ken Mary. Flotsam and Jetsam went through several lineup changes over the years, leaving Knutson as the only constant member. They are also notable for featuring founding member and bassist Jason Newsted, who left the band shortly after the release of their debut album to join Metallica as Cliff Burton's successor.

The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival was an annual festival held in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. It was a weekend-long concert of heavy metal and hardcore punk bands along with a merchandising and promotional area for record labels and other vendors. It had been held in the Worcester Palladium since its inception in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armored Saint</span> American heavy metal band

Armored Saint is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1982. Since 1990, the band has consisted of John Bush on lead vocals, Joey Vera on bass, Jeff Duncan on rhythm guitar and the Sandoval brothers on drums and lead guitar, respectively. Of the current lineup, Bush and Vera are the two constant members. To date, the band has released eight studio albums, one EP, two live albums and one compilation album.

<i>Doomsday for the Deceiver</i> 1986 studio album by Flotsam and Jetsam

Doomsday for the Deceiver is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released on July 4, 1986, on a budget of $12,000, and recorded in two weeks. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam with Jason Newsted before his departure for Metallica. Most lyrics were written by Newsted; his songwriting contributions also appeared on the band's next album No Place for Disgrace (1988) and their 2012 album Ugly Noise.

<i>Metal: A Headbangers Journey</i> 2005 film by Sam Dunn

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary film directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. Dunn sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and the reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on 19 September 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Lucas</span> American drummer

Shannon Lucas is an American heavy metal drummer from Staunton, Virginia. He is best known as the former drummer for death metal band The Black Dahlia Murder and metalcore band All That Remains.

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in 2002.

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 2004.

Brian Slagel is an American music executive. He is the founder and CEO of the independent record label Metal Blade Records. Slagel is known for having initiated the Metal Massacre series of compilation albums in 1982, the first of which included the first commercial recording by Metallica. Metal Blade has since released seminal albums by Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, Fates Warning, Amon Amarth and The Black Dahlia Murder, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Full Force (music festival)</span> German music festival

Full Force is a German heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented music festival held annually since 1994. The 2011 edition took place between 1 and 3 July at Roitzschjora airport in Löbnitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warlord (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Warlord was an American heavy metal band, formed in 1980 and based in Los Angeles, California. Since its formation the band was led by guitarist William J Tsamis and drummer Mark Zonder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayhem Festival 2009</span> 2009 heavy metal music festival

Mayhem Festival 2009 was the second annual North American Mayhem Festival founded by Kevin Lyman. In July 2009 a DLC song pack was sold in the music video game Rock Band 2.

Ferret Music was an American independent record label turned Warner Music Group subsidiary, founded in 1996. The label is owned by NORA's vocalist, Carl Severson, and based in West Windsor, New Jersey. Ferret recently started an imprint called New Weathermen Records. Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance acquired a stake in Ferret Music in August, 2006, and as a result is currently distributed by Fontana Distribution, Alternative Distribution Alliance and eOne Music.

Metal Evolution is a 2011 documentary series directed by anthropologist and filmmaker Sam Dunn and director, producer and music supervisor Scot McFadyen about heavy metal subgenres, with new episodes airing every Friday at 10 pm EST on MuchMore and Saturday at 10pm EST on VH1 Classic. Its origins come from Dunn's first documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, which included the acclaimed "Heavy Metal Family Tree."

Copenhell is a heavy metal festival held annually at Refshaleøen in Copenhagen, Denmark, since 2010. It was one of the first open-air heavy metal festivals in Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead by Wednesday</span>

Dead by Wednesday is an American heavy metal band from New Haven, Connecticut, formed in 2006. The band's current lineup includes founding members Christian "Opus" Lawrence (drums) and Michael Modeste (bass), along with Dave Sharpe (guitar) and Steve Alvarez (vocals).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serpentine Dominion</span> American death metal band

Serpentine Dominion is an American death metal supergroup consisting of Killswitch Engage lead guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and former The Black Dahlia Murder drummer Shannon Lucas. They released their debut album on October 28, 2016.

Bill Metoyer is an American record producer who has recorded with Slayer, Deliverance, Hirax, Morbid Angel, Trouble and Tourniquet. He has worked at Metal Blade Records for several years as house producer and currently works as A&R. He also works with Alpha Omega Management as A&R as well. Metoyer formed Skull Seven Productions.

References

  1. ↑ "Features". metalupdate.com. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Death Records (3) - CDs and Vinyl at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Scorpions Among Nominees for Hall of Heavy Metal History". Rolling Stone . December 22, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  4. ↑ "BMG Will Release a Book on Metal Blade Records on Their Iconic History Later This Summer". Billboard . Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Fates Warning signs worldwide deal with Metal Blade Records" . Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Harm's Way | Metal Blade Records" . Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Killswitch Engage | Metal Blade Records" . Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Metal Blade Records announce the signing of WOVENWAR featuring members of As I Lay Dying and Oh, Sleeper". metalblade.com. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Bison Bc Interview @ Louder Than Hell". Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Lazarus A.D. Drummer Ryan Shutler Dies". loudwire.com. May 18, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  11. ↑ McFarlane, 'Taramis' entry. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Artists | Metal Blade Records" . Retrieved May 8, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.